Alegrías de Cádiz

García Pelayo says that cinema abandoned him after ROCÍO Y JOSÉ, adding that filmmaking was not a job or destiny to him, but an obsession, as everything in his life. After almost precisely three decades, films have captured him anew. Upon viewing ALEGRíAS DE CÁDIZ, it seems that no more than a day or week has passed ever since: Nothing has changed his mind or view. Once again, García Pelayo weaves love stories into the portrait of a city; the women are still exciting, the men magnificent; again, wonderfully varied elements of the film – aesthetically speaking – add up to create a socio-political analysis of today's spain. His abandon in staging ALEGRíAS DE CÁDIZ makes him appear as if he was from another planet. Films like these actually no longer exist – yet this is singular cinema, idiosyncratic moments of glory on silver screen. (Viennale)