If you are a film lover who enjoys watching foreign films, you may have realized by now that movie titles change a lot when translated into another language. Spanish speakers know that very well, because movie titles are usually transformed into something completely different compared to the original version.

Keep on reading to find out the reason behind this metamorphosis and have a laugh with some of the seventh art’s funniest translations. If you prefer to read this post in Spanish, click here. Lights, camera, action!

Mistranslation or localization?

When a new movie is released, many viewers criticize its title’s translation. However, we don’t usually ask ourselves why it changed so much. In don Quijote we want to stand up for translators, because this lack of textual coincidence with the original title is not always due to mistranslation.

Professionals who are in charge of the translation need to adapt to the culture and the market where the movie is going to be distributed. As it occurs with brands, when thinking about a title, translating is not enough – copyright, cultural issues, and more need to be considered as well. However, that doesn’t mean that those little marketing experiments don’t end up giving us very funny titles every now and then.

One language, several titles

Did you know there are several Spanish versions for the same foreign movie? Due to the richness of the Spanish language, producers order several dubbed versions for Spain and Latin America. As a consequence, movie titles are also different in each Spanish-speaking country.

Watching movies and series in Spanish is one of the best ways to practice the language. However, having such different titles, sometimes it is hard to find out the name of that film you’ve been wanting to watch. Here’s a trick for all Spanish students: Internet Movie Database is a website which hosts information about thousands of movies. Among other things, it lists the title of a movie in each country.

Movie titles in Spanish

Let’s get down to business. Here are some of the funniest movie titles in Spanish. Some of the titles we have chosen for this post belong to the Spanish version of the movie and some other to the Latin American versions. Enjoy!

1. The Sound of Music is… Sonrisas y lágrimas (Smiles and Tears)

This popular Broadway drama film tops our list for obvious reasons. The literal translation would be ‘El sonido de la música’, but ‘Smiles and Tears’ sounds equally beautiful, right? Fun fact: in Latin America, this movie was called La novicia rebelde (The Reckless Nun). 

2. Home Alone is… Mi pobre angelito (My Poor Little Angel)

Although in Spain they kept the title as ‘Solo en casa’, in Latin America they chose something more emotional: ‘My Poor Little Angel’. Truth is, the face of the little Macaulay Culkin is sweet as sugar.

3. Die Hard is… La jungla de cristal (Glass Jungle)

Ok, got it. There is a huge difference between ‘Die Hard’ and ‘Glass Jungle’. But the first option doesn’t sound very appealing in Spanish: ‘muere fuertemente’. Long life to free translation! In Latin America they got a little bit closer to the original title and named this movie ‘Duro de matar’.

4. 101 Dalmatians is… La noche de las narices frías (The Night of the Cold Noses)

Spain and Latin America never come to an agreement. While in Europe they kept the translation as ‘101 dálmatas’, across the pond they let their imagination run free with this funny title. Like it or not, this title describes the movie’s protagonists.

These are just some examples among plenty of funny titles you can find all over the Internet. Hope this post encouraged you to get hands on Spanish through cinema. In case you didn’t know, don Quijote’s web shows how much an average cinema ticket costs in each of our destinations in Spain. Start planning your trip and enjoy your movies in Spanish!

Learn more about the movies above by watching this video.

Be quiet for a second. If you listen carefully, you will surely be able to hear what is about to come. If you’re a music lover, we have something important to tell you.

The Spanish summer is much more than just sun and beach (although it does have a lot of both!). With the arrival of this season, Spain becomes a territory where you could hop from north to south traveling from festival to festival.

Keep reading in English or, if you’d like to change your tune, click here to switch to Spanish and discover some of the music festivals that we have ahead this 2019.

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL

On June 28^th, 29^th, and 30^th, Madrid will host one of the most important events for rock and heavy metal lovers, the Download Festival. This festival’s third edition can be enjoyed in La Caja Mágica (a multipurpose stadium) at the rhythm of some of the most legendary bands of the genre: Slipknot, Scorpions, Tool, and Sum 41, among many others.

A special meeting, without any doubt, for Slipknot and Tool fans because it will be the first time that both bands play in the Spanish capital in more than a decade.

CRUÏLLA

If you read the names Black Eyed Peas, Kylie Minogue, and Vetusta Morla and you can’t help but move your feet as you remember one of their songs, pop rock is your thing, and this is your festival. During July 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th, several special guests come together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this festival set in Barcelona.

