Themes (rural & urban culture, weather climate, death, rebirth/return, women/maternity/family, lies & secrets) Flashcards
Where did Almodóvar grow up?
In La Mancha
How did Almodóvar’s sisters help him with the film?
They were coordinators of Manchegan facts
Who is the character of Tia Paula inspired by?
Inspired by Almodóvar’s late mother in her final years
What does La Mancha represent, according to Almodóvar?
The origin and beginning of everything
What does La Mancha represent for the women in the film?
Refuge from the pressures of modern life in the city
How is La Mancha different to the city?
There are stone pavements/roads, traditional home furnishings, harsh winds, a slower pace of life, acceptance of the supernatural and a unique language
What typical Manchegan words/phrases do the characters use?
“laborintera” a person who schemes and causes trouble
“apoltronada” a person who puts on weight as a result of not going out or doing exercise
“darle a la lavadora” to talk incessantly
the diminutive “-ico/a” e.g. “igualico” “dinerico”
What does Madrid represent?
A challenging adult reality
What is Regina a symbol of?
A symbol of the vibrant diversity that exists in the suburban communities of Madrid
How many forest fires have there been in Spain in the last 10 years?
More than 20,000
Why did Irene deliberately start the fire which killed her husband and Angustias’ mother?
Because they were having an affair inside
Why did the fire started by Irene spread so quickly?
Because of the harsh winds in La Mancha
How is climate change represented in the film?
The Júcar river near to Raimunda’s home has dried up considerably since she was younger, representing drought/lack of rain
What do Manchegans think of death?
As something natural and ritualistic; a journey into the afterlife
How is death represented in the film?
In two contrasting ways
The death of Tia Paula; traditional, natural and ritualistic. A traditional Catholic funeral cortege with fully black clothing and separate rooms for men and women
The death of Paco; sudden, tragic but liberating, depersonalised. His body is immediately hidden in the freezer, there is no mourning period, Raimunda and Paula quickly get on with their lives
How does the title Volver link to the story of the film?
The film is full of returns, new beginnings and second opportunities
A return of La Mancha, its origins and traditions
The return of Irene into the lives of her family
Second opportunities for Raimunda to smile and be happy by getting a new job that she actually likes, singing again and mending her relationship with her mother
How is Spain depicted in Volver?
As spontaneous and fun with a real sense of community
In what scene does Raimunda give insight into the importance of womanhood in the film?
In the scene when she answers the door to Emilio whilst cleaning Paco’s body, there is blood on her neck which when asked about it, she says “woman’s stuff” referring to her period
This is both an easy excuse to prevent Emilio from asking any further questions, and an assertion of her feminism/her confidence in being able to control any threats
What lies, questions and secrets are present in the film?
Is Irene really a ghost? Her years long secret of pretending to have died in the fire with her husband, in fact she was who started it
Irene choosing not to tell Agustina that she was the one who killed her mother in the fire to allow Agustina to die peacefully
Raimunda and Paula’s secret about Paco’s death
Sole’s secret illegal hair salon in her apartment
Sole’s secret about Irene being a Russian immigrant
Raimunda’s lie to Emilio about Paco leaving her and why she took over the restaurant
Raimunda’s secret that she was sexually abused by her father which led her to fall pregnant with Paula
