Freedomfighters (1996)
"Libertarias" (original title)

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the nun Maria is forced to flee her convent. She takes refuge in a brothel, until it is liberated by a woman's anarchist group. Maria joins the ... See full summary »

Director:

Vicente Aranda

Writers:

Vicente Aranda (screenplay), Vicente Aranda (story),

Stars:

Ana Belén, Victoria Abril, Ariadna Gil

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ana Belén	...	Pilar
Victoria Abril	...	Floren
Ariadna Gil	...	María
Blanca Apilánez	...	Aura
Laura Mañá	...	Concha
Loles León	...	Charo
Jorge Sanz	...	Obrero Hijo
José Sancho	...	Obrero padre
Joan Crosas	...	Boina
Antonio Dechent	...	Faneca
Miguel Bosé	...	Cura secretario de Durruti
Paco Bas	...	Un miliciano
Greg Charles	...	Reportero extranjero
Claudia Gravy	...	Madama del burdel
Francisco Maestre	...	Obispo

Storyline

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the nun Maria is forced to flee her convent. She takes refuge in a brothel, until it is liberated by a woman's anarchist group. Maria joins the group and eventually goes to the front. The women's group faces the problems of fighting not only the nationalists, but also factions on the left seeking to impose a more traditional military structure.

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Plot Keywords:

spanish civil war | nun | brothel | military | murder | 

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Taglines:

El corazón de la memoria

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Details

Country:

Spain Italy Belgium

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

19 April 1996 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Anarchistki

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 306,809,601 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Academy Pictures, Canal+ España, Era Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Floren: What's happened to her?
[When she sees María crying while Pilar is giving her a bath]
Pilar: She saw the shooting of a bishop.
Floren: Since he was a bishop God must be resting his soul now. God is a fascist.
Pilar: Come on Floren! Stop talking nonsense.

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Connections

References Lumière and Company (1995)

User Reviews

A grandiose epic about the Spanish Civil War

This film, an impressive epic about the Spanish Civil War, focuses on the roles of women in the conflict. Thus, the title which translates to "Female Libertarians." This is probably the definitive film on the subject, with all its flaws. Some critics may see the film as "overkill" since it features extreme examples of female suffering, as well as extreme characterizations of the female center and left-wing fighters in the war. The characters include bourgeois women, working class girls, anarchists, and even a nun. The cast is a who's who of female actresses of Spanish Cinema in the 90's. But, considering the horrors and excesses of the war itself, whether the film can be excessive at all, is an open question. Very worth-while watching, and a must for those who follow Spanish Cinema or 20th century History.