But Cruïlla is much more than music, it’s also all the art created offstage with different artistic offers that go from dance and theatre to painting.

LOW COST FESTIVAL

Don’t let its name confuse you, this festival has hosted top names like The Chemical Brothers. This year, it does not lag behind as it’s bringing groups as important as New Order, Foals, and Bastille. If you’re looking for a non-overcrowded and more affordable musical event, stop by Benidorm (Alicante) on July 26^th, 27^th, and 28^th.   

STARLITE

A stellar lineup for a luxury location. After seven editions, Starlite has become one of the world’s longest festivals with more than 46 days of concerts. This year, from July 5^th to August 23^rd, music, culture, and gastronomy unite in a single place: Marbella (Malaga). Enjoy a starlit stage: Jason Derulo, Luis Fonsi, and Sting, among many others, will be, for sure, the delight of the audience.

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE BENICÀSSIM (FIB)

We conclude the festival route with the season’s classic, a festival that turns 25 summers old this year. A pop, rock, indie, and electronic music parade located in Benicàsim (Castellón, Comunidad Valenciana) that will allow you to enjoy the good atmosphere, and some paella too, on July 18^th, 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st. Just in case these reasons are not enough to awake your interest, maybe the names Lana del Rey, Fatboy Slim, and Kings of Leon will change your mind.

If this is music to your ears, take a Spanish course in Spain and drop by one of these music festivals. Improve your Spanish skills and stop sounding like a broken record using the same Spanish expressions over and over again.

Spanish is a language that has been alive for many centuries and has spread all around the world. Television, on the other hand, has not been around for as long, but it has managed to depict a number of different eras.

Here’s a list of TV series to add to your watchlist to enjoy hearing how Spanish has been spoken throughout history. Click here to read this post in Spanish.

We’ll start our journey by traveling to 15th-century Spain, although the country didn’t have that name yet. The show Isabel gives us the opportunity to see the life of Queen Isabella The Catholic.

She inherited the Crown at a very young age and came face to face with many men who wanted to take the throne from her. The series offers a historical overview (although it’s not always faithful to the truth) and shows everything Queen Isabella had to go through — wars, envy, and the love affairs of the aristocracy — and all she had to suffer in the name of her people.

After seeing what life was like in that century, let’s jump to the early years of the 20th century, landing at Gran Hotel, a series that begins with Julio’s arrival to one of the biggest and most luxurious hotels in all of Spain.

Julio has come to the hotel with the intention of finding his sister who has disappeared, but in the meantime, he falls in love with the beautiful and wealthy daughter of the owner of the hotel. The two share a love as deep as it is forbidden due to the great difference in their social classes. In this show, nobody is who they seem to be. Everything is a mystery.

Speeding up our travel through time, we arrive to a Spain that is a bit more modern with Cuéntame cómo pasó, the longest running series in the history of Spanish television.

The show is a reflection of everyday Spanish life, something every viewer can relate to. It revolves around everything that happens to the Alcántara family from the year 1968 onward. Each season covers one year; currently they are in 1990.

The hundreds of episodes have shown what life was like in Spain during the dictatorship and the transition to democracy, in childhood, teenage years, and adulthood, and how families have changed with the arrival of cars and TV. It’s a true summary of the country’s most recent history.

After this leg of the trip, if you want to hear what Spanish sounds like today without leaving your couch, your best option is to watch Los hombres de Paco.

This series focuses on a typical police station and three officers, Paco, Lucas, and Mariano, who have good hearts but are accident-prone. As the leader of the team, Paco is in charge of coordinating the missions, but he’s absent-minded, unorganized and easily distracted.

In addition to following the team on all their adventures chasing criminals, this show provides a healthy dose of humor and emotional moments.

There’s a series that covers the various types of Spanish spoken in all the different historical eras: El Ministerio del Tiempo.

It takes place in the current day, but the main characters are part of a government team responsible for preserving the past. They have to time travel throughout history to prevent their enemies from making changes that would prove catastrophic in the future.

Thanks to these travels through time, we get to see famous figures like Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and many others who have played an important role in Spanish history.

That brings our overview of Spanish through the eras as seen on TV. Choose a show, press play, and enjoy listening to the evolution of the Spanish language.

