Spanish cinema celebrates the life of Carlos Saura in his burning chapel

An intense scent of flowers welcomed all those who came to the headquarters of the Film Academy to celebrate, another timethe life of Carlos Saura.

The burning chapel was open to the public for eight hours, which transformed the exhibition hall into a whole stream of relatives, friends, politicians and admirers who wanted to honor the Aragonese in an afternoon full of emotion and a disguised sadness.

Saura’s family has decided that his death is not mourned, but celebrated: “We came here to celebrate Carlos, not to fire him”said his son Antonio. Present were the director’s seven children and Eulalia Ramón, Saura’s last great love. The signs of affection towards them were constant, everyone they wanted was received by the family.

The burning chapel opened with Calanda’s drums, that deafening noon thundered for the last time for the director of “Pippermint Frappé”. With the drumming and the visit of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, a day was inaugurated which attracted many faces from the Spanish public sphere. Miquel Iceta (Minister of Culture), Meritxell Batet (President of the Congress of Deputies), Pilar Alegría (Minister of Education) and members of the opposition, such as the president of the Partido Popular Alberto Nuñez Feijóo, were some of the political personalities who Si approach Calle de Zurbano, 3, to say hello.

The funeral chapel of director Carlos Saura, who died last Friday at the age of 91, opens.
Installed in the Film Academy of Madrid, it can be visited until eight in the afternoon https://t.co/rscwNdtsL3 pic.twitter.com/ru4VFNpBcu

? RTVE News (@rtvenoticias) February 13, 2023

Between many cultural figures who came there: the actor and protagonist of ‘¡Ay, Carmela!’, Andrés Pajares; Silvia Marsó: the director, Pedro Olea; Imanol Arias; Julius Medem; Fernando Colomo; Javier Camera; Helena Fernan Gomez; Massiel; Nerea Barros; or Consuelo Trujillo. Three former presidents of the Film Academy also attended Saura’s call: Mercedes Sampietro, Enrique González Macho and Mariano Barroso. Pedro Almodóvar, who was one of the first to arrive accompanied by his brother Agustín, dedicated a few words to his departure from the vigil: “He is one of the great masters of Spanish cinema, like Buñuel, and we will have him as a reference throughout our lives. Because he was very fertile and knew how to continuously reinvent himself for seven decades making films, without repeating himself.”highlighted Almodóvar.

The event was entertained at all times by piped music that lifted his emotion. ‘I’m staying with you’ by Los Chunguitos, Aragonese jotas and a lot of flamenco broke a silence that had to be avoided. However, as much as we want to overshadow the sadness, with the joy of having lived 91 years, there were two moments, together with Calada’s drums, that made those present cry.

India Martinez sang “Al alba” by the hand of Saura’s widow. Who stars in Saura’s latest play excited to family, caregivers and friends.

.@IndiaMartinez dedicates ‘Al alba’ to Carlos Saura in his funeral chapel. pic.twitter.com/gPbbgr826n

? Film Academy (@Film Academy) February 13, 2023

The pinnacle of emotion came from the hand of Jeanette, singer and friend of the director. The artist who composed the soundtrack of ‘Cría cuervos’ with his legendary ‘Porque te vas’ she sang to Saura for the last time through her tears.

Singer Jeanette dedicates “Why do you go” to Carlos Saura in his funeral chapel pic.twitter.com/6OFZ5KM18Q

? Film Academy (@Film Academy) February 13, 2023

The exhibition hall was devoid of any religious symbols. The president of the Academy, Fernando Méndez-Leite, was always in the front row. The understated coffin was crowned with five flower arrangements and a still life with the director’s most emblematic objects: one of his director’s chairs, his round glasses, a black hat, a film camera created by Saura himself and the Goya de Honor that the director was supposed to collect the day after his death. “Carlos did great, as he deserved […] “He was a very flat, very close, loving and respectful being. Even though we are very sad, we want to celebrate the life he has had, so many things he has given us, movies and life, and a lesson in strength, dignity and lucidity to the end”Ramón declared.

Several personal items accompany Carlos Saura’s funeral chapel: his director’s chair, his rat-tail glasses, “The Saura cam”, a camera he built, his Goya de Honor and “photosaurus”, intervened photographs from him. pic.twitter.com/G1P0QpjkeM

? Film Academy (@Film Academy) February 13, 2023

‘Walls speak’, his latest film

Anna Saura Ramón, daughter of the director, recalled at the last Goya Awards the unceasing passion that her father had for and for cinema, working almost until the day of his death. A death is always inopportune, but Saura’s is even more so. Not only for that capricious day that he missed to receive the Goya de Honor himself, but for not having been able to enjoy the passage of his latest work, ‘Las paredes hablan’, released just over ten days ago.

Despite her 91 years, Saura He hasn’t stopped creating and experimenting. ‘Walls speak’ is a documentary film that takes a pictorial journey through the walls that have always surrounded us: from prehistoric cave paintings to modern graffiti that flood the streets today. A modern work with a certain experimentalism, a last X-ray of society from a teacher’s point of view.