Brigadistas – The Return to Spain. A film by Daniel Burkholz 70 years after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War the last still living international volunteers, who fought for freedom and democracy and against General Franco and Fascism, return to Spain.
The Brigadistas, 36 men and women – the youngest 86, the eldest 99 years old – set out on a journey that leads them from Madrid to Barcelona and all over Spain.
Director and Camera: Daniel Burkholz Authors: Daniel Burkholz, Heike Geisweid Interviews: Heike Geisweid, Paca Rimbau-Hernández Editor and Postproducer: Jan-Malte Enning 46 Min, 16:9 (cachiert), D 2007 www.roadside-dokumentarfilm.de
This film has prolonged my life. Mariano Vinuales Tierz, Veteran of the Republican Peoples Army In opposite to Oliver Stone´s film “Comandante” he is always very close to his protagonists. Ingo Niebel, Junge Welt Brigadistas is an important contribution to the European culture of memories. Prof. Dr. Ignacio Sotelo, Freie Universität Berlin The Brigadistas will leave us – but Burkholz´ film will remain. Franz Lindenthal, Neue Rheinische Zeitung The camera of the German creates a strong connection with the viewer. Itziar Reyero, El Pais
This is the last journey for many of them and the Brigadistas know it. They report their experiences and want to pass on their ideas and ideals. Brigadistas is an intensive portrait of these people, the film paints a picture in which enthusiasm and pensiveness find their space.