La Aldea Maldita

(Spain)

Perhaps the best-known work of Spanish silent cinema, La aldea maldita, directed by Florián Rey, tells the story of the wife of a poor farmer who is forced by circumstance to leave for the city in search of work. Rooted in pride, family values, and tradition, the film—after many twists and turns—culminates in forgiveness and reconciliation. The location shooting is exemplary, and Carmen Viance gives a carefully nuanced performance as a woman battered by fate. “A tonally rich and visually austere work, it is something of its era’s Grapes of Wrath (1940), avoiding the hidden pitfalls of miserabilism and negativity while creating powerful images around themes of resilience and family honor.” (Peter von Bagh)

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