The Anatomy of a Moment

Four-episode miniseries about the 1981 coup attempt in the Spanish Parliament, in which a number of military men tried to seize power and reinstate the dictatorship. A defining moment in recent Spanish history, three years after the democratic constitution had been adopted.

The events are described from the point of view of three parliamentarians and the coup-makers — one paragraph to each: First the incumbent Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, then the exiled Communist leader Santiago Carrillo, followed by the powerful ex-military man (but now democratically minded) Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado — and finally the coup-makers, led by military man Antonio Tejero.

The series is wildly immersive, and the three hours of playtime fly by. The pace is sometimes high, with quick cuts and a lot of information, but sometimes it lingers for longer on key scenes and crucial conversations, such as when Suárez and Carrillo meet for the first time in the deepest secrecy. Guf for anyone with an interest in recent Spanish history.

Director: Alberto Rodríguez
Starring: Eduard Fernández, Álvaro Morte, Miki Esparbé, Manolo Solo, Samuel López
Country/year: Spain, France, 2025
Running time: 180 min.
Formato: DCP
Language: English subtitles
Age limit: Allowed for children over 15
Original title: Anatomía de un instante

Part of the series: Spanish Film Weeks
Documentary about forest fires in Galicia, miniseries about the 1981 coup attempt in the Spanish parliament, youth films about rap in Barcelona, a comedy about a celebratory dinner for Franco and a cleaning opera from Andalusia. Spanish film lovers are widely distributed in the Iberian Peninsula - both geographically, historically and in terms of genre.