Flores de otro mundo (1999)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Icíar Bollaín

Writers:

Icíar Bollaín (writer)
Julio Llamazares (writer)

Release Date:

28 May 1999 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

En el pequeño pueblo de Santa Eulalia los solteros organizan una fiesta a la que acude un autocar de mujeres casaderas...

Plot Keywords:

Immigration | Marital Abuse | Friendship | Feminism | Rural

Awards:

6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

José Sancho	...	Carmelo
Luis Tosar	...	Damián
Lissete Mejía	...	Patricia
Chete Lera	...	Alfonso
Marilyn Torres	...	Milady
Elena Irureta	...	Marirrosi
Amparo Valle	...	Gregoria
Rubén Ochandiano	...	Oscar
Ángela Herrera	...	Lorna
Doris Cerdá	...	Daisy
Chiqui Fernández	...	Aurora
Carlos Kaniowsky	...	Felipe
Isabel de los Santos	...	Janay
Germán Montaner	...	Paisano
Andrés Lima	...	Soltero

Also Known As:

Flowers from Another World (Europe: English title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:T | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Cantalojas, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Company:

Producciones La Iguana S.L.

Soundtrack:

Soledad

Good

This is a film about women from third world countries hoping to get a better life by marrying to a developed country. These women from South America married Spanish men in a singles party, and they thought that they would become rich and happy. However, things are not what they hoped to be. They had to live in rural villages, their husbands were middle aged farmers.

The film concentrated on two couples. One couple were truly in love, they got along well but the woman got kicked away by the husband because she lied that she already got a divorce from her ex-husband. Another couple were not in love, the woman had another boyfriend in Italy and she constantly wanted to leave her husband to go to her boyfriend. In the end she left her husband by fleeing away to Italy without any notice.

This is an interesting film. I never thought that this problem was a worldwide problem before. I know that there are a lot of women from Mainland China who wants to get rich this way by marrying a Hong Kong men, but I did not know this phenomenon occurs in other countries too. When I watched this film, it made me think about this phenomenon. Why are there so many women who want to do this, when there are so many failure stories already? Marriages like these often do not result in happiness. The women have unrealistic expectations and dreams, that they would become disappointed after finding out the truth.

The pace of the film was quite fast. Although the story seemed simple, there were a lot going on in the film that the viewers are kept busy with different events continuously. I liked the leading actress, the woman who loved her husband but got kicked out. Her acting was good, because she showed her emotions without being too exaggerated. Another actor who played well was the apprentice of the carpenter. He tried to have a relationship with the woman who did not love her husband. When he approached her, he was nervous and shy. I think he played his role well.

Another aspect of this film that is worthy of comment is that, when the woman who left her husband first appeared, she was wearing a pair of tights with the pattern of the American flag. I think that this symbolises the fact that she wants to be rich and happy, like the American Dream. We can tell from the start that she married only for money, and she would leave and marry another man if she could not become satisfied.

I would recommend people to watch this film, not just for enjoyment, but for educational purposes too.