Malaga’s great pride is being the birthplace of one of the greatest geniuses of painting, Pablo Picasso. We all know his work and his style, but many are unaware of some of the most curious details of his life. Do you want to learn about some of them?

Read the Spanish version

We almost didn’t have this genius: at birth he was given up for dead; but his uncle Salvador, a physician by profession, was able to revive him.  

We all know him as "Pablo Picasso,” but if we saw his birth certificate we would be surprised. His name was really Pablo Diego Jose Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santisima Trinidad Martir Patricio Clito Ruiz y Picasso!

It is known that Picasso started painting from an early age. So early in fact that his first word was "piz" referring to lápiz (pencil in Spanish)!

And he really was a “chip off the old block.” Picasso's father was an instructor at the School of Fine Arts in Malaga. They say, that upon seeing that his son had surpassed him in talent at barely 13 years old, the father gave up painting.

He was a rebellious student and was often punished; but he did not take it badly because he used the afternoons of punishment to draw and create in his own fashion.

Few know this: Picasso figures in the Guinness Book of Records as the most prolific artist in the world with 3,500 paintings, 100,000 prints, 34,000 illustrations and 300 sculptures.

In 1911 the famous Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre. The police called Picasso, but as a defendant! Of course, he could prove his innocence.

Ironically Picasso is precisely one of the most "stolen" artists. More than 350 of his works have been victims of thievery.

Picasso was a great friend of another genius of painting: Joan Miro. In fact, their mothers already knew each other, but their true friendship was born when Picasso's mother sent Miro to take her son, who was residing in Paris, an ensaimada (typical, fluffy pastry from Malaga). It took the young Miro several days to find Picasso, and when they were finally together, he gave him the ensaimada, which was already hard. Picasso was impressed that, in a gesture of honesty, Miro hadn’t eaten the pastry.

Picasso's friends claim that he used to carry a revolver loaded with blanks that he would fire when a conversation became too boring.

They say that when he realized that, one night, he had no money, Picasso wanted to pay for a dinner with a drawing. The manager of the restaurant, knowing the painter's fame, asked him to sign it. To which Picasso replied "What I want is to pay for dinner, not buy the restaurant.”

Picasso is the favorite artist of many, but who were Picasso's favorite artists? It is said that he had a weak spot for the work of El Greco and, after his pink period, began to deeply admire ancient Iberian art and pieces such as the Lady of Elche or the Lady of Baza.

As you can see,  genius, art and even wit had always been present in the life of Picasso. Therefore, to conclude this article, we quote the painter himself: "When I was a child, my mother told me: If you become a soldier you will grow into a general, if you become a priest, you will end up a pope. Instead of all that I decided to be a painter and I became Picasso."

Everyone agrees that the buildings created by Santiago Calatrava for the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia have a futuristic twist, as if they were taken from a science fiction film. And this has not gone unnoticed by film and show producers of the genre. In fact, we can see silhouettes of these buildings in many different productions.

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In “Tomorrowland”, a Disney film starring George Clooney, these buildings appear as part of a city in the future, home to scientists and great minds. The film was not a great success, but Spanish spectators had the opportunity to see what a Calatrava-style city could be like.

Doctor Who also took the opportunity to park his TARDIS in this spot. You can see it in the episode "Smile" in which the Time Lord confronts robots that have gone too far in their eradication of sadness on a terrestrial space colony. Thank goodness the Daleks did not pass by! Those who did appear were quite a few whovians who did not hesitate to take a myriad of selfies with the patient and chivalrous twelfth doctor.

The new adaptation by the show “V” is quite curious. In one episode, we can see the famous profiles of the museum Prince Felipe and L'Hemisfèric from within the visitors’ mothership. There was only one problem: the producer of the show did not apply for the necessary permits from the city of Valencia to use the images. The event gave rise to many jokes about whether the architect Calatrava was an extraterrestrial or not.

The City of Arts and Sciences is not just a land for dreamers. Cynical tough guys love it too. If you don’t believe it, ask Norman Reedus and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, actors in “The Walking Dead”, about their time in Valencia. But not to worry, the zombies aren’t invading the city. An episode for a documentary series in which both actors travel the world on motorcycle was being shot.

