The Lost Paradise (1985): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1985, The Lost Paradise is a drama film directed by Basilio Martín Patino, running about 94 minutes.

What it’s about. This literary film is imbued with the disenchantment of Spanish exiles who left their homes to protest Franco's fascist regime and then returned after its demise to find that democracy had not instilled either ethics or deep motivation in government leaders. Director Basilio Martin Patino presents his story, and a large part of the film is based on his own life, through the experiences of an exiled heroine played by Charo Lopez. She has returned to Spain to look for meaning in her life, something that she never found living in Germany, not even after having a child. She is also in the process of translating the German lyric poet Friederich Holderlin (see the 1985 Halfte Des Lebens) into Spanish, focusing on his epic Hyperion. Excerpts from the translation are voiced over throughout the film. As she looks up old friends from many, many years ago, even those who have achieved worldly success are suffering from the same ennui that propelled her back home.

Who’s in it. The Lost Paradise stars Charo López, Alfredo Landa as Benito, Francisco Rabal as El político anciano and Juan Diego as Ministro, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, The Lost Paradise has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Lost Paradise page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Lost Paradise tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.