499 Essential Spanish Cinema Films

Jealousy

1999 • 105 min

A month before his wedding to Carmen, Antonio discovers a photograph of her with another man. The photo sparks jealousy, leading him to question Carmen, her friend Cinta, and Luis, who introduced them. Cinta reveals the man's first name. Carmen…

5.5

6.0

Stream on

Poodle

1979 • 90 min

Bernard and his sister Eloisa reside in a dilapidated house, a shadow of their family's former wealth. They await the death of their ailing Aunt Lina, anticipating the inheritance of her considerable fortune. In the meantime, they live a bleak…

5.4

6.0

Modesty

2007 • 106 min

Pudor explores the complexities of intimacy, revealing the desires, obsessions, secrets, and fears people conceal, even from those closest to them. The story follows a dying man, a woman receiving anonymous erotic messages, an older man seeking a final opportunity…

4.1

5.9

Stream on

Don Quixote, Knight Errant

2002 • 122 min

Following the success of his stories about the idealistic knight Don Quixote and his loyal squire Sancho Panza, Miguel de Cervantes, an aging soldier, finds his famous characters are widely beloved. When news arrives of a powerful Turkish army advancing…

8.0

5.7

The Invisible Guardian

2017 • 129 min • Budget $5M

Thriller, Crime, Mystery

The discovery of a naked teenage girl's body on the River Baztán sparks fears of a connection to a previous murder. Rumors spread through the village of Elizondo: could a ritualistic killer be at work, or is it the legendary…

6.5

6.4

Stream on

The Priest

1978 • 109 min

Father Miguel is consumed by sexual fantasies and seeks guidance from his church. However, his pleas for help are ignored, leaving him torn between leaving the priesthood and attempting to overcome his temptations alone.

5.9

6.4

17+

Kasbah

2000 • 95 min

In Morocco, a young man's life revolves around his father and half-sister. When his half-sister vanishes from a nightclub, he is immediately considered the main suspect.

8.0

5.8

Stream on

Scandalous

2006

A lighthearted Spanish musical comedy.

5.4

5.8

King of the River

1995 • 103 min

A flight attendant is pregnant by a foreign man, but she doesn't know his name. After the baby is born, she gives him to her sister, who already has two children. The child is raised as part of the family.…

5.0

5.8

Rough Winds

2006 • 117 min

Two people escaping their past find refuge in a coastal town on the Cádiz coast. Hundreds of miles from Madrid, they attempt to start over, but the memories of what they left behind linger.

3.7

5.7

Stream on

The Fencing Master

1992 • 88 min

In pre-revolution Spain, a fencing master takes on a young woman as a student – his first female pupil. Intrigued by her, he agrees to teach her a specific, signature thrust. As a local nobleman becomes interested in the woman,…

6.2

6.7

Blue days

2006

Three brothers come back together.

3.0

5.6

Labyrinth of Passion

1982 • 94 min

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Set in Madrid, the film follows a group of unusual people, each seeking love and happiness. One character struggles with intense sexual desire as she navigates multiple relationships, while another's extraordinary sense of smell creates complications in his search for…

6.1

Stream on

La ciudad no es para mí

1966 • 96 min

Comedy

Agustin, a kind widower from a peaceful village in Aragon, seeks something new after years alone. He travels to visit his son, a successful doctor living in a busy city, hoping to reconnect with his family and experience something different.…

6.3

6.1

Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea

2021 • 100 min • Box office $529K

Drama

Autumn 2015. Deeply moved by a photograph of a drowned child, lifeguards Oscar and Gerard journey to Lesbos, Greece. They find a grim reality: thousands attempt the perilous sea crossing daily, fleeing war and conflict in overcrowded boats – with…

6.6

6.5

Stream on

Son of Cain

2013 • 90 min

Thriller

Nico Albert is an unusual teenager, exceptionally bright and consumed by chess. His parents, worried about his behavior, hire child psychologist Julio Beltran. Through therapy and their shared love of chess, Julio explores the unsettling aspects of Nico's life and…

6.3

6.0

Stream on

Tengo una casa

1996 • 90 min

A group of people feeling lost in their lives unexpectedly find themselves together in a remote cabin in the woods.

