April, 1940. Manolo, 16 years old, and Jesus, who is just 8, are taken by their older brother Pepe, a lieutenant in the Army, to a sanatorium for children suffering from tuberculosis, situated on the border with Portugal. Once in the sanatorium, Manolo, surrounded by boys all much younger than he is, feels a bit like the cock of the walk since the only other man around is the handyman Emilio who looks after the gardens and does whatever needs to be done about the place. His wife, Rafaela, is the cook. Manolo meets Irene, a falangist who runs the sanatorium, and the school teacher, Miss Transito, a crabby spinster. He has his first sexual experience, albeit as a voyeur, with his nurse Vicenta. When she has to leave, her place is taken by a girl from the village, Maria Jesus, with whom Manolo falls hopelessly in love. A relationship grows up between them which will mark them both for ever.
Credits
Year of Enlightment Cast
| Name |
Character |
|
Maribel Verdú
She was 16, now 54 years old
|
as María Jesús |
|
Santiago Ramos
He was 37, now 75 years old
|
as Pepe |
|
Rafaela Aparicio
She was 80, 90 years old when she died
|
as Rafaela |
|
Jorge Sanz
He was 17, now 55 years old
|
as Manolo |
|
Manuel Alexandre
He was 69, 92 years old when he died
|
as Emilio |
|
Diana Peñalver
She was 21, now 59 years old
|
as Paquita |
|
Violeta Cela
She was 25, now 64 years old
|
as Vicenta |
|
José Sazatornil
He was 61, 89 years old when he died
|
as Don Teódulo |
|
Chus Lampreave
She was 55, 85 years old when she died
|
as Doña Tránsito |
|
Manuel Huete
|
|
|
Verónica Forqué
She was 31, now 69 years old
|
as Irene |
|
Gabriel Latorre
He was 33, now 71 years old
|
as falangista |
|
Pilar Ordóñez
|
as Hermana 3 |
|
Pedro Reyes
He was 14, now 52 years old
|
as Pascual |
|
Jesús Fernández
He was 36, now 74 years old
|
as Cazador 2 |
|
José María Cañete
|
as Caballero |
|
Carlos Lucas
He was 56, 74 years old when he died
|
as Detenido |
Year of Enlightment Crew
