Spanish AS Level
Studying Film:
The experiences afforded by foreign cinema study encompass a wide variety of linguistic, cultural, social
and historical references via a multimodal relationship between the spectator and the work. With its
ability to pack a two-hour period with plot, emotion, drama, events, images and ideas, a film draws
attention to ethical boundaries, conceptual frameworks, national memory and identity, and the use of
language and idiomatic phrases. Cinema is a globalised discipline that can usefully be split into three
categories: linguistic, paraverbal and cultural. These three categories set out clear areas of study and
provide a useful framework for the planning of learning objectives in relation to foreign film analysis.
Studying Spanish films is not just about one specific element, such as “language”, but rather it involves a
combination of a number of elements that include various forms of communication such as looks or
gestures and idiomatic speech. Students will be exposed to idiomatic and colloquial Spanish that is not
to be found in textbooks. Students will also be exposed to spoken Spanish in a way that can not be
replicated within a classroom.
Las 13 rosas – Emilio Martínez-Lázaro
Recién terminada la Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939), un Tribunal Militar condena a muerte a
unas jóvenes por un delito que no habían cometido. Detenidas un mes después de acabar la
guerra, sufrieron duros interrogatorios y fueron encarceladas en la prisión madrileña de Ventas. Ella
pensaban que sólo pasarían unos años en la cárcel, pero fueron acusadas de un delito de rebelión
contra el Régimen por reorganizar la JSU y por organizar un atentado contra Franco. Fueron
fusiladas en la madrugada del 5 de agosto de 1939
1. “La película demuestra que la libertad no existía para nadie en la sociedad de la época”. Analiza
esta afirmación y justifica tus ideas
Possible content
• The winning side have the freedom to abuse their power, but they do not have the freedom to choose
other values to believe in.
• Capitán Fontenla is a sadist who enjoys his power over others, but his actions are dictated by orders
from above.
, • The judges and lawyers during the girls’ trial do not have the freedom to choose what they believe is
the correct verdict and sentence. They are ordered to find the accused guilty and sentence them to
death.
• The guards in the prison have a degree of freedom in that they can choose how fairly or cruelly they
can treat the inmates, but that freedom is extremely limited.
• The prison director knows that Blanca is innocent, but there is nothing she can do to save her; she is
bound by the same oppression as everybody else.
• Attendance at church is compulsory for all inside and outside the prison. There is no religious freedom
at any level in society.
• Adelina’s father is given the choice to bring in his daughter and he chooses to bring her in. However,
this was not real freedom: the daughter would have been apprehended regardless.
• Inside the prison, the only freedom the inmates have is to refuse to sing the Cara al sol, or to sing rebel
songs. Music gives them a way to rebel against the oppression, but is only a temporary rebellion.
• Political freedom does not exist in this society. The girls are put in prison just for distributing
pamphlets supporting different ideas. This sort of freedom is not tolerated.
• Anybody showing any different ideas from those condoned by the regime is crushed. Juan is known to
be a member of the communist party and that is why he needs to flee.
• Nobody has freedom in the society represented in the film. Although little acts of rebellion are
sometimes shown, they all lead to disaster
2. Analiza cómo se presenta en la película la vida en la prisión. ¿Piensas que es una vida más dura
que en el mundo fuera de la cárcel?
3. Analiza cómo consigue el director provocar emociones fuertes en el público que ve esta película.
4. Analiza las acciones de los dos militares en la película, Jacinto y Perico. ¿Hasta qué punto son
hombres honrados y valientes? Justifica tu respuesta
5. Analiza el personaje de Blanca y considera cómo reacciona a los eventos que ocurren a lo largo
de la película.
6. “La película explora la falta de justicia en la sociedad española de la posguerra”. ¿Hasta qué
punto estás de acuerdo con esta afirmación? Justifica tu respuesta
Las 13 Rosas
Studying Film:
The experiences afforded by foreign cinema study encompass a wide variety of linguistic, cultural, social
and historical references via a multimodal relationship between the spectator and the work. With its
ability to pack a two-hour period with plot, emotion, drama, events, images and ideas, a film draws
attention to ethical boundaries, conceptual frameworks, national memory and identity, and the use of
language and idiomatic phrases. Cinema is a globalised discipline that can usefully be split into three
categories: linguistic, paraverbal and cultural. These three categories set out clear areas of study and
provide a useful framework for the planning of learning objectives in relation to foreign film analysis.
Studying Spanish films is not just about one specific element, such as “language”, but rather it involves a
combination of a number of elements that include various forms of communication such as looks or
gestures and idiomatic speech. Students will be exposed to idiomatic and colloquial Spanish that is not
to be found in textbooks. Students will also be exposed to spoken Spanish in a way that can not be
replicated within a classroom.
Las 13 rosas – Emilio Martínez-Lázaro
Recién terminada la Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939), un Tribunal Militar condena a muerte a
unas jóvenes por un delito que no habían cometido. Detenidas un mes después de acabar la
guerra, sufrieron duros interrogatorios y fueron encarceladas en la prisión madrileña de Ventas. Ella
pensaban que sólo pasarían unos años en la cárcel, pero fueron acusadas de un delito de rebelión
contra el Régimen por reorganizar la JSU y por organizar un atentado contra Franco. Fueron
fusiladas en la madrugada del 5 de agosto de 1939
1. “La película demuestra que la libertad no existía para nadie en la sociedad de la época”. Analiza
esta afirmación y justifica tus ideas
Possible content
• The winning side have the freedom to abuse their power, but they do not have the freedom to choose
other values to believe in.
• Capitán Fontenla is a sadist who enjoys his power over others, but his actions are dictated by orders
from above.
, • The judges and lawyers during the girls’ trial do not have the freedom to choose what they believe is
the correct verdict and sentence. They are ordered to find the accused guilty and sentence them to
death.
• The guards in the prison have a degree of freedom in that they can choose how fairly or cruelly they
can treat the inmates, but that freedom is extremely limited.
• The prison director knows that Blanca is innocent, but there is nothing she can do to save her; she is
bound by the same oppression as everybody else.
• Attendance at church is compulsory for all inside and outside the prison. There is no religious freedom
at any level in society.
• Adelina’s father is given the choice to bring in his daughter and he chooses to bring her in. However,
this was not real freedom: the daughter would have been apprehended regardless.
• Inside the prison, the only freedom the inmates have is to refuse to sing the Cara al sol, or to sing rebel
songs. Music gives them a way to rebel against the oppression, but is only a temporary rebellion.
• Political freedom does not exist in this society. The girls are put in prison just for distributing
pamphlets supporting different ideas. This sort of freedom is not tolerated.
• Anybody showing any different ideas from those condoned by the regime is crushed. Juan is known to
be a member of the communist party and that is why he needs to flee.
• Nobody has freedom in the society represented in the film. Although little acts of rebellion are
sometimes shown, they all lead to disaster
2. Analiza cómo se presenta en la película la vida en la prisión. ¿Piensas que es una vida más dura
que en el mundo fuera de la cárcel?
3. Analiza cómo consigue el director provocar emociones fuertes en el público que ve esta película.
4. Analiza las acciones de los dos militares en la película, Jacinto y Perico. ¿Hasta qué punto son
hombres honrados y valientes? Justifica tu respuesta
5. Analiza el personaje de Blanca y considera cómo reacciona a los eventos que ocurren a lo largo
de la película.
6. “La película explora la falta de justicia en la sociedad española de la posguerra”. ¿Hasta qué
punto estás de acuerdo con esta afirmación? Justifica tu respuesta
Las 13 Rosas