5.7

5.5

La dama boba

2006 • 90 min

Seventeenth-century Spain. The arrival of two suitors ignites rivalry and jealousy among two sisters, who possess distinctly different personalities.

4.7

4.9

Stream on

Double Feature

1984 • 115 min

Director José Luis Garci examines filmmakers and screenwriters, depicting their intense focus on the creative process as isolating. As José and Federico collaborate on a screenplay, their relationships with family – José's daughters and Federico's wife – fade into the…

5.2

5.9

23-F: la película

2011 • 105 min

History, Drama

In 1981 Spain, a group of military officers attempt a coup to overthrow the government and threaten the country's newly established democracy following Franco's death in 1975. They seize key political figures at the Congress of Deputies, causing national alarm.…

5.5

6.1

Stream on

Rooftops

2012 • 77 min

In 2010, as Spain struggles through an economic crisis, Leo and his friends find an unexpected freedom in unemployment benefits. Discouraged by the job market, they spend their days aimlessly exploring city rooftops, filling their hours with nothing. This apathy…

5.3

6.7

Stream on

Course Completed

1987 • 94 min

This bleak drama follows Jesus Puente, a 50-year-old playwright living in isolation in Northern Spain, as he reflects on his life. The film also explores his relationships with an actress and former acquaintance who visits him, and his romantic encounters…

6.0

5.9

Tres de la Cruz Roja

1961 • 90 min

Three friends, passionate about football, unexpectedly find they can access football fields by wearing Red Cross uniforms. The following day, they are volunteering at the Red Cross headquarters.

5.9

Three Many Weddings

2013 • 94 min

Comedy

Ruth, a college researcher, receives wedding invitations from three of her former partners. Seeking companions for each event, she asks her assistant for help. Could one of these companions be the person she's meant to be with?

6.0

6.2

17+

Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena

2004 • 90 min

Hortensia, a seasoned INEM office worker, has lost faith in love after her husband left her. Her world is disrupted when Eduardo Fernandez visits the employment office, determined to rebuild his life after a severe depression.

4.5

6.0

Pasos

2005 • 104 min

Three young married couples in a Spanish city commemorate the failed coup attempt on February 23, 1981. Having experienced significant life events, they find their world shifting as the country undergoes profound change. Their lives are about to diverge, leading…

7.0

5.8

The Awful Dr. Orlof

1962 • 90 min

Horror, Thriller

Dr. Orlof, a former prison doctor, descends into darkness, kidnapping young women from nightclubs. Driven by the disfigurement of his daughter, he seeks to restore her appearance by using the skin of his victims. He works with Morpho, a monstrous…

5.8

6.1

Stream on

Boy Missing

2016 • 105 min

Mystery, Thriller

After her son's suspected kidnapper is released due to insufficient evidence, a respected lawyer decides to take action herself. Her intervention leads to unforeseen and deeply problematic outcomes.

6.5

6.4

Stream on

Summer Clouds

2004 • 100 min

For the summer, Daniel, Ana, and their son Manuel vacation at a resort on the Costa Brava. Ana reconnects with Marta, a local shopgirl she's met before. Marta introduces Ana to her cousin Robert, who owns an antique shop and…

5.2

6.1

Stream on

Dhogs

2017 • 85 min

Dogs are typically seen as docile and eager to please. Pigs, however, are often perceived as unclean and mischievous.

5.6

5.8

Stream on

+11

My Prison Yard

2008 • 99 min

In Madrid, a small-time thief struggles to adapt to life after prison. Determined to change his ways, he assembles a theater troupe with the help of his friends: a prostitute, a gypsy woman, and a Colombian immigrant, all hoping for…

5.8

6.1

Stream on

The Great Vazquez

2010 • 106 min

Comedy

This feature film explores whether it's possible to exist outside societal norms, focused solely on the present and personal desires. It tells the story of Manuel Vázquez, Barcelona's leading comic book artist of the 1960s, and, more importantly, a man…

5.8

6.2

Stream on

La vida alegre

1987 • 92 min

Ana begins a new job as a doctor in the hospital's S.T.I.U., where she encounters a variety of unusual patients. Her husband struggles with the attention she receives at work.

