How Spain Shocked Europe: The Untold Story of Eurovision 1968!

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Starting from the 1950s, with waves of foreign tourists flocking to its shores, Spain actively sought membership in the European Economic Community, positioning itself as a contemporary nation amidst rule by a decades-old dictator from the 1930s. However, despite efforts for reform, Spain only managed to join the Eurovision Song Contest by 1968 – and even failed to win that competition.

The three-part miniseries “La Canción,” produced by Buendía Estudios and distributed by Movistar Plus+ Internacional, is set to make its world premiere at this week’s Malaga Film Festival, drawing inspiration from historical facts and real-life characters.

The process started when aging dictator Francisco Franco assigned Minister Manuel Fraga the mission to secure a victory in the Eurovision Song Contest. This responsibility was then passed on to the Spanish public broadcaster, TVE.

Surprisingly, some manage to triumph; for instance, Massiel, an outspoken supporter of Fidel Castro and disdainful of Franco, delivers a moving rendition of “La la la,” edging out Cliff Richard’s previously leading song “Congratulations” by a mere point.

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It might astonish some, but success is achieved by individuals like Massiel, a vocal Castro supporter and Franco critic, who powerfully performs “La la la,” narrowly besting Cliff Richard’s frontrunner “Congratulations” with only one point difference.

Under the direction of Alejandro Marín (“Love & Revolution”), “La Canción” is a lively, swiftly-moving, nostalgic production featuring music from that era as its soundtrack. The story unfolds in a fictional series, focusing on key events such as the recruitment of real-life Artur Caps (Alex Brendemühl), an Austrian immigrant and the king of TVE’s variety shows, to select the song; the choice of Joan Manuel Serrat (Marcel Borràs), a Catalan dissident icon and symbol of Spanish modernity, to perform it; however, when Serrat is unable to sing “La, la, la” in Catalan, an emergency move sees fiery Massiel (Carolina Yuste) step up to the plate despite having limited rehearsal time. She delivers a spectacular performance at London’s Albert Hall.

In this story, Caps’ companion is Esteban, portrayed by Patrick Criado, who may not know much about music but is propelled forward by his relentless determination to climb the ranks within the regime of General Francisco Franco.

This show was developed by both Susana Herreras for Movistar Plus+ and Ignacio Morales for Buendía Estudios, but it’s important to note that the creators behind this production are Pepe Coira and Fran Araújo, who have previously produced “Hierro,” one of Movistar Plus+’s most popular series, and “Rapa.” These two shows have left a significant mark in Movistar Plus+’s history.

In shows like “Hierro” and “Rapa,” the creators broke away from traditional rural crime mystery conventions by revealing the murderer early on in their respective first seasons, as Araújo described it, tearing up the rule book. These series also feature lovable characters that draw viewers in deeply, which is a major factor behind their widespread popularity.

Through “La Canción,” a captivating drama that frequently has comedic elements – some incidents within it are genuinely funny, according to Araújo – the duo offer much more than just entertainment. They elaborated on this in an interview prior to the Malaga series world premiere, revealing additional layers to their production.

The song titled “La Canción” carries an air reminiscent of Spanish cinema from the ’60s, with its carefree atmosphere and distinctive period style. However, it transcends this, serving as a profound reflection, particularly on historical processes. In your analysis of Spain’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, you emphasize the significant role of chance and random occurrences.

Pepe Coira: We didn’t intentionally replicate a ’60s Spanish comedy or use it as a model. However, we were fascinated by the era, and its style serves as one of the foundations for the series, although it wasn’t the primary motivation for creating it. Although we didn’t classify the series as a comedy, we felt it should be humorous given its abundance of real events. We’re referring to an episode that includes significant contradictions and very peculiar elements, which we wanted to use as a means to discuss Spain without being overly serious. The series carries a certain levity, but it also addresses serious issues without losing sight of the country’s context and circumstances.

This series discusses the complex issue that Spain faced in 1968: how could it transform into a modern nation while maintaining an outdated dictator from the 1930s in control. It endeavored to advocate for a European-like state supporting the New Spanish Cinema or sending Joan Manuel Serrat, a notable figure of Novo Canço, as Spain’s representative at Eurovision. However, the events surrounding Serrat reveal the constraints of Spain’s reform efforts…

Fran Araújo: Indeed, our goal is to portray the genuine atmosphere of the ’60s. The Spanish cinema featuring Marisol presented a distorted image of joy devoid of any darkness. Our series’ characters embody this era, with the main character attempting to navigate Franco’s bureaucracy, but films from that time did not delve into how this system functioned or depicted police brutality against student protests. The series explores the tension between our desire for freedom and the harsh reality of our oppressive political system, which was far from free and often unclear in its progression.

In this heartwarming moment between Massiel and Lucía in a Paris park, Lucía shares her struggle: she’s pressured by society – her family, Esteban, Franco – to become a pharmacist, but finds it uninteresting. Massiel then encourages her to seize control of her life, to follow her own desires. This scene seems to symbolize the restrictive nature of dictatorship on individuals’ lives, with Esteban serving as an example of someone merely reacting to circumstances rather than shaping them.

In the conversation we were discussing, Massiel shared a significant point. He said, “Although we’re going through a tough time, let me make this clear: They don’t dictate your life, and that claim is false.” At that instance, many of us had believed they held power over our lives, but perhaps it’s time to consider the possibility that it might not be true…

Coira: Instead of delving into a detailed history, we aimed to discuss these topics in our fast-paced series without overwhelming viewers. The main purpose seems to be blending historical and social themes within an oddball narrative. Additionally, there’s the unique blend of the extraordinary and mundane found in Spanish television.

User: The management of TVE, Spain’s public broadcasting network, was divided equally between Falangist and Opus Dei technocrats, mirroring the government’s structure. This setup served as a miniature model illustrating how the political system functioned.

And is the series finished? 

As a passionate film enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that we’re wrapping up the post-production phase. A unique twist in our process is the transfer of our digital image onto 16mm film. To my knowledge, this marks the first time such a technique will be employed in Spain. It’s an exciting step towards bringing our cinematic vision to life!

As one of Spain’s most acclaimed creative duos, your shows “Hierro” and “Rapa” have become some of the most viewed series in Movistar Plus+’s history. Could you share a bit about your process when working on these series?

“La Canción” emerged as we brainstormed ideas for a series, realizing there was a compelling narrative. We decided it wouldn’t fit into our usual crime drama category, even though it offers a broad scope. In essence, “La Canción,” while distinct in its own right, shares similarities with “Hierro” and “Rapa”: It aims to tell a captivating story, respecting the audience, and striving to be engaging.

Araújo: When penning our stories, we strive to write through the eyes of our characters. We incorporate humor, emotion, and vitality, all within the chosen genre, yet without neglecting any aspect. Our aim is to create intricate characters that audiences might be eager to embark on a journey alongside them, spending considerable time getting to know these individuals as human beings.

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2025-03-19 21:20