Here’s more on the subject of motors and wheels, but in a very different medium. We move on to video games. One could imagine using the setting of the City of Arts and Sciences would be perfect for a digital space adventure, but no... We are talking about the car racing game Gran Turismo 6! One of the races in the games takes place there. Of course, it is prohibited to drive around this city, but anything is possible in the world of video games.

This monument is no longer just a symbol of Valencia. It has also become a stage for dreams and adventures. A place you can visit if you come with us!

Summer cinema in Spain has always had a certain element of sentimentality. For many, attending outdoor movies is more an excuse to enjoy a warm summer night than anything else; in fact, it's safe to say that for many Spaniards, their earliest memories are wrapped up in the nostalgia of a summer night spent outside at the park in front of a movie screen. 

Summer Cinema's Small Town Origins

These days, outdoor cinemas have become a widespread, popular entertainment option, but there was a time when these kinds of movie theaters were considered "provincial." Until relatively recently (we're talking some 40 years ago) many small towns only had access to movies via traveling companies that would come to town for a few days and install portable film projectors and screens in the towns’ main squares. 

According to history books, these outdoor summer cinemas became popular because during this time, indoor movie theaters didn’t have air-conditioning. Movie-goers preferred to watch films outdoors because cool summer evenings were more pleasant than stuffy theaters; but with the advent of air-conditioned theaters the public once again returned to indoor cinemas.

Coming Back into Fashion

In recent years, whether for nostalgic or economic reasons, open-air cinemas have come back into fashion, and are now more popular and include more variety than ever. There are outdoor theaters that are set up practically like a conventional auditoriums with all the comforts included (like the outdoor cinema in Seville); others that are a little more bare-bones and require attendees to bring their own seats and snacks (like those on the beach in Valencia)... and there are even cinemas that play musicals and let the audience sing along! (Such as the "Sing Along" events organized in various cities in Spain).

 Going to an outdoor cinema this summer is a great way to unwind after an afternoon of study: prices are usually very reasonable and you'll even be able to continue your language learning because almost all of them include films dubbed into Spanish. 

What You Can See at Your Destination in Spain

Summer Cinema in Madrid

If you're in Madrid there are several outdoor cinema options: the Conde Duque Cultural Center (Calle Conde Duque, 9) organizes themed sessions with prices ranging from €5 to €8. Parque de la Bombilla (Plaza de San Antonio de la Florida, 1) has been organizing its famous double sessions for all types of audiences for decades; and it is also the place where you’ll find the best prices, just €4 for a double feature. If you're looking for something a little more alternative check out La Casa Encendida to enjoy a great rooftop terrace and interesting films for just €3. And if you don't feel like spending a penny on your outdoor theater experience check out Parque El Paraíso in San Blas (Avenida de Arcentales).

Summer Cinema in Salamanca

Salamanca is once again hosting its outdoor film festival, "Biblioteca: Gran Pantalla" (Big Screen Library) at the Torrente Ballester Library (Paso de los Olivos, 10) with programming focused on the adventures of famous mischievous, or nonconformist literary characters like Oliver Twist, Billy Elliot, Tom Sawyer and Peter Pan. What better way is there to spend an afternoon than with old friends who never grow old? And without paying a penny!

Summer Cinema in Seville

The heat in Seville is a way of life. So, how could they not have outdoor summer cinema? Each district has at least one; the district of Alcosa-Este-Torreblanca has three, and at least one that's "nomadic," meaning it changes location, like to the Sur or Macarena districts. Finding these screenings can be a little difficult, but it's worth the search if you want to see some great cinema for free. Another good option for an outdoor flick is the Patio de la Diputación de Sevilla (Av. Menendez Pelayo, 32) and their "Asómate the Patio" initiative, where you can see prestigious, award-winning films for only €4. 

Summer Cinema in Granada

If you're in beautiful Granada this summer and you love superhero movies, don't miss out on those shown at CineMa Plaza (Plaza de las Culturas, Avenida de la Ciencia, 2). They show a wide variety of movies from some of the newest releases, like Deadpool, to modern classics like 300 and Watchmen, to legendary titles like Conan the Barbarian; and they are all free. If you're more of an arthouse fan, check out the "Cine al fresquito," a film festival located at the Caves of Sacromonte Museum (Barranco de los Negros) for just €3.50.

