"Yerma"
1999
Directed by Pilar Tavora

Based on a book by Spanish poet and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca, Yerma tells the story of woman who longs for a child, but is unable to conceive. Harboring a deep hatred for her husband, she is tempted to seduce a shepherd from the village, but feels conflicted by her moral values. Her desperation and obsession eventually drive her to the brink of insanity. Stars Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Irene Papas and Juan Diego. Spanish with English subtitles.  118 minutes.

Guest Comments

From:  "Aussiegirl Anita"

"After viewing this film you cannot help but feel the deepest sorrows for the tragic Heroine, Yerma. her obsession with becoming pregant, her need for a child is not so far from the surface of many women's minds in our very day. Although many reviews would portray Victor as a temptation for Yerma i would beg to differ. Yerma would not even consider being unfaithful to her husband, even when the old, wise woman confronts and tries to get her to run away with one of her sons. yerma is shocked by the notion and would never condone to it although many women in her state of mind and situation would have. The entire script is a poem. It symbolically bases it's whole focus on Yerma trying to become pregnant which is the ultimate misfortune. She should have learnt to deal with the fact that she was barren and try and fill her life with other things. Her religous views could have helped her to realise what will be will be. Instead she made it her entire concentration and not once was there reference given to any other topic in the play. I will admit now i have never sat through and watched an entire forein film before. It was only because we were made to in my year 12 drama class that i actually did. But i must say i enjoyed this film very much as i felt i got alot more out of it then alot of English films i've seen and it has inspired me to check out more forein films in the future."