Pan's Labyrinth

In Pan's Labyrinth, a young girl creates a fantasy world to escape the horrors of post Civil War Spain. Guillermo Del Toro's formidable flick splices Ofelia's fairyland and the harsh realities of Franco's fascist post war regime. The film struck several cords:

• Alex Angulo's exquisite portrayl of Doctor Ferreiro. Antonio and I chatted over canas with Angulo in Cantabria in 2002. We dined at the same sidreria and spent 3 days bumping into one another all over Oviedo's historic quarter.


• Even after 60 years, the Civil War remains an open wound for many Spaniards. The forests' Republican resisters brought back memories of friends and family who survived the Blue Coats' expert torture techniques.
  
• Although filmed at El Espinar in Segovia, the film is set near Jaca in the Pyrenees of Aragon where we vacationed in 2002.
  
• Ofelia is portrayed by actress Ivana Baquero. Ironic, no?

Antonio's turn to pick and as his tastes bend in favour of schlocky action films, I was not inclined to trust him on his hunch. I made a vow with myself to boycott films of graphic torture, but after consultation with Richard to go in with an open mind and let the film carry me, I caved. Well worth it for perpetual bad guy Sergei Lopez (remember him in Dirty Pretty Things?), Maribel Verdu's stoic portrayl of Republican infiltrator Mercedes, and Javier Navarette's outstanding score. Mental note to run out and get the soundtrack.