Little Bird (film)

Little Bird
Little Bird
	Theatrical release poster
Spanish	Pajarico
Directed by	Carlos Saura
Screenplay by	Carlos Saura
Starring	Paco Rabal; Alejandro Martínez; Dafne Fernández;
Cinematography	José Luis López-Linares
Edited by	Julia Juániz
Music by	Alejandro Massó
Production; company	Filmart
Distributed by	Columbia Tri-Star Films de España
Release dates	31 August 1997 (Montreal); April 1998 (Spain);
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish

Little Bird (Spanish: Pajarico) is a 1997 Spanish drama film written and directed by Carlos Saura which stars Paco Rabal, Alejandro Martínez, and Dafne Fernández.

Plot

The plot follows Manuel, or "Manu", a 10-year-old boy from Madrid arriving in the province of Murcia for a summer stay with his uncles so he can be away from his parents who are separating.^[1]^[2] There he experiences puppy love with cousin Fuensanta.^[2]

Cast

Francisco Rabal as grandfather^[2]^[3]
Alejandro Martínez as Manu^[2]^[3]
Dafne Fernández as Fuensanta^[2]^[3]
Eusebio Lázaro [es] as uncle Fernando^[2]^[3]
Manuel Bandera as uncle Juan^[2]^[3]
Juan Luis Galiardo as uncle Emilio^[2]^[3]
Eulalia Ramón [es] as aunt Margarita^[2]^[3]
María Luisa San José [es] as aunt Beatriz^[2]^[3]
Violeta Cela as aunt Lola^[2]^[3]
Paulina Gálvez as aunt Marisa^[2]^[3]
Rafael Álvarez "El Brujo" [es] as vagabundo^[2]^[3]
Eva Marciel [es] as Loli^[2]^[3]
Israel Rodríguez [es] as Emilín^[2]^[3]

Production

The story is freely based on Saura's childhood memories about his time in the Region of Murcia.^[1] José Luis López Linares [es] worked as cinematographer whilst Alejandro Massó [ca] was responsible for the music and Julia Juániz [es] for editing.^[4]^[2] The film is a Filmart production.^[2]

Release

The film was presented in August 1997 at the 21st Montreal World Film Festival,^[5] where Saura won the Best Director award.^[6] It was released theatrically in April 1998.^[7]

Reception

Leonard Klady of Variety wrote that the "story is undeniably genial and well observed, but lacks a central focus or a compelling dramatic tension".^[2]

José Luis Sánchez Noriega [es] observed that despite being "a film with irregularities in its narrative development", Little Bird is still "a mature, serene movie, where the director reviews old themes with a more tender gaze".^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Ganuza, Asier (10 February 2023). "Carlos Saura: 'Pajarico' y la Murcia de su niñez". La Opinión de Murcia.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Klady, Leonard (28 September 1997). "Little Bird". Variety.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m "Pajarico". Catálogo de Cinespañol. ICAA. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
^ "Pajarico". Fotogramas. 29 May 2008.
^ Romero, Ana (1 September 1997). "Fuerte ovación en Montreal a 'Pajarico', la historia "más sentimental" de Carlos Saura". El País.
^ "El Festival de Montreal le exige muy poco al cine". La Nación. 5 September 1997.
^ Jurado Morales, José (2011). "Yo, Carlos Saura, escritor". In Lefere, Robin (ed.). Carlos Saura: una trayectoria ejemplar (PDF). Madrid: Visor Libros. p. 263. ISBN 978-84-9895-130-1.
^ Sánchez Noriega, José Luis (2002). Críticas del cine español. Alicante: Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes.

[ganuza-1] Ganuza, Asier (10 February 2023). "Carlos Saura: 'Pajarico' y la Murcia de su niñez". La Opinión de Murcia.

[klady-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Klady, Leonard (28 September 1997). "Little Bird". Variety.

[icaa-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m "Pajarico". Catálogo de Cinespañol. ICAA. Retrieved 11 February 2023.

[4] "Pajarico". Fotogramas. 29 May 2008.

[5] Romero, Ana (1 September 1997). "Fuerte ovación en Montreal a 'Pajarico', la historia "más sentimental" de Carlos Saura". El País.

[6] "El Festival de Montreal le exige muy poco al cine". La Nación. 5 September 1997.

[7] Jurado Morales, José (2011). "Yo, Carlos Saura, escritor". In Lefere, Robin (ed.). Carlos Saura: una trayectoria ejemplar (PDF). Madrid: Visor Libros. p. 263. ISBN 978-84-9895-130-1.

[8] Sánchez Noriega, José Luis (2002). Críticas del cine español. Alicante: Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes.

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