Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) joins the celebration of Spanish Cinema Day—established on October 6 to recognize film as cultural heritage and collective memory—with simultaneous screenings of Canciones para después de una guerra (Songs for After a War, 1971), one of the most singular and emblematic works by director Basilio Martín Patino.

Through this initiative, AC/E promotes the exhibition of the film across various cultural venues in Spain—such as the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, the Filmoteca de Cantabria in Santander, and Cine Albéniz in Málaga—aiming to recover fundamental works of Spanish audiovisual heritage and foster the geographic reach of cultural programming.

Canciones para después de una guerra offers a critical and deeply moving approach to the aftermath of the Spanish Post-War period. Far from a conventional historical documentary, Martín Patino crafts a large visual collage using archival footage, newsreels (NO-DO), photographs, and period advertising, seamlessly woven together with the popular songs and radio broadcasts that accompanied the daily lives of an entire generation. Music thus becomes a vehicle for shared memory and a key tool for reflecting on Spain's recent history.

Completed in 1971 and banned by censorship until its commercial release in 1976, the film stands as an exceptional testament to Spain's social memory. Its presentation within the framework of Spanish Cinema Day continues AC/E’s ongoing commitment to the preservation and dissemination of cinematographic heritage, following the restoration of the film promoted by the institution in 2022 in collaboration with Filmoteca Española.

Organized and promoted by: Acción Cultural Española (AC/E)

Collaborating institutions: Filmoteca Española, Círculo de Bellas Artes (Madrid), Filmoteca de Cantabria (Santander), and Cine Albéniz (Málaga)