Permanent History of Women Filmmakers:
Ana Mariscal
Ana Mariscal was born in Madrid in 1923. A science student, she seemed destined to become a teacher, but was discovered at a casting for her brother. She began her career as an actress in the cinema in 1940, encountering success in José Luis Sáenz de Heredia's Raza (1942), credited under a pseudonym (Jaime de Andrade) by Franco himself. The following year, her novel Hombres, an attack on the institution of marriage, was banned and was not published until 1992. The actress caused another scandal in 1945 when she played the male role of Don Juan Tenorio in José Zorrilla's play. Her audacity was considered irreverent and aberrant by some intellectuals, to the point that it prompted a literary trial with a tribunal composed of leading figures of the time. In 1953, the actress once again became involved in a field previously reserved for men, directing. Wanting to get behind the camera and have financial independence, she and her partner set up the Bosco Films production company. She thus became a filmmaker, and her movies Segundo López, aventurero urbano (1953), Con la vida hicieron fuego (1959) and El camino (1964) dazzled audiences with their sincerity, aesthetic choices and narrative singularity.
Ana Mariscal was one of Spain's first female directors, a pioneer in production who defended her career through sheer determination. Although she is still insufficiently considered in the history of Spanish cinema, she remains a delightful discovery!
Restorations presented by the Filmoteca española.
Screenings
Segundo López, aventurero urbano by Ana Mariscal (1953, 1h20)
In post-war Spain, Segundo López moves to Madrid in the hope of starting a new life. He meets Chirri, a boy on the streets... Spain's first neo-realist film, in magnificent black and white. A film of immense humanity.
Cinéma Opéra Sun 15 5pm | Lumière Terreaux Wed 18 11am | Institut Lumière (Villa) Sun 22 4:15pm & Institut Lumière (Villa) Sun 22 4:30pm
Con la vida hicieron fuego by Ana Mariscal (1959, 1h17)
Quico, a former Franco fighter, returns to Asturias after years in exile... Adapted from the eponymous novel by Jesus Evaristo Casariego, this sentimental drama is set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War.
Institut Lumière (Villa) Mon 16 9:30am & Institut Lumière (Villa) Mon 16 9:45am | Lumière Terreaux Tue 17 2:30pm | Lumière Terreaux Sat 21 2pm
La quiniela by Ana Mariscal (1960, 1h24)
The wise Don Cándido wins by betting on sports. His gambling, which has become an obsession for him, will become dangerous for his family's stability... Part societal comedy, part social criticism, the director's most popular film.
Lumière Terreaux Mon 16 11am | Pathé Bellecour Sat 21 7:30pm
El camino byAna Mariscal (El camino, 1964, 1h31)
Set in a Spanish village, the film follows the lives of its inhabitants, including young Daniel, whose father wants to send him to the city to study... An anti-conformist film with splendid aesthetics, a village tale full of humour. Wonderful.
Institut Lumière (Hangar) Sat 14 2pm | Lumière Terreaux Thu 19 2:30pm | Pathé Bellecour Fri 20 9:45pm
With the support of 
