Vacas (1992)

Director:

Julio Medem

Writers:

Michel Gaztambide (writer)
Julio Medem (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 February 1992 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Set in the Basque region, a story of the rivalry of two families, period 1870-1935

Plot Keywords:

Basque | Civil War | Cowardice | Cow | Full Circle

Awards:

8 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Emma Suárez	...	Cristina
Carmelo Gómez	...	Manuel, Ignacio and Peru Irigibel
Ana Torrent	...	Catalina
Karra Elejalde	...	Ilegorri / Lucas
Klara Badiola	...	Madalen (as Clara Badiola)
Txema Blasco	...	Manuel
Kandido Uranga	...	Carmelo / Juan
Pilar Bardem	...	Paulina
Miguel Ángel García	...	Peru as a child
Ane Sánchez	...	Cristina as a child
Magdalena Mikolajczyk	...	Daughter as a child
Enara Azkue	...	Daughter as a child
Ortzi Balda	...	Ilegorri / Lucas as a child
Elisabeth Ruiz	...	Old Daughter
Ramón Barea	...	Juez

Also Known As:

Cows

Runtime:

96 min | UK:92 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Hong Kong:III | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Company:

Sociedad General de Televisión (Sogetel)

Quotes:

Manuel: This is important. This is very important. This is very, very important.

Movie Connections:

Featured in La pelota vasca. La piel contra la piedra (2003)

Medem movie, not as good as always, but good anyway

From 1875, (second Carlist war) to 1935 (Spanish CIvil War) in Basque Country, we are able to see the relationship between two near families, their discussions, their fight and their envies. All is viewed form the point of view of the cows, so quiet, so peaceful, so able to forgive, while we watch to the humane, their madness their lack of respect for life, their irresponsibility. Though it is hard to digest (too much for my taste) it is clear that it is a Medem's movie: the treatment of time, the sense of quietness in the environment and the development of the story. But we can see a young Medem, not so expert in these tools, and the result is not good as is used in these author, as he was still a noob, but we are able to see that he was a promising talent. Carmelo Gómez makes a terrific triple part and he is the one that builds the movie, everything happens around him and he is able to take the responsibility. The director is able to mix in a curious way the peaceful live of cowman's in Basque Country (and cows too) with the horrors of the war. It is not the best Medem's movie (well it is the worst he has done), but, being his opera prima, it is a pleasure to watch to it. If you are able to digest more or less correctly his films, you should not let pass the opportunity of watching this one, although it is not as good as "Tierra" or "Los Amantes del Círculo Polar"