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8 film image; man and woman looking at each other

The always stylish and idiosyncratic Basque auteur Julio Medem (The Red Squirrel; Lovers of the Arctic Circle) is back with one of his most ambitious films (and our closing night gala), a curvy historical romance in eight chapters, spanning eight decades in Spanish history from the 1930s to the present day. Otto and Adele are born in neighbouring villages on the same spring day in 1931. His family is staunchly Republican; hers are with the Communists. Although they will only meet later in life, their destinies are forever intertwined…

Shot in delirious, meandering sequence shots, 8 sketches a portrait of Spain as a nation at war with itself, full of contradiction and conflict, but also passionately indivisible. Medem loves melodrama, and this sexy, ostentatious and provocative movie goes all out. Don’t fight it!

Julio Medem is such a special, daring and unique filmmaker that he has become a kind of cinematic genre in himself… [and he is] above all, a baroque visual poet.

Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa

Director

Julio Medem

Cast

Javier Rey, Ana Rujas, Álvaro Morte

Credits
Country of Origin

Spain

Year

2025

Language

In Spanish and Catalan with English subtitles

19+
126 min

Book Tickets

Wednesday January 14

8:00 pm
Hearing Assistance Subtitles
VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema
Book Now

Credits

Executive Producer

Pilar Benito

Producer

Rodrigo Espinel, Álvaro Longoria, Julio Medem

Screenwriter

Julio Medem

Cinematography

Rafael Reparaz

Original Music

Lucas Vidal

Production Design

Montse Sanz

Also in This Series

This year’s New Spanish Cinema is packed with an exceptionally strong line-up — award-winning cinema, an Opening Gala featuring tapas and wine, and a flamenco-inspired VIFF Live.

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El 47

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The Executioner

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The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés + Por Derecho (On Their Own Right) Live

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Saturn Return

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Salve Maria

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8

Dir. Julio Medem
126 min

The always stylish, idiosyncratic Basque auteur Julio Medem is back with one of his most ambitious films (and our closing night gala), a sweeping historical romance in eight chapters, spanning eight decades in Spanish history from the 1930s to the present day.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema