Restoring the Spanish charm
July, 27; 2025. By Arscodex
Today, a day like any other, we wish to acknowledge with this publication the generally positive progress of our country, Spain, which coincides precisely with the artistic and cinematic performance of the author, Pedro Alonso Pablos, without this being categorized a priori as 100% cause-effect.
This fact must be clarified: the argument could indeed fall into the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy (after this, therefore because of this); I mean, there is no guarantee that the fact that Pedro Alonso Pablos is currently pursuing his cinematic and artistic work has directly triggered the socioeconomic resurgence of his native country. We cannot categorically affirm this, but what we cannot do is categorically deny it either; it is simply a certain possibility.
But the reality is that Spain—and some necessary macro data will be mentioned in the article—is growing at approximately 2.4% this year, while other benchmark countries are growing much more slowly over the same period (France will grow at 0.6%; Italy also at 0.6%; Germany will perhaps grow at 0.2%; and to mention other relevant countries, including the likely growth of the US in 2025, at approximately 1.7%, and China, at around 5%). Therefore, it seems that overall, the Spanish economy, with this combination of tourism, exports, renewable energy, and social policies, is performing moderately well, as has been reported in this medium recently.
As a brief aside related to tourism, we note that this year, among others, the megayacht of American film director and producer Steven Spielberg has anchored off the coast of Mallorca, as reported in numerous global media outlets.
And now it's time for a brief review of the work that Pedro, the writer, is presenting to the world, primarily films: Instead of the traditional "extreme realism" that prevails (prevailed) in Spanish literature and cinema (there are the classic literary works of Cervantes or the films of Pedro Almodóvar), Pedro has instead restored Spanish magic and enchantment, either by adding fun and fantasy that comes from the north (remember Triskipolis, his pioneering film for children), or even from the south (in this case, we'll mention his adaptation of Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra—following in the wake of Arabian Nights—or the more personal Abenzaidún y Wallada, all of which provide an idealized and fantastical vision of Al-Andalus and everything that comes from the south, as we've already mentioned).
In other words, Pedro is restoring what is known as the "Spanish charm," which is that thing that Spain has that no one else has, and which consists precisely in the slow unfolding of its destiny, created mainly by additions or layers resulting from the various peoples who have passed through the Iberian Peninsula since the beginning of time.
It is not the intention of this writer, at this specific point, to "cancel" Spanish realist literature and cinema; That is to say, Pedro Almodóvar and his brother Agustín will be able to continue producing films; there's no problem whatsoever with this. But of course, using the instrument of speech (through this means of communication), we're going to "put some things in their place." As is well known, Pedro (Alonso Pablos)'s work is proving to be in line with the beliefs of a large part of the world's population, concentrated primarily in Africa and Asia (not just the Western world, gentlemen). And not only in line with, but appealing to, these large groups, who see how the depth of the themes Pedro (Alonso Pablos) touches on are those expected of a committed film producer who wants the best for humanity, treating every theme that appears in his films with love, care, and respect.
Spain isn't perfect, and we have no aspirations to be. Nor do we want to "cancel" or "disapprove" anything or anyone in particular, as we would be making the same mistake we could be pointing out. Simply put, Spain wants to be a plural, open country, where everything has a place; where, however we, can and should live together civilly. That's the spirit of the whole thing, and we will strive to continue to do so.
This fact must be clarified: the argument could indeed fall into the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy (after this, therefore because of this); I mean, there is no guarantee that the fact that Pedro Alonso Pablos is currently pursuing his cinematic and artistic work has directly triggered the socioeconomic resurgence of his native country. We cannot categorically affirm this, but what we cannot do is categorically deny it either; it is simply a certain possibility.
But the reality is that