Secrets of the Heart (Secretos del corazón / Bihotz ondoko secretuak)
German title: Geheimnisse des Herzens Francaise title: Les Secrets du Coeur Spain title: Secretos del corazón Greek title: Μυστικα της καρδιας Russian title: Секреты сердца Original title: Secretos del corazón / Bihotz ondoko secretuak
Alternative titles: Secretos del Corazon – Les Secrets du Coeur – Bihotz ondoko secretuak
Drama – Spain, Portugal, France Production year: 1997 Movie length: 105 minutes
Director: Montxo Armendáriz
Movie description:
Javi and his friend Carlos visit an old house on the outskirts of a small Spanish village. According to his brother Juan this is a haunted house and one can hear the voices of the dead. Later he is intrigued with a room which is always closed (the room where his father was found dead). He is so interested in these mysteries that he starts to investigate all the secrets of these dead people and their stories.
Set in 1960’s Spain, the film introduces us to 9-year-old Javi. He’d like to uncover the mystery of an old »haunted« house. His investigation lets him understand world of adults more than it does of the dead. Javi is drawn to odd places where one can hear the voices of the dead; to the cellar of a house in which was a crime scene and even to the room where his father was found dead. His search reveals a reality where passion, love, and death gradually replace his childish fantasy world. The film, written and directed by Montxo Armendáriz, received an award at the 1997 Berlinale. Spanish cinema has never had many films for children and youth – Secrets of the Heart is one of the few exceptions. The film was surprisingly successful in Spain and was often praised for its magical realistic mood.
Boy Actors
Andoni Erburu (Javier „Javi� Zabalza, 9 years old)