Un franco, 14 pesetas

It is a curious coincidence that a TV comedian, José Corbacho, was behind one of last year's best Spanish films, Tapas, and this year it is again another TV funnyman, Carlos Iglesias, who brings us the cream of the crop. They both became famous on Spanish TV for their absurd, laugh-out-loud comic personas, but have chosen a more cerebral route for their directorial filmic debuts, making comedies with dramatic undertones, and in both cases the results have been artistic triumphs.

Iglesias's little joy of a film, based largely on his own life experiences as the son of Spanish emigrants, is simply delightful in every detail. The story flows along effortlessly and the characters are developed with loving care, and once the film ends one cannot help but want it to go on longer, which is the mark of all good storytelling. I was already a fan of Iglesias in his "Pepelu" times of the 90s, but if the quality of his film career stays at this level, he will surely make us forget his time on TV.