Carmen Rossi

Spain 1960, the dawn of the country's economic development. Industrial "reorganization" means that many workers have lost their jobs and are forced to emigrate. Martin is one of them. Martin, his wife Pilar and their son Pablito live with Martin's parents in a basement apartment that comes with their job as superintendents of the building. Encouraged by Marcos, his friend and co-worker, Martin decides to emigrate to Switzerland. The whole family has to admit that for the time being this is the most promising plan. Unable to obtain a work contract from the Swiss Consulate, Martin and Marcos decide to go anyway, pretending they are tourists to get past the border police. Pablito will experience drastic changes in a short period of time: his father's departure, a new way of life in a different country with a different environment and learning another language. But afterwards, in Switzerland, they will face new experiences which will allow them to live with renewed happiness.

An autobiographical account that is also the history of Spain during the dark years of the first half of the twentieth century. Spanish writer Arturo Barea (1897-1957) narrates his childhood in Madrid, his harsh experiences in Morocco during the Rif War and his political commitment to the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War.

The film is an image of the Spanish society in form of various anecdotes which happen to the inhabitants and their neighbours of a finca in Madrid.

Pamplona (Spain), 1975: Dr. Navarro, a famous doctor in the city, feels strongly attracted to Juana, his nurse, who is also in love with the doctor. Navarro, however, moved by his strong religious convictions (in fact, he is a numerary member of Opus Dei) remains faithful to his wife and tries by all means to prevent that their relations with Juana break through professional boundaries. For the purpose of that, he orders the nurse will sent to another hospital. This will push Juana to take the initiative and provoke the doctor during San Fermines.