BALADA TRISTE

by Álex de la Iglesia (Balada triste de trompeta, Spain, 2010, 1h47)

starring Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Carolina Bang, Manuel Tallafé, Alejandro Tejerías

Madrid, 1937. In the middle of the Spanish Civil War, a clown is press-ganged into the brigades by the Republican troops. He will not survive the terrible carnage. Years later, his son Javier is himself employed as a clown in a circus where he falls in love with the beautiful but cruel acrobat Natalia, who also happens to be the boss's girlfriend. A dark rivalry then develops between the two men.