Freedomfighters

When the Spanish Civil War begins, the nun Maria has to flee her convent. Where she takes refuge is a brothel. After a while a group of anarchist women raids it and declares the women inside free. Maria goes with them. The group goes to the front and starts fighting. But the enemy is not only the nationalists; some groups on the left do not want women at the front and are pressing to impose a regular military structure. Vicente Aranda's film takes as its subject the organisation of anarchist women in the Spanish Civil War. The narrative does not idealise the revolution; that the women have to fight both at the front and within their own ranks is its central matter. Ana Belén, Victoria Abril and Ariadna Gil are in the cast. The film opened in Spain in 1996. Who it's for: Viewers who like Spanish historical drama, Civil War narratives, and political cinema. Who it's not for: The battle scenes are harsh and the ending is brutal. The narrative is also didactic in places.