Pan’s Labyrinth Context

Question 1

When is Pan’s Labyrinth set?
(historical)

Answer 1

June 1944 at the time of D Day. after the end of the Spanish Civil War

Question 2

Who ruled Spain and most of Europe in 1944?
(historical)

Answer 2

Fascists. Persecuted Communists and Democrats

Question 3

What is a fascist?
(historical)

Answer 3

very far right, dictatorial. total authority. do what you’re told, killed in you don’t.

Question 4

What contextual references can be made in the Pale Man scene?
(historical)

Answer 4

Auschwitz and the Holocaust. reminds us of WW2. (stacks of shoes)

Question 5

Who is the character of Vidal based on?
(historical)

Answer 5

Leader of the Spanish fascists, General Francisco Franco, who was supported by the Catholic Church and was pro monarchy, big business and aristocracy

Question 6

How long did Franco rule Spain?
(historical)

Answer 6

1939-1976

Question 7

When was the Civil War?
(historical)

Answer 7

1936-1939

Question 8

What happened in the Civil War?
(historical)

Answer 8

the democratically elected government of Spain (helped by Communists, Anarchists and the Soviet Union) was thrown out by the Fascists led by Franco. The Fascists were supported by Hitler and Mussolini and they lent Franco effective military support, using Blitzkrieg tactics to attack France and Russia in WW2

Question 9

What did Americans value Franco as after staying out of WW2?
(historical)

Answer 9

a staunch anti-Communist

Question 10

How are women treated in Franco’s Spain?
(historical)

Answer 10

like second class citizens. only respected as wives and mothers

Question 11

Where did Spaniards flee to?
(historical)

Answer 11

Mexico

Question 12

Who was Del Toro’s biggest influence?
(production)

Answer 12

• exile Luis Bunuel
• Del Toro says he can remember when and where he was when he saw everyone of Bunuel’s film

Question 13

Quote from Del Toro to describe Bunuel’s film Nazarin (1959)
(production)

Answer 13

‘he shows you that the government is moronic, the police are useless, the army is useless, and the church is equally useless’

Question 14

What was the Pact of Forgetting?
(historical)

Answer 14

• a pact to not bring up the past in order to move forward
• passed in 1978, 2 years after Franco’s death

Question 15

What was the Law of Historical Memory?
(historical)

Answer 15

• helping Spain come to terms with the past
• allowed exhumation from mass graves

Question 16

Proof of the success of Pan’s Labyrinth
(production)

Answer 16

• 4th highest grosser in US for foreign title
• made $83.2 million worldwide
• most commercially successful Mexican film ever
• Critical success included: 73 awards and 3 Oscars