Summer Cinema in Barcelona

Barcelona is another city with an incredible range of outdoor cinemas to experience, and they are practically organized by theme. At Poble Espanyol (Avenida Francesc Ferrer i Guardia, 13) you can find classic musicals like Grease, Dirty Dancing, Mamma Mia and Moulin Rouge; at Fossar de Santa Eulalia (Carretera de Montjuïc, 66) you can enjoy independent movies like Whiplash, Pride or Birdman as well as classics like Casablanca and Silence of the Lambs; and at the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (Carrer de Montalegre, 5) you'll be surprised by avant-garde and experimental films like Labyrinth of Passion, Don't Look Now and The Babadook.

These are all just a few examples of some of the outdoor theaters you can find in some of our biggest cities, but there are many more to explore. Wherever you find yourself in Spain, we're sure you'll find a great place to watch a great movie under the stars in the cool summer breeze! 

From 10 March to 12 June 2016 at the ABC Museum in Madrid, we can see an exhibition about Spanish cartoonists who were part of the team of well-known publishers such as Marvel and DC.

Superheroes seem to us to be something alien to Spanish creation and, so much so, that it seems that the only way for a Spaniard to be linked to this world is to do the Americas. But the truth is that the creation of Spanish superheroes has been fruitful for almost a century. Here are some of the most outstanding Spanish superheroes.

Súper López

The most famous Spanish superhero is, without a doubt, Súper López, a humorous adaptation of Superman by Juan López Fernández (JAN) in which an office worker who loves origami hides in his skin powers that surpass any human capacity. The author always tries to use different points of view to tackle current issues that Spanish society suffers from every day. Despite his similarity to the famous Kryptonian, Super López has acquired his own personality and international fame.

Capitán España

Project IDE sought to create a European supergroup to confront the villains threatening this part of the world, where the more famous superheroes were not active. One of the original members was Captain Spain, a former soldier named Carlos Fraile who was implanted with biomechanical advantages and nanobots that increased his abilities, including the ability to fly. His greatest achievement was defeating Thor when he went mad.

El Águila

Like Captain Spain, the Eagle belongs to the Marvel universe. His image is a little more cliché: red hood and red tights, black shirt and boots, wide-brimmed hat, an eagle on his chest... and great skill with a sword. Moreover, being a mutant, he has the ability to throw electric charges. Although he looks like he comes from the 17th century, he was born in Madrid and his real name is Alejandro Montoya. Could he be a descendant of the famous Íñigo Montoya from "The Princess Bride"?

El Capitán Trueno

With no powers or technology at his disposal, Captain Thunder has used his own talent with the sword and his passion for adventure to become a classic Spanish superhero. His stories began to be distributed in 1956, with a success that was still unprecedented in the national sector.

He was the leader of a trio of brave warriors formed by Trueno, Goliath and Crispín. The genre of his adventures is medieval action and his different adventures against all kinds of villains have been renewed until his last comic was published in 2010.

El Coyote

His story is reminiscent of that of "El Zorro": Don César, a rich Mexican heir with a reputation for being a lecher and a lecher is, in reality, a vigilante who fights for the rights of his people in the California that has been annexed to the United States. Hidden behind a mask, under a charro hat and displaying his skill with a pistol, he is an incarnation of justice created by the author José Mallorquí.

El Coyote was born as a character in pulp novels, but quickly became a comic book character and one of the first "fan phenomena" in the history of Spanish culture. Today, volumes of the character are the object of collection and reprinting.

Iberia Inc.

Probably the most unknown superhero project of all, despite its great potential. Behind it were the artists Rafael Marín and Carlos Pacheco. It began in 1992, but did not obtain publication rights until the end of the decade.

It is only a mini-series with 6 issues in which 8 superheroes work in the service of the Spanish government. The group was made up of Aquaviva, Dolmen, Drac de Ferro, Lobisome, Melkart, Traka, Trasnu and Trueno. The quality of the comic encouraged the creation of other parallel miniseries.

Some are more serious, others more parodic; but what is clear is that there is no lack of superheroes in Spain.

The dramatic literature of Spanish theatre has a long history, with authors who have marked an era and have influenced Spanish society over the centuries. Moreover, it has provided hundreds of very interesting characters, who belong to the imagination of Spaniards and of many foreign readers and spectators, who have helped generations and generations of people to enjoy and better understand life. Spanish theatre has made a definitive contribution to world literature and is the subject of study in schools and universities all over the world.

