The Spirit of the Bee Hive, 1973. Victor Erice
Join us for our monthly film screening series featuring the best in internationally-renowned independent and arts-related movies- The Art of Film.
The Art of Film presents a forum for appreciating movies as an art form. With audience Q&A and talkback sessions with film directors and faculty from Florida Southern College following each screening, this unique Polk Museum series will entertain, engage, and educate audiences of all ages.
The Spirit of the Beehive
Synopsis: The Spirit of the Beehive (El espíritu de la colmena ) is widely regarded as the greatest Spanish film of the 1970s. In a small Castilian village in 1940, in the wake off the country’s devastating civil war, six-year-old Ana attends a traveling movie show of Frankenstein and becomes possessed by the memory of it. Produced as Franco’s long regime was nearing its end, The Spirit of the Beehive is a bewitching portrait of a child’s haunted inner life and one of the most visually arresting movies ever made.
Director: Victor Erice was born in Carranza (Vizcaya) in 1940. At the age of 17 he moved to Madrid where in 1963 he graduated in direction. He is the author of several short films and works as a critic for the magazines "Nuestro Cine" and "Cuadernos de Arte y Pensamiento". He also contributes to the screenplays of Antxon Eceiza, Miguel Picazo and Rafael Azcona. After working in television advertising for several years, he made "El espíritu de la colmena" (The Spirit of the Beehive) (1973) and "El Sur" (The South) (1982), the latter an adaptation of the novel by Adelaida García Morales. With "El sol del membrillo" (The Quince Tree Sun) (1991), a reflection on creative activity through the paintbrush of Antonio López, he won several awards.
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Introduction and Screening at 6:30 pm
The Art of Film is free to attend. Cash bar available.
Organized by:
William Allen, Associate Professor of Digital Media, Florida Southern College
Matthew Herbertz, Assistant Professor of Communication, Florida Southern College