Thirteen red roses is set in Madrid at the end of 1939, when Spanish people were living a hard period of time because they were finishing the civil war.
The story is about the way of life, the feelings, the political pressures against the republicans and communists and the absence of freedom, particularly to express different political opinions from Franco and his supporters.
This historical film with drama has been made on a small budget. In fact, the biggest amount has been invested to pay actors and actress, no one too much famous.
To begin in prasing this movie I should remark the original director’s point of view. Emilio Martinez Lázaro has focus on the women, so they are the main characters and all the story is based on them, on their ideological fight. To sum up: violence from soldiers against the power of the word.
It is a film full of feelings that make viewers cry and think a lot about that cruel and sadness situation. That’s the main reason to say that it’s by far Martinez Lázaro’s greatest work and Goya Toledo´s performance is outstanding. Moreover, the young actress Pilar López Ayala lights up the screen. So, both of them were absolutely brilliant.
Although this spectacular recreation of the Spanish civil war is too long (more than two hours) I was at the edge of my seat through the whole movie.
13 red roses is so gripping and exciting that it achieves to touch your heart and make you cry because viewers can understand their suffering and can not forget their horrible past. Franco’s soldiers used violence to change their mind, but they couldn’t .
Thirteen red roses were thirteen women (younger than 21 years old) close to the communism and republican ideology who struggled to get money to avoid their son’s famine with silence. They refused to sing the Spanish national anthem until the dictator, Franco, could listen to them, but it didn’t happen. They were isolated in prison and to survive inside there, they invented a new and funny song. This is probably the only moment in the movie that make viewers smile.
The ending will certainly take you by surprise. It is original and unpredictable ending: 13 red roses were unfairly executed.
The film aims to astonish people mixing a classic melody as a soundtrack with the main character’s voice. She read a letter where says goodbye for ever to her little son.
This dramatic and sentimental movie is more than a story, it is a piece of Spanish History and the beginning of a rising generation. Democracy needs to remember the past to go on progressing.
Beatriz Badenes.
