? “Parallel Montage: Visions of Spanish Cinema of the Transition (1973–2023)” — an expanded cartography of Spanish cinema and its historical memory
The Instituto Cervantes presents Parallel Montage: Visions of Spanish Cinema of the Transition (1973–2023), an editorial catalogue that offers a broad and critical reading of Spanish filmography associated with the democratic Transition. The book stands as a key tool for understanding not only the films produced during the final years of Francoism and the early years of democracy, but also later works that, from a historical distance, have reinterpreted this crucial period in Spanish cinema and history.
Moving beyond the canonical titles that have traditionally structured academic discourse on the cinema of the Transition, Parallel Montage expands its scope by incorporating lesser-known films—including works from the margins of commercial cinema—that enter into dialogue with the classics and enrich our understanding of the period. This selection of films is organized around five thematic axes that trace connections between past, present, and cinematic futures, projecting the concerns of that era onto contemporary debates.
The result is a journey of more than 200 pages that invites readers to rethink the Transition not only as a historical moment, but as a space for the construction of imaginaries and visual narratives that continue to resonate today. The films included function as elements of a reflective montage that addresses our social, political, and cultural present, offering insights into how cinema has contributed to shaping Spain’s collective memory.
Parallel Montage: Visions of Spanish Cinema of the Transition (1973–2023) is published by the Instituto Cervantes.