Valentina (1982)

You should know that this film is the first part of two films: "Valentina" and "1919 -Cronica del alba" (released the following year in 1983), based on Ramon J Sender's novel "Cronica del alba" written in exile. Both films begin with the end of the novel (so I am not spoiling anything) the context is 1939 when Spanish Republican refugees crossed the French border, many to be sent to the concentration camps on the beaches. The protagonist of the story dies there, the author of the book survived, and both entertained through their narratives. The first film recalls Pepe's memories: his childhood pranks, his respect for his mentor, and his crush for Valentina in 1911. The second film is set eight years later, 1919, and shows the birth of a Republican conscience, taking us up to 1936-39.