When we think of Spanish cinema, we think of Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodóvar, Victoria Abril, Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem, and Penélope Cruz. It is these iconic figures of the silver screen that LEChas decided to focus today, as part of your language study trip to Spain.
Buñuel and Almodóvar, iconic filmmakers
Luis Buñuel was born in 1900 in Calanda. A director and screenwriter who, alongside Salvador Dalí—whose name you’re sure to hear during your language study trip to Spain—he directed *Belle de Jour * and *The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie*. He would go on to influence another giant of Spanish cinema, Pedro Almodóvar: having left for Madrid at the age of sixteen to study film, Almodóvar would become one of the leading figures of the Movida.
Victoria Abril and Antonio Banderas: A Success Story
During your language study trip to Spain, you may hear the name Victoria Abril mentioned—an actress and singer born in Madrid in 1959 who made a name for herself in *High Heels* and *Tie Me Down*. She is just one year younger thanAntonio Banderas, an actor who divides his time between the United States and the Iberian Peninsula.
Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem: a couple that’s already legendary
Finally, it would be hard not to mention the couple Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz, the epitome of Latin glamour, whose performances never fail to dazzle both the general public and discerning critics alike. Two names you simply can’t miss on a language study trip to Spain, that’s for sure.