Film No. 32. THE TEACHER WHO PROMISED THE SEA (The Palace SPANISH FF 2024). 29th May.

 

Film No. 32  (2023)  May 29th.  6:30 PM  PALACE Raine Sq, Cinema 6, Perth City.

"The more Emilio learns at school, the more opinions he will have in the future." (Benaiges tries, in vain, to convince a father of the values of education for his son).

NOMINEE:  Best Spanish Film (Patricia Font) Sant Jordi Awards.

Does this beautifully told story give a sense of how a man such as Jesus Christ influenced people's lives in a way that both enriched and frightened people? Perhaps it is a long bow to draw, but this humble teacher's story brought that comparison  to my mind.

The story of Antonio Benaiges, (Enric Augua) is full of, TO SIR WITH LOVE moments, as we meet him through the reflections of an ex-student; the grand father of Ariadna, (Laio Costa) who is searching for what became of her great grandfather. Antonio's radical teaching methods (e.g. the use of small print presses) where children expressed their interests, and told their stories, would have horrendous repercussions on the eve of the Spanish Civil War. The real story here, is held in the flashback sequences. 

So, why did director Patricia Font use contemporary times to start and finish the story of Benaiges? I'm not sure, it is a distraction, and only works marginally. The power of this film is in Augua's work as Benaiges, the teacher who promised the sea, for sure!   10GUMS.