13 Roses
| Las 13 Rosas | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Emilio Martinez-Lazaro |
| Produced by |
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| Written by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by | Roque Baños |
| Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine |
| Edited by | Ferando Pardo |
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Release date
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19 October 2007 |
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Running time
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132 min |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Las 13 Rosas (13 Roses) is a 2007 Spanish film directed by Emilio Martínez Lázaro. It stars Pilar Lopez de Ayala, Verónica Sánchez and Marta Etura. The plot, based on a true story, follows the tragic fate of thirteen young women, fighting for their ideals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.
In Madrid in 1939 during the final days of the Spanish Civil War, Virtudes and Carmen, two young idealistic Republican militants, are encouraging their neighbours to keep faith in the cause of the Republic. However, the entry of Franco's victorious troops into the city is eminent. Fearing the bloody repression that was coming, many Republicans are fleeing the country while others are unable or unwilling to do so.
Julia, a streetcar attendant, and her friend Adelina, a Red Cross worker, are also active sympathizers of the Spanish Republic. While spending an evening in a nightclub watching musicians perform, one of the last bombings of the city takes place. In those dire circumstances they befriend Blanca, whose husband Enrique is the musicians' band leader.
The triumph of the Francoist troops marks a dark turning point in the lives of those who sympathized with the Republic. Canepa, one of the musicians in Enrique's band, is a Republican militant. Fearing for his life, he decides to leave the country. Blanca, Enrique's wife, gives him some money to help him on his way. Meanwhile, Julia strikes up a relationship with dapper young nationalist soldier Perico.
It is rumored that there was a plot to assassinate Franco on his victorious entry into the capital, and the nationalists are seeking revenge. Although the girls have nothing to do with it, they have been targeted for their propagandistic leftist activities. The first to be arrested is Julia, who, before too long, is being sadistically tortured by the orders of Fontenla, the cold-hearted officer in charge of the interrogations. Adelina, Virtudes' co-worker, like most of the others is a member of a socialist group. She is turned in by her well-meaning father in the naïve belief that nothing serious will happen to her and that she is just wanted for questioning.
Canepa and Teo are turned in by friends and neighbors and are tortured. Canepa commits suicide while under arrest. Teo has better luck and is eventually released on the condition that he has to secretly help to identify and capture his friends, sympathizers of the Republic. With Teo's help, one by one the girls are arrested, and soon they have all been jailed. Only Carmen, the youngest of the girls of the group, realizes Teo's double-crossing, but she is also arrested. Blanca also suffers the same fate. Her only crime is to have given Canepa some money. After suffering heavy police interrogations, the young group of women are eventually transferred to an overcrowded prison.
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Wikipedia