
105 minutes
12/5/1986
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.

Jorge Sanz
as Manolo

Verónica Forqué
as Irene

Maribel Verdú
as María Jesús

Rafaela Aparicio
as Rafaela

Santiago Ramos
as Pepe

Chus Lampreave
as Doña Tránsito

José «Saza» Sazatornil
as Don Teódulo

Manuel Alexandre
as Emilio

Violeta Cela
as Vicenta

Diana Peñalver
as Paquita
Lucas Martín
as Jesús
Juan de Pablos
as Padre José

Pedro Reyes
as Pascual
Pilar Marco
as Pepita
José María Cañete
as Caballero

Gabriel Latorre
as falangista

António Sequeira Lopes
as Joao

María Jesús Hoyos
as Tomasa
Sonia Tarin
as Chica Plaza
Mercedes Jiménez
as Chica Quiosco
Carmen Velasco
as Madre
Paloma Recio
as Hermana 1

Isabel Ordaz
as Hermana 2

Pilar Ordóñez
as Hermana 3
Mónica Martín
as Hermana 4
Bárbara Tardón
as Hermana 5
Sot'so
as Joven autobús
José Antonio Díaz
as Viudo
Herlinda Cembreros
as Tía
Javier Lozano
as Guardia Civil 1
Joaquín Chaves
as Guardia Civil 2

Carlos Lucas
as Detenido
Ismael Martín
as Niño
Marcelo García Flores
as Motorista
Rosa Pascual
as Monja 1
Asunción Nogales
as Monja 2
Casimira Encinas
as Campesina
Carmen Espada
as Señora
Rafael Serna
as Cazador 1
Jesús Fernández
as Cazador 2

Manuel Huete