Carmen

1983 1h 42m ES

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 76

DramaRomanceMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

While rehearsing a flamenco ballet adaptation of Bizet's opera “Carmen”, Antonio, the choreographer, falls in love with the main dancer, Carmen, a fiercely independent woman. Antonio is slowly consumed by jealousy and possessiveness towards Carmen, just like Don José in the original opera, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Cast

Antonio Gades
Antonio
Laura del Sol
Carmen
Paco de Lucía
Paco
Marisol
Pepa Flores
Cristina Hoyos
Cristina
Juan Antonio Jiménez
Juan
José Yepes
Pepe Girón
Sebastián Moreno
Escamillo

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Carlos Saura
Writers: Antonio Gades, Carlos Saura
Languages: Spanish
Countries: Spain

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

43 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CRAFT

Did you know

Part of the "The Flamenco Trilogy" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Carlos Saura, shot by Teo Escamilla. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pedro del Rey shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Antonio Gades and Laura del Sol and Paco de Lucía carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0085297 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Carlos Saura directs. Teo Escamilla behind the camera. Pedro del Rey cuts. Produced in Spain. Dialogue in Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

143 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Part of the "The Flamenco Trilogy" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Carlos Saura, shot by Teo Escamilla. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Pedro del Rey shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Antonio Gades and Laura del Sol and Paco de Lucía carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0085297 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Teo Escamilla
Editing: Pedro del Rey
Runtime: 102 min · 1h 42m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: ES
IMDB: Carmen (1983)

Awards

BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

The Flamenco Trilogy

One of Spanish cinema’s great auteurs, Carlos Saura brought international audiences closer to the art of his country’s dance than any other filmmaker, before or since. In his Flamenco Trilogy—Blood Wedding, Carmen, and El amor brujo—Saura merged his passion for music with his exploration of national identity. All starring and choreographed by legendary dancer Antonio Gades, the films feature thrilling physicality and electrifying cinematography and editing—colorful paeans to bodies in motion as well as to cinema itself.