Medieval theatre

The theatrical production of the Golden Age was so great and so outstanding that we often forget that there was also theatre before that time. During the Middle Ages, there was religious drama (some plays are still performed today); court theatre, whose plays were performed by the king himself and his court as a pastime; or university theatre, written by students as an exercise in understanding classical plays. Another problem with this type of theatre is that there is no record of authors. Some would say that we would have to wait for the Celestina to know an outstanding author; but we must bear in mind that the name of Fernando de Rojas was not known until 1632.

The Golden Age

The Spanish Golden Age, the period of maximum apogee of Spanish Art and Literature, around the 16th and 17th century, which saw an impressive theatrical production, is especially well known and studied all over the world.

The best-known author of the Spanish theatre developed in the Golden Age is Lope de Vega, surely the most dazzling genius of those times. So much so that he was known in his time as "the phoenix of wits". He wrote thousands of works, novels and poems, including the plays Fuenteovejuna, La dama boba and El Perro del hortelano.

Calderón de la Barca is another of the great examples of that century of cultural flowering. His most outstanding and internationally best-known work is La vida es sueño (Life is a Dream).

One of the most outstanding names in classical Spanish theatre is Tirso de Molina. El burlador de Sevilla - the clear predecessor of the romantic "Don Juan Tenorio" - is his greatest work. The famous Miguel de Cervantes also wrote brilliant plays, such as El cerco de Numancia. Curiously, Cervantes' facet as a playwright is unknown to many.

The Enlightenment

The Golden Age was followed by a certain decline in dramatic art. The great playwrights had passed away and, although their continuators strove to keep the style alive, they did not achieve the greatness of their predecessors. The great renewal was influenced by the French Enlightenment movement. Reason, harmony and sobriety prevailed. The greatest exponent of Enlightenment theatre was Leandro Fernández de Moratín and his play El sí de las niñas. Less well known is the prolific work of the author Ramón de la Cruz, perhaps because of his dedication to more "popular" themes.

Romanticism

Another boom period of Spanish theatre is to be found in the age of Romanticism. A play from this period that has been performed millions of times is Don Juan Tenorio, by José Zorrilla. Another good emblematic example is Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino, by Ángel de Saavedra. The works of this period are characterised by their high dramatic tone, their passionate themes and even the incorporation of supernatural elements. These works are still very popular today.

20th century

During the 20th century, the theatre of Jacinto Benavente stood out with plays such as Los intereses creados. The versatile writer Federico García Lorca offered some of the great works of this century, such as Yerma, Bodas de sangre or La casa de Bernarda Alba. For his part, Ramón María del Valle Inclán is another of the best exponents with titles such as Luces de bohemia and Divinas palabras. The 20th century also saw a vindication of humour through the theatre of the absurd, as demonstrated by the success of authors such as Miguel Mihura, author of Tres sombreros de copa or Maribel y la extraña familia; or Enrique Jardiel Poncela, author of Usted tiene ojos de mujer fatal or Las cinco advertencias de Satanás.

And with these we have practically reached what the textbooks give about Spanish theatre. What does the future hold for us? Theatre continues to be produced in Spain and of very good quality; but it is still too early to analyse. So the best thing to do is to experience it for yourselves.

A keen user of the painting technique decalcomania Oscar Dominguez was a surrealist painter in the early 20^th Century. Heavily influenced by Pablo Picasso and Yves Tanguy, Domínguez died at the age of 51 in 1957, and despite his relatively short career, he enjoyed much success with several of his paintings selling for thousands of dollars.

• Before moving to Paris in 1927 at the age of 21, Oscar Dominguez was brought up by his grandmother in the town of Tacaronte in Tenerife
• This Spanish painter, although having a relatively short painting career, became renowned for painting surrealist and avant-garde pictures

Oscar Dominguez spent his early years in Tenerife with his grandmother, having been born in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna that also sits on the island. Dominguez became interested in painting from a young age as an outlet to the severe illness he had that slowed his growth and provoked a gradual deformation of his limbs and face. Following his move to Paris when he was 21, Dominguez spent time working in the Les Halles market in the centre of the city, and passed much time in cabaret bars. His interest in art increased while in Paris, as he was to be found on many occasions in museums and galleries, as well as occasional attendance at various art schools.