5.7

6.1

The Barcelona Vampiress

2020 • 106 min

Barcelona, Spain, 1912. The vanishing of a young woman from a prominent family sets off a chain of events that exposes the fragility of a society built on hidden secrets.

5.8

Don Quijote cabalga de nuevo

1973 • 132 min

Comedy

"Don Quixote" is a film that offers a new look at the classic story of a man obsessed with chivalry. The film follows Don Quixote and his squire Sancho Panza as they journey through a changing world, facing many challenges…

7.2

6.3

Justi&Cia

2014 • 80 min

5.5

5.3

Black Tears

1998 • 104 min

A woman with mental instability develops a romantic relationship with a man who is already engaged to someone else.

5.6

6.2

Stream on

The Way

2010 • 128 min • Box office $13M

Adventure, Comedy, Drama

After his son dies during a hike on the Camino de Santiago in the Pyrenees, Tom travels to France to bring his son's remains home. Hoping to understand his son's life, Tom decides to walk the 500-mile pilgrimage to Spain.…

7.1

7.3

13+

Stream on

Grandfathers

2019 • 98 min

In today's fast-paced world, three older friends defy expectations by starting a daycare center. They build their business from the ground up, determined to succeed. But will modern society welcome their unconventional venture?

5.7

6.0

14+

Queens

2005 • 107 min

Comedy, Romance

In Spain, a few days before five sons are set to marry in a joint ceremony, the lives of their mothers become interwoven. Judge Helena officiates the wedding; Magda, a hotel entrepreneur, manages guest accommodations and the banquet while navigating…

5.8

6.5

17+

Stream on

The Lighthouse of the Orcas

2016 • 110 min • Budget $6M

Romance, Drama

A mother journeys to Patagonia with her autistic son, believing that a park ranger and a nearby pod of orcas might help him connect emotionally.

7.0

6.7

17+

Stream on

Los últimos de Filipinas

1945 • 90 min

Philippines, 1898. During the Spanish-American War, fifty Spanish soldiers stationed at a remote outpost in the village of Baler face an eleven-month siege by Filipino rebels, even as the war turns against Spain.

6.5

6.1

Ants in the Mouth

2005 • 92 min

Released from a Barcelona prison after nearly ten years, a former bank robber begins searching for the woman who disappeared with the stolen money. This suspenseful story of revenge and betrayal stars Adriana Gil and Eduard Fernández. Martin Losada, an…

5.1

5.8

Fragile

2005 • 101 min • Budget $7M • Box office $6M

Horror, Thriller, Mystery

A nurse, troubled by a past patient's death, accepts a position at an old children's hospital. She quickly discovers the children are terrified of a ghost that prevents anyone from leaving. Determined to protect them, Amy tries to warn the…

6.5

6.0

13+

Stream on

The Legend of Blood Castle

1973 • 90 min

Countess Elizabeth Bathory plots with her husband to obtain the blood of young women, believing it will preserve her youth and beauty.

5.1

5.8

Stream on

The Replacement

2021 • 118 min

Drama, Thriller

Spain, 1982. Hoping for a peaceful life and a healthier environment for his daughter, young police inspector Andrés Expósito takes a posting in Denia, a quiet coastal town. However, he unexpectedly becomes involved in investigating the mysterious death of his…

6.1

6.4

Stream on

Live Is Life

2022 • 110 min

Comedy, Adventure

Summer 1985. Rodri journeys from Catalonia to Galicia for his annual reunion with his four friends. When everyday issues threaten their bond, the five friends decide to go on a night-time adventure to find a legendary item.

6.7

6.3

17+

Stream on

Robert Rylands' Last Journey

1996 • 100 min

A loosely adapted film of Javier Marías' novel "All Souls." The story centers on a Spanish professor at Oxford who observes the reappearance of a highly regarded figure within the university.

