Tristana

Directed by Luis Buñuel from Benito Pérez Galdós's 1892 novel, Tristana arrived as a drama in 1970. A Spanish-French-Italian co-production, it is Buñuel's second Galdós adaptation after Nazarín. It was nominated for Best Foreign-Language Film at the 43rd Academy Awards, screened out of competition at Cannes, and in 1996 was voted the tenth best Spanish film of all time.

The story unfolds in Toledo at the end of the nineteenth century. Fernando Rey plays Don Lope, an aging nobleman who raises the young Tristana (Catherine Deneuve) in his house and later claims her for himself. What begins as protectiveness hardens into possessive control. Tristana turns to art and, after meeting the young painter Horacio (Franco Nero), leaves the household, though her search for freedom takes an unexpected course. Lola Gaos appears as the servant Saturna.

Buñuel made the film on his return to his native country after years working abroad. He co-wrote the screenplay with Julio Alejandro and produced it himself. Deneuve and Nero, who did not speak Spanish, were dubbed in Spanish. As in many of his films, Buñuel criticises Christianity and the bourgeoisie, sometimes through symbols and sometimes openly.