Viva la Muerte (film)

Viva la muerte
Directed by	Fernando Arrabal
Produced by	Hassen Daldoul Jean Velter
Written by	Fernando Arrabal
Starring	Mahdi Chaouch Anouk Ferjac Núria Espert
Cinematography	Jean-Marc Ripert
Edited by	Laurence Leininger
Production company	Isabelle Films SATPEC
Distributed by	Alliance Releasing Corporation
Release dates	May 12, 1971 (1971-05-12)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	France Tunisia
Language	French

Viva la Muerte (English: Long Live Death) is a 1971 French-Tunisian drama film shot in Tunisia and directed by Fernando Arrabal. The film released on May 12, 1971 and Arrabal drew on his own childhood for inspiration for the movie. Viva la Muerte takes place at the end of the Spanish Civil War, telling the story of Fando, a young boy whose father was turned in to authorities as a suspected communist by his fascist-sympathizing mother. It has gained cult popularity as a midnight movie. The opening credits sequence features drawings by acclaimed artist, actor and novelist Roland Topor.

Synopsis

When Fando's fascist-sympathizing mother turns his father into the authorities as a suspected communist, Fando (Mahdi Chaouch) is told that his father was executed. In truth the father is actually just imprisoned and eventually begins to search for him, constantly imagining what his father might be up to or what might have happened to him.

Cast

• Anouk Ferjac as La Tante
• Núria Espert as La Mère
• Mahdi Chaouch as Fando
• Ivan Henriques as Le Père
• Jazia Klibi as Thérèse
• Suzanne Comte as La Grand-mère
• Jean-Louis Chassigneux as Le Grand-père
• Mohamed Bellasoued as Colonel
• Víctor García as Fando - 20 ans

Reception

Allmovie gave Viva la Muerte four stars, remarking that the film's extreme visuals would make it "not for the faint of heart". The New York Times gave the film a mostly positive review, stating that while it was "no perfect movie, it seems to me inescapably a major work."

External links

• Viva la Muerte at IMDb
• Viva la muerte at AllMovie