6.1

6.0

Move Over, Mrs. Markham

1985 • 94 min

On the verge of bankruptcy, Pablo and Fernando secure a deal with the country's top author, Adela Mora. The night of the official signing coincides with a series of interwoven events: Paco asks to use his friend's house for an…

6.0

Stream on

The Tobacconist of Vallecas

1987 • 106 min • Box office $312K

Comedy, Drama

In Madrid's Vallecas district, unemployed mason Leandro and his friend Tocho attempt to rob a tobacconist shop. Their plans quickly unravel due to the unexpected resistance of the shop owner, Mrs. Justa, and her niece Angeles, involving neighbors and the…

6.3

6.2

A Thief's Daughter

2019 • 102 min

Sara, 22, has always been isolated. She's raising a baby and hopes to build a typical family with her young brother and the child's father. Her father, Manuel, returns after years away, recently released from prison. Sara recognizes him as…

6.2

Stream on

Bearn

1983 • 118 min

Mallorca, 1865. At Mr. Bearns' funeral, the sentiment is "better to die than to mix blood." Juan Mayol, an orphan with no knowledge of his past, resolves to uncover his family history.

5.5

5.9

Birdsong

2008 • 98 min

Three wise men journey to find the Messiah, encountering unforeseen challenges along their path.

7.0

6.3

Rewind

1999 • 94 min

A lonely man discovers his video recorder has a strange ability: rewinding the tape rewinds his own life. He invites friends over for dinner, recording the party, and repeatedly rewinds the footage whenever things go wrong, leading to unforeseen consequences.

—

6.7

Rage

2009 • 89 min

This is a romantic thriller about a construction worker on the run after killing his foreman. He seeks refuge in the mansion where his girlfriend works as a maid.

5.6

6.3

Historias de la televisión

1965 • 114 min

The film is divided into two stories: 1. When Gorillas Talk on the Phone and 2. A Girl of Fortune.

5.5

Heroína

2005 • 100 min

In the 1980s, Pilar, a woman married for approximately forty years, learns that one of her three children is addicted to heroin. Initially uncertain, Pilar connects with other parents facing similar struggles at a local community center. While these connections…

6.0

5.8

Fausto 5.0

2001 • 93 min

Dr. Fausto, traveling to a medical convention, encounters a man who insists the doctor removed his stomach during surgery eight years prior, yet the man is alive. The man persistently reappears, offering to fulfill Fausto's desires. As a result, Fausto's…

5.9

6.1

Platillos volantes

2003 • 99 min

In 1972, Juan and José, two textile workers from Tarrasa, Catalonia, meet at a UFO convention and discover a shared passion for the paranormal, particularly UFOs. During a period of heightened UFO sightings, they become captivated by the mystery and…

5.2

6.1

Police Calling 091

1960 • 96 min

A police inspector responds to emergency calls while working patrol. He is haunted by the memory of his daughter's death; she was struck and killed by a car that then fled the scene. The vehicle is found, leading the inspector…

5.8

6.1

Dream and Silence

2012 • 107 min

Oriol and Yolanda are a couple living in Paris with their two daughters. While on vacation, they are involved in a car accident. Their older daughter, Celia, dies as a result, and Oriol falls into a coma.

5.7

5.9

Washington Wolves

1999 • 94 min

Alberto and Miguel run a struggling bar and desperately need a way out of their dead-end lives. Alberto is divorced and battling alcoholism, while Miguel is hiding a significant secret. They fixate on the possibility of stealing money from their…

4.1

5.7

17+

Epilogue

1984 • 92 min

The film centers on two writers who both love the same woman. They've collaborated for years before a period of separation. A decade later, Ditirambo reconnects with Rocabruno, at least to share his newest story. The film concludes with an…

4.8

5.9

Plenilune

1999 • 111 min

This Spanish psychological drama explores the intertwined themes of love and murder. A serial killer is preying on young women in a small Spanish town, leaving their bodies in the woods.

5.4

6.2

What You Never Knew

2001 • 110 min

Lucía is stunned when she spots Juan, a man her age, in a department store. She impulsively follows him to his home – the very house where, twenty-five years earlier, during the final days of the Franco regime, Juan first…

6.2

6.4

Stream on

Evelyn

2012 • 90 min

Evelyn journeys from her Peruvian village to Spain, expecting to work with her cousin at a restaurant. Instead, she is deceived and kidnapped, forced into prostitution at a nightclub. The film depicts the process of brainwashing that transforms this young…

5.8

5.7

Stream on

Amador

2010 • 112 min

This drama follows a young woman who spends her summer caring for an elderly man confined to bed, and the close, personal stories they gradually reveal to each other.

