Butterfly (1999 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Butterfly
Moncho and Don Gregorio on the cover of the DVD release
Directed by	José Luis Cuerda
Written by	Rafael Azcona José Luis Cuerda
Starring	Fernando Fernán Gómez Manuel Lozano Elena Fernandez
Release date(s)	1999
Running time	96 min.
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish
IMDb profile

Butterfly is the English language DVD release title for La lengua de las mariposas (Spanish The Tongue of the Butterflies), a 1999 Spanish film directed by José Luis Cuerda. The film was also titled, in various places, as the Butterfly's Tongue and Butterfly Tongues. The film centers on Moncho (Manuel Lozano) and his coming-of-age experience in Galicia in 1936. Moncho develops a close relationship with his teacher Don Gregorio (Fernando Fernán Gómez) who introduces the boy to the world. While the story centers on Moncho's ordinary coming-of-age experiences, tensions related to the looming Spanish Civil War periodically interrupt Moncho's personal growth and daily life.

The film received some critical acclaim. It was nominated for the 2000 Goya Award for "Best Picture" and it won the Goya Award for "Best Adapted Screenplay." Butterfly also has a 95% rating on RottenTomatoes.com.^[1]

1 Cast
2 Plot
3 References
4 External link

[edit] Cast

Fernando Fernán Gómez as Don Gregorio
Manuel Lozano as Moncho
Elena Fernandez as Carmina
Uxia Blanco as Rosa
Gonzalo Martín Uriarte as Ramón
Alexis de los Santos as Andrés

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

When fascists take control of the town, they round up known Republicans, including Don Gregorio. Moncho's father is also a Republican, and his family fears that he too will be taken away in the purge if the fascists discover his political leanings. In order to protect themselves, the family goes to the town square to jeer the captured Republicans as they are paraded out of the court house and boarded onto a truck. The film ends with Moncho, despite his continued great affection for his friend and teacher, yelling hateful things and throwing rocks at Don Gregorio and the other Republicans as the truck carries them away, though the last thing Moncho yells are the words for the nose of a butterfly, a favorite word taught to him by Don Gregorio, presumably in an attempt to let his dear friend know that he doesn't truly mean the words he is yelling.