Little Ashes is a 2008 Spanish-British drama film directed by Paul Morrison and written by Philippa Goslett. It is set in Spain during the 1920s and 1930s, where three of the era's most creative talents meet at university. Luis Buñuel, later a noted filmmaker, is dismayed as his friends, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí and poet Federico García Lorca, develop a love affair.
Little Ashes won the GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding Film−Limited Release" during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards.
Plot In 1922, 18-year-old Salvador Dalí (Robert Pattinson) arrives at art school in Madrid. The Residencia de Estudiantes, or Students' Residence, is a modern environment which encourages Spain's brightest young minds. Salvador, who is determined to become a great artist, soon catches the attention of the Resi'''s social elite — poet Federico García Lorca (Javier Beltrán) and aspiring filmmaker Luis Buñuel (Matthew McNulty). Together, they form the nucleus of the most modern artist group in Madrid.
Their private lives become increasingly complex, as Federico ignores the advances of devoted friend and writer Magdalena (Marina Gatell), and Salvador also feels the pull of Federico's magnetism. Luis, becoming increasingly isolated by the duo's closeness, decides to move to Paris to fulfill his own artistic ambitions. Meanwhile, Salvador and Federico leave Madrid to spend the summer at the seaside village of Cadaqués, at the home of Dalí's family.
Federico finds himself acceptedAccording to Ian Gibson, Lorca was "utterly at home with his hosts and by now hopelessly involved with Salvador" into the Dalí family as he and Salvador grow closer. One night their friendship becomes romantic. Even as they draw closer, their relationship appears doomed. Luis visits them at university and becomes more suspicious and appalled by their apparent intimacy.
Salvador finds Federico's obsession more than he is prepared to handle, and eventually also leaves for Paris. Enveloped by the high society and decadence there, Salvador is soon entangled with Gala (Arly Jover), a married woman with a penchant for celebrities. When Federico visits, he finds his friend is a changed man, both in his life and his politics.
Background Details of the relationship between Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca have long been the subject of speculation and debate among historians and biographers. In Little Ashes, Dalí's and Lorca's feelings are shown deepening into a love affair that the sexually repressed painter tries (but fails) to consummate.
Between 1925 and 1936, during the course of their friendship, Dalí and Lorca exchanged numerous letters. The original manuscripts of Dalí's letters to Lorca are held by the Fundación Federico García Lorca in Madrid, and those of Lorca to Dalí are held by Fundación Gala-Salvador Dalí in Púbol, as well as in private collections. While it is widely acknowledged that Lorca was infatuated with Dalí, for years the painter denied entering into a relationship with Lorca.
Dalí said about Lorca:
The film's writer Philippa Goslett supposes:
Ian Gibson, biographer of both Dalí and Lorca, said:
In the repressed Spain of the mid 1930s, Lorca's homosexuality seems to have provided an additional thrill to those who assassinated him in 1936. Lorca's biographer Leslie Stainton has suggested that the killers made remarks about his sexual orientation.
Cast
Production
The title is taken from Salvador Dalí's 1927–28 painting Cenicitas (Little Ashes).Colour reproduction of painting Cenicitas It was originally called The Birth of Venus, before being changed to Sterile Efforts and then finally Cenicitas.The Shameful life of Salvador Dalí p 162 It was first displayed on 20 March 1929 in a Madrid exhibition.Salvador Dalí: An Illustrated Life, Tate Publishing It was again displayed in his first solo exhibition in Paris in June 1931. The painting is in the Dalí collection of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid.
ReleaseLittle Ashes premiered at the 16th annual Raindance Film Festival in London. The sold-out screening was scheduled on 7 October 2008 at 19:00, and a second screening was added for 8 October at 14:30.Little Ashes | Raindance Film Festival 2008 Little Ashes premiered in the US at the Miami Gay & Lesbian film festival in Florida. On 8 May 2009 it premiered in 11 US locations.
The UK DVD was released on 13 July 2009 and is rated 15.HMV | Music, Films, & Games | HMV.com The US DVD was released on 26 January 2010.
Critical reception The film holds a "Rotten" rating of 24% based on 70 reviews, with an average rating of 4.2 out of 10 on the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The site's critic consensus states, "It has a beautiful cast, but Little Ashes suffers from an uneven tone and a surplus of unintentionally silly moments."
Ty Burr of the Boston Globe panned the film and wrote: "What's intended to be a daring look at repressed sexuality, three-ways and all, has the dramatic heft of a true-love comic book".Little Ashes movie review – Little Ashes Showtimes – The Boston Globe – The Boston Globe
Greg Quill of the Toronto Star wrote: "Even cinematographer Adam Suschitzky's richly textured and resonantly toned cityscapes and rural scenes can't make up for a flawed script and weak performances in what might have been a powerful historical drama".Little Ashes: Historical kiss off | Toronto Star
Chris Hewitt of the St. Paul Pioneer Press commented that: "The movie, with its badly painted backdrops, its stiff acting and its complete lack of dramatic momentum, is embarrassing to watch".'Little Ashes': What's left when your little movie can't get stoked - TwinCities.com
But, Steven Rea of the Philadelphia Inquirer gave the film a positive review by calling it: "A bravely earnest and gauzy bit of biography".'Little Ashes': Dalí and Lorca in love - philly-archives
References
Further reading "Were Spain's Two Artistic Legends Secret Gay Lovers?", The Guardian (28 October 2007) Aria film synopsis George E. Haggerty, Gay Histories and Cultures Ian Gibson, The Shameful Life of Salvador Dalí Salvador Dalí: An Illustrated Life'', Tate Publishing
External links