España 36

In September 1936, the Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs entrusted Luis Buñuel with its propaganda services at the Paris embassy. It was during this period that he made the French version of Las Hurdes / Land Without Bread, and produced España 36 (Spain 36) and España leal en armas,1937. He was also in charge of film programming for the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 Universal Exhibition. As a montage of documents and photos and films by various cameramen, España 36 avoids any revolutionary position in order to fight the democracies “non- intervention” in the Civil War and the interventionism of the German and Italian dictatorships. The portrayal of a courageous Republic “at work”, continuing to resist (Battle of Madrid and the Paris visit of La Pasionaria, Dolorès Ibarruri) and welcoming the International Brigades. To “speak” more effectively to the French public, the film concludes: “Madrid has become the European Verdun” and calls for the end to a war that threatens peace in our time.