5.7

6.7

Stream on

The Witching Hour

1985 • 106 min

César and Pilar travel through the Spanish countryside in their bus, sharing films and performing magic shows in small towns. During one of these journeys, they meet Saga, a captivating young woman who joins them and unexpectedly alters their lives.

4.1

6.1

X

2002 • 100 min

The film follows a police officer consumed by the need to identify the killer of a young gay man. Antonio Resines plays a cop who wakes up in an unfamiliar house with a severe hangover and no recollection of the…

5.8

5.7

Clara y Elena

2001

4.5

6.0

Stream on

Unknown Origins

2020 • 97 min • Budget $3M

Drama, Thriller

In Madrid, a mysterious serial killer is methodically murdering people, staging their deaths to resemble iconic comic book superhero debuts. Veteran police inspector Cosme, nearing retirement, investigates the case alongside troubled inspector David Valentín and his son Jorge Elías, a…

6.2

6.1

17+

Stream on

Bienvenido a casa

2006 • 118 min

Samuel and Eva relocate to Madrid and begin living together after he lands a job as a photographer. Unbeknownst to Samuel, Eva is pregnant.

4.8

5.8

Stream on

Once Upon a Time in Euskadi

2021 • 100 min

Drama

In 1985, in the Basque Country of Spain, four teenage friends' summer vacation is shattered by the realities of life and death. They navigate social unrest and political violence as they struggle to experience a normal summer.

6.2

6.1

Stream on

Un buen hombre

2009 • 97 min

A law school professor discovers his close friend and mentor has committed a murder – his own wife. Unable to report the crime, the professor cuts ties with his friend, but this choice unexpectedly plunges him into escalating danger.

7.0

6.2

The Occupant

2020 • 103 min

Thriller, Drama

Facing unemployment, a former executive must sell his apartment. Finding he still has the keys, he becomes fixated on the new family living there. Determined to reclaim his lost life, he resolves to take drastic measures.

6.4

17+

Stream on

Assembly

2019 • 76 min

Álex Montoya's debut film is an adaptation of the play *La gente*, written by Juli Disla and Jaume Pérez, who also wrote the screenplay. Inspired by the rise of community organizing following the 2011 political movements, the film offers a…

5.2

6.1

Dark Eyes

2019 • 65 min

Thirteen-year-old Paula struggles with her family and friends, and to be near her ailing grandmother – whom she hardly knows – she spends the summer in Ojos Negros. There, she meets Alicia, a girl her age also spending the summer…

5.4

5.9

Bad Education

2004 • 105 min • Budget $5M • Box office $40M

Drama, Crime

This film explores how a shared history of religious schooling during the Franco regime and experiences of sexual abuse have profoundly shaped the lives of two lifelong friends.

7.4

17+

Stream on

Berserker

2015 • 100 min

Author Hugo Vartan finds inspiration for his next book in the case of the sister of his flatmate’s boyfriend. Her boyfriend is in a psychiatric hospital, suspected of murdering her – beheading him with a knife and placing his head…

4.9

5.9

The Art of Return

2020 • 91 min

Noemí, a young actress, returns to Madrid after six years in New York City for an important audition. In her first 24 hours back home, she experiences a series of encounters that help her appreciate the different stages of life.

6.1

6.0

Stream on

Mamá es boba

1997 • 86 min

Palencia, Spain, late 1990s. Gema and Toribio exist in a world of fragile happiness, constantly offering strained smiles as if seeking forgiveness for an unknown offense. Their young son, Martín, endures daily torment at school – a tragic yet often…

3.5

5.8

The Chess Player

2017 • 98 min • Box office $244K

History, Drama

In 1934, Diego Padilla triumphs at the Spanish Chess Championship and connects with French journalist Marianne Latour, and they fall in love. After the Spanish Civil War, Marianne persuades Diego to relocate to France with their daughter. Soon after, Diego…

6.3

Stream on

Malena es un nombre de tango

1996 • 109 min

Malena recounts the story of her life to a captivated listener. Her most prized possession isn't simply an emerald inherited from her grandfather; it's the key to understanding her own life, her lifelong conflict with her sister, and her passionate…

4.6

6.0

Stream on

The Regent's Wife

1974 • 93 min

Based on Clarín's novel, the story follows Ana Ozores as she struggles to adjust to the unpleasant realities of Vetusta, a provincial Spanish city modeled after Oviedo. Newly married to a retired official, Ana is suffocated by the town's judgmental…

3.5

6.2

Bilbao

1978 • 93 min

A troubled middle-aged man becomes fixated on a dancer and sex worker, ultimately kidnapping her, leading to devastating results.

