Luis Buñuel: Aesthetics of the Irrational: Las Hurdes + Los Olvidados

A screening of two films by Luis Buñuel

Las Hurdes

A startling documentary that represents a telling work of ‘ethnofiction’, Las Hurdes proved to be one of the most controversial of Buñuel’s films. Under the guise of an anthropological study, the filmmaker exhibits images of great poverty. An exaggerated narration tells of misery and ignorance, a seemingly disinterested voiceover that speaks with bleak indifference of the death and disease. Controversial for its unfair manipulation of the subject, Buñuel works the fine line between parody and proliferation in one of the most intelligent works of early surrealist cinema.

Las Hurdes, dir. Luis Buñuel, Spain 1933, 30 mins.

Los Olvidados

Los Olvidados earned Buñuel his first award at the Cannes Film Festival, developing his reputation on the international festival circuit. With a screenplay developed through first-hand research, the film explores the ties between poverty and crime with great honesty.

Though Buñuel was pressured into filming a conventionally happy ending featuring a progressive Mexico, his original ending endures to tell a gruelling tale of hard realities. In this film, Buñuel forges an incredible blend of social realism and surrealism scarcely found beyond his Mexican period.

Shown in 35mm.

Los Olvidados, dir. Luis Buñuel, Mexico 1950, 80 mins.

Multi-buy Offer

£8 tickets when you buy tickets for 4-7 screenings
£7 tickets when you buy tickets for 8-16 screenings

Education group rate tickets are available at £5 for students with one free educator for every ten tickets booked. These can be purchased by contacting the box office direct on 0207 930 0493 (Tues-Sun 9am-11pm).

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