Los paraísos perdidos (1985) : distribution, intrigue et streaming

Released in 1985, Los paraísos perdidos is a drame 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. Los paraísos perdidos 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, Los paraísos perdidos 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 Los paraísos perdidos page.

If you liked it. Fans of Los paraísos perdidos tend to enjoy Les Évadés, Le Parrain, La Liste de Schindler and Le Parrain, 2e partie.