Love in difficult times

Love in difficult times

LOVE IN DIFFICULT TIMES 

LONG RUNNING SERIES - Drama

7S - 1.716 x 50'

'Love in Difficult Times' is a captivating series that immerses us in the years of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's dictatorship.

From its premiere in September 2005 until its last episode six years later, with a total of 1.716 episodes, this powerful series became a television phenomenon, attracting almost three million viewers every afternoon on TVE's La 1.

With meticulous documentation work, detailed sets and complex characterization of characters, 'Love in Difficult Times' offers viewers a unique window to explore the Spain of those years, immersing them in a past full of passion, intrigue and unforgettable historical moments.

SYNOPSIS 

The first season takes place between 1936-1945. In those years Spain lived one of the most difficult episodes of its history. Since the establishment of the Second Republic in April 1931, the conservative and military Spanish class attempted against the new government.

In a context of political and social crisis, workers' movements arose seeking labor improvements, as well as agrarian movements seeking a reform of the countryside that would allow them to put an end to the caciques and their semi-slavery methods. To all this was added the government's decision to put an end to the privileges of the church.

All these factors produced a lot of tension between the different political groups. When the CEDA government resigned, accused of corruption, elections were called in which the left-wing parties grouped in the Popular Front and the conservatives participated. After the victory of the Popular Front, the military and conservative classes began to conspire to put an end to the Republic. On July 18, 1936, a coup d'état took place, followed by a Civil War that lasted until April 1939.

The plot of the series begins in the days leading up to the 1936 elections. The characters move in a world built on ideals, aspirations and beliefs. Antonio, the protagonist, belongs to the humble class. Fed up with abuses, he is a staunch defender of the Republic and its social advances. Andrea, on the other hand, belongs to the bourgeois class, accustomed to the easy and comfortable life, had no problem in admitting the unfairness of the system. And they fall in love, even though all factors are against them. Their lives and destinies will be subject to the social background of their families.

When the war breaks out, the protagonists are confronted with situations they would never have suspected. Three years later, in 1939, the war has ended, not only with the world they knew until then, but also with their relationship and their families, forcing them to rebuild their lives each on their own.

In the series, political principles are mixed and confused with the deepest feelings of the heart. As the plot unfolds, the characters discover themselves as they search for their place in the world and a happiness that seems elusive in those hard and bitter times.

CHARACTERS:

Antonio Ramirez comes from a humble family that lived in the same building where the Robles family settled. During his childhood he shared games with Andrea, with whom he falls madly in love when he reaches adolescence. However, the couple will not give free rein to their passion until after the death of Eduardo, Andrea's first boyfriend. Although theirs is true love, the patriarch of the Robles family opposes this relationship from the beginning. Soon after, the Spanish Civil War begins and Antonio goes to fight on the Republican side with his friend Marcelino, the son of the local tavern keeper. During the war Antonio and Andrea get married and their son Liberto is born.

When the war ended, Antonio was arrested and condemned to death, although he was finally released after the mediation of Rodrigo, Andrea's brother. His life from then on will be marked by his time in prison and his intention to recover his beloved, despite his family's attempts to make him forget this idea. Fate and the son they have in common will unite them definitively.

Andrea Robles is a member of a family belonging to the high bourgeoisie of Madrid. She is the daughter of Fabián Robles and Loreto Castillo, and sister of Sito and Rodrigo. Since childhood she has been friends with Antonio, the upstairs neighbor, with whom she will have a son in her youth. Andrea wants to study at the university, but her father will prevent her from doing so, so she decides to start studying painting. At school she will meet Eduardo, her first boyfriend.

CREDITS:

Directed by: Lluís Mª Güell, Orestes Lara, Gerard Gormezano, Joan Noguera, Eduardo Casanova. 

Created by: Josep Maria Benet i Jornet, Antonio Onetti, Rodolf Sirera.

Script: Josep Maria Benet i Jornet, Antoni Oneti, Rodolf Sirera 

Cast: Ana Turpin, Rodolfo Sancho, Agata Lys, Pilar Bardem, Héctor Colomé, Luisa Gavasa, Cristóbal Suárez, Elisa Garzón, Felix Gómez, Ana Otero, Pilar Barrero

Date: 2005-2012. 

Format: HD

An RTVE production in collaboration with Diagonal TV.