La Escuela de Argüelles in Spanish Television. The Case of Emilio Martínez Lázaro

Abstract

Escuela de Argüelles (EA) was a cinephilia circle that emerged in Madrid in the late 60’s. The young EA’s members encountered serious obstacles for initiating their career in the Spanish film industry, since some fundamental political changes of late Francoism had made difficulties for new filmmaker’s accessibilities. Some EA members found opportunities for filmmaking, paradoxically in Spanish TV (TVE). This study analyses the historical circumstances that transform TVE as a perfect laboratory for experiencing the aesthetical ambitions of this mentioned members of EA. By focusing on the case of Emilio Martínez Lázaro, an outstanding member of EA, this paper will explore the result of this mentioned collaboration. As the hypothesis, this study proposes considering TVE during the Spanish Transition as an alternative educational space for experiencing with film aesthetics. In this regard, the TV series, literary adaptations made in film format, gave an opportunity for, and contributed to the emergence of a new generation of Spanish filmmakers.