Towards the end of his twenties Dominguez spent time developing his Surrealist preferences. He became close with artists such as Man Ray, Yves Tanguy and André Breton who were leaders in Surrealism at the time, who also introduced Oscar Dominguez to the Parisian avant-garde scene. He began making more prominent artwork and had his first solo exhibition in 1933 at the Fine Arts Circle (Círculo de Bellas Artes) of Tenerife.

The 1930s were an incredibly important period for Surrealism, and this is when Dominguez really made a name for himself. He adopted the technique of decalcomania when thick oil paint – known as gouache – is spread on paper or, on occasion, glass and other materials, before being pressed onto a canvas, for example. This technique was especially popular in Russia at the time, and Dominguez successful created several paintings using this unusual method. During this period as well Dominguez became internationally famous, with exhibitions in Tokyo, London and Paris.

During the 1940s, and following the Nazi invasion of Paris, Dominguez moved to Marseille, when he worked underground with several other surrealists. He spent time with Pablo Picasso between 1944 and 1948, who influenced Dominguez’ work hugely; indeed, much of Doninguez’ early work also contained influences from Picasso, while his bohemian lifestyle could be seen to be modeled on Picasso as well. After World War II, Dominguez saw his work travel to New York, Milan and Prague, and he had a career highlight when he was asked to paint the set for Jean Paul Sartre’s play “The Flies”.

Oscar Dominguez’ career, took a downturn in the 1950s, alternating between successes when his work was sent abroad for exhibitions, to nervous, psychotic outbursts. His deformity that he had been suffering since childhood was becoming too much for Dominguez to cope with, and that – along with other factors – led him to suicide in December 1957. Tauromaquia (1951) and Composición con Fondo Azul (1949) are some of his most famous paintings. Dominguez indeed has a legacy thanks to these paintings, and there was a film made in 2008 called Óscar: Una pasión surrealista (Oscar: The Colour of Destiny), directed by Lucas Fernández commemorating his life and the Surrealist movement in France. 

Javier Bardem is one of the most famous actors in Spanish film history. Born into a family with many film writers, directors and actors, this Spanish actor has become a world-class movie star. Bardem has also won several awards: five "Best Actor" awards and an Oscar nomination for "Best Actor.

• Javier Bardem is one of the most famous Spanish actors and very important in Spanish film history. He has won numerous awards including an Academic Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and five GOYA awards.
• Actually, Bardem's dream was to become an artist, so he did a four-year course in painting at the "Escuela de Artes y Oficios" in Madrid. To pay for this, Bardem took any acting job he was asked for.
• Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz starred together in the 1992 film "Jamón, Jamón. Now they are married and have two children.

Javier Bardem was born on the island of Gran Canaria in 1969. Because his parents divorced shortly after his birth, Bardem was raised by his mother who worked as an actress. His grandparents, Matilde Sampredo and Rafael Bardem were also both actors and his uncle Juan Antonio Bardem worked as a screenwriter and director. With such a family, it is no surprise that Bardem rolled into the film industry. Yet a career as an actor was not his dream, and despite his success, he did not give up on his dream of becoming an artist. He trained at art school in Madrid before still focusing on acting.

Bardem began acting at age six, with a role he had in the film 'El Picaro' in 1974. After his role in Bigas Luna's film "The Ages of Lulu," the director made the decision to cast Bardem for the film "Jamón Jamón" in 1992. This proved to be a good decision, as the film became a great international success after which Bardem also got a role in Luna's next film, "Golden Balls. In 2004 he starred in the moving film Mar Adentro "The Sea Inside," in which he played a man paralyzed from the neck down who had to live with it for 29 years, while wishing for euthanasia himself. For this film, Bardem was honored with the Award for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. Of all the films Javier Bardem has played in, two stand out; 'No Country for Old Men,' for which he won the Oscar for 'Best Supporting Actor' in 2007 by playing a psychopathic killer, and secondly one of the greatest film productions in history 'Skyfall.' His 2012 portrayal of the "badass" Raoul Silva in the James Bond film "Skyfall," earned Bardem a BAFTA, an award from the British Academy of Film and Television. Skyfall is considered by many to be the best film in the Bond series.

The Spanish actor has received almost every possible award and continues to be involved in highly successful film projects. He even received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. In his private life, he is known to be a big fan of heavy metal music and is fluent in English. In 2007, Bardem began dating Penelope Cruz during the filming of the movie "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," in which they both starred. The couple married in 2010 and have a son and a daughter.