6.1

6.3

Animales de compañía

2009

5.0

5.7

Orquesta Club Virginia

1992

6.0

5.7

27 Horas

1986 • 81 min

This drama explores themes of juvenile delinquency, unemployment, and drug use. The film follows Jon, a twenty-year-old, from his wake-up at seven in the morning, offering a glimpse into his daily life and the complexities of his friendships, relationships, family,…

6.7

6.3

From the Sea

2007 • 80 min

A male sketch artist is drawn into a breathtaking underwater realm, guided by a silent, beautiful mermaid. Meanwhile, in the Sargasso Sea, a solitary figure resembling Casablanca resides on a small rock. He is accompanied only by a sensual auburn-haired…

4.0

6.4

No Pain, No Gain

2001 • 91 min

David, a teenager, struggles with a sense of alienation from his family, friends, and even the girl he's in love with, feeling fundamentally misunderstood.

6.1

6.0

Tad, the Lost Explorer, and the Secret of King Midas

2017 • 85 min • Budget $10M • Box office $34M

Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Tad longs to be an archaeologist, traveling the world to find lost secrets and treasure. But his construction job keeps him from pursuing his dreams. His life changes when he's invited to a presentation by archaeologist Sara Lavrof about her…

6.7

6.2

Stream on

All Men Are the Same

1994 • 102 min

Three divorced men living together in a flat maintain a comfortable routine until they decide to hire a cleaning lady.

6.4

6.2

La guerra de papá

1977 • 91 min

Spain, March 1964: Quico, a mischievous three-year-old from a well-to-do family, feels displaced since his baby sister Cristina arrived. He and his equally disobedient eight-year-old brother Juan spend their days playing pranks, much to the frustration of their mother, the…

5.3

5.9

I Want to Be a Soldier

2010 • 100 min

"I Want To Be A Soldier" follows Alex, an ordinary eight-year-old boy who becomes increasingly drawn to violent imagery. This fascination leads to difficulties communicating with his parents and classmates, causing him to become isolated and create two imaginary friends.

5.6

5.9

Poniente

2002 • 96 min

Lucia, a teacher who spent years in Madrid, returns to her hometown after inheriting her father's tomato farm. There, she confronts the community’s prejudice against newly arrived undocumented workers. She falls for Curro, the farm's accountant, who shares her commitment…

5.0

6.1

Stream on

Asfalto

2000 • 90 min

In sun-drenched Madrid, three young people struggling to escape their lives will do anything to improve their situation. Their carefully laid plans fall apart when they encounter a controlling older woman, an abusive brother, and the city's pervasive corruption.

5.9

6.0

17+

Stream on

Criando ratas

2016 • 78 min

This film is a recent example of "neokinki," a Spanish cinematic style popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s, following the end of Franco's dictatorship. It portrays fractured families from lower socioeconomic backgrounds as breeding grounds for crime, drug…

5.4

6.4

The Unexpected Love

2014 • 105 min

Comedy, Drama

Juanito came to New York hoping to become an actor, but after years of struggling, he now works odd jobs just to get by. One day, his seemingly successful cousin visits. Their time together reveals the truth about both of…

6.4

6.2

14+

Stream on

Mi general

1987 • 110 min

A group of military generals attend a NATO and weapons course. Initially, the sessions proceed as expected, but over time, the generals begin to act with increasing childishness.

5.0

6.2

100

Captain Alatriste: The Spanish Musketeer

2006 • 145 min • Budget $24M • Box office $23M

Action

In 17th century Spain, Diego Alatriste, a courageous soldier serving in the King's army in Flanders, experiences a turning point when his close friend Balboa is gravely wounded. With his dying breath, Balboa asks Diego to care for his son…

5.8

6.1

1 2 3 4 5