Movies about the Spanish “Maquis”: from the Official History to the Historical Memory

Abstract

The cinema, both as documental source and as a part of History, provides a specific point of view on the “Maquis” subject. The present manuscript focus on the evolution of this character since the fifties until nowadays, which has changed accordingly to the different political landscapes that had gone through Spain: during early Franquism their image starts as wrong and regretted individuals that yields to partizans and assasins; in the late Franquism their image achieved a reasonable recognisement. The study of the Censorship files during this period illustrates how the paths followed by the projects about these guerrilla were. During the Transition, the Maquis turn up sometimes into survivals, even in heroes. Most directors have claim a place in history for the fight of this antifranquism guerrilla, first biased to pass through the franquism censorship and lately in the Democracy in a plain way.