Ten years after the success of his debut feature, Erice returned to filmmaking with El Sur, which once again places a young woman at its centre. Here, the focus is on the relationship between eight-year old Estrella (Sonsoles Aranguren) and her father Augustín (Omero Antonutti), who, despite their closeness, is a mystery to her. At the age of 15, and now portrayed by Icíar Bollaín, Estrella and Augustín have drifted apart somewhat, and she realises that he has his own secrets, the keeping of which was intended to benefit her. Erice considers the film unfinished, as financing was pulled halfway through the planned shoot.

However, the work as it exists was selected for competition at Cannes, and remains a landmark of Spanish cinema.

Notes by Kevin Coyne

Screening as part of the Víctor Erice season – full season details here.