Cinema
Cría cuervos
Carlos Saura · 1976
Synopsis
Madrid, in 1975. Ana, eight years old, has just lost her father, shortly after her mother, who died of cancer. With her two sisters, Irene and Maite, she lives in a large silent house, with a mute grandmother confined to an armchair and Rosa, the maid, under the care of their aunt Paulina, a stern woman who moves in with them. Ana often sees her mother reappear, relives the memories of the house and stands up against her aunt's authority; she secretly keeps a box of white powder that her mother told her was a violent poison.
Context
The title takes the opening of a Spanish proverb, “raise ravens and they will pull out your eyes”. Produced by Elías Querejeta and shot in Madrid, the film blends the present, the child's memories and her visions without warning, and Geraldine Chaplin plays both the mother and Ana as an adult, who speaks to the camera. Ana Torrent, who plays the child, was already known from Víctor Erice's film, shot when she was seven. The song “Porque te vas”, by José Luis Perales and sung by Jeanette, became known worldwide thanks to the film. It was released in Spain on 26 January 1976.
Who it is for
A drama with a fragmented narrative, in which present, memories and visions blend; it takes a critical look at the last years of Francoism.
Prizes and reception
Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1976; Spain's entry for the Oscar for best foreign film, but not selected among the nominees.