Seen as a "party" ("fiesta") by some of Franco's professional soldiers, the Spanish civil war is seen in Pierre Boutron's third feature through the eyes of a young aristocrat, dragged out of school in France by his father and sent to the front to fight against the Republicans as an officer.

The young lieutenant (Gregoire Colin) finds his superior, captain Masagual (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a friend of his father. In order to "toughen up" the young man, Masagual orders him to join the firing squad.

Coming up as a companion piece to Ken Loach's Land and Freedom, another re-evaluation of the same war, Fiesta looks at the fascist side with the same critical eye. The motivations of the civil war are stated in superbly precise dialogue delivered with cruel cynicism by Trintignant, in top form.

The cast is carefully picked; Laurent Terzieff is memorable as a priest who looks like a martyr out of an El Greco painting and the film's pace is well underlined by Wim Mertens' striking score.

Philippe J Maarek, FIPRESCI

Prod co: Cipa Films

Exec prod: Lew Rywin

Dir: Pierre Boutron

Scr: Pierre Boutron, from the novel by Jose Luis de Villalonga

Music: Wim Mertens

Ph: Javier Aguirresarobe

Prod des: Emile Ghigo

Costumes: Michele Richer

Ed: Jacques Witta

Sound: Eric Bonnard

Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Gregoire Colin, Dayle Haddon, Marc Lavoine

Running time: 108 mins

Int sales: Mercure Screening: 22 June, 22.00, French Inst

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