Posted by In this advanced Spanish podcast we review the film, El Laberinto del Fauno or Pan’s Labyrinth by the director, Guillermo del Toro.
We aren’t film critics but we were inspired to talk about this particular film because of the fact it’s based in Spain during the Spanish civil war when Franco’s men ruled the country with an iron fist of brutality and fear and were constantly in battle with the rebels.
Despite the film’s harsh brutality and shocking reality of life during Franco’s regime, (be careful with the scene with the two poachers), it has a fantastical, yet dark side to it which contrasts what happens in the real world.
The main “protaganista” of the film is a young girl who is taken by her pregnant mum into the countryside to live on an army camp with her new husband and captain of the army.
The captain is a terrible “déspota” and treats everyone around him with cruelty and disdain including his pregnant wife.
Like all good films, everything ends well (or does it?) and it gives you a great opportunity to learn about the terrible days of Franco’s regime in Spain as well as listening to authentic Spanish.
This entire advanced Spanish podcast has been transcribed and translated for you all the additional information and guidance can be found in the comprehensive Spanish help-sheets that we have produced for each podcast we make to help you gain the maximum from these lessons.
Video for This Spanish Lesson
Audio for This Spanish Lesson
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:22 — 11.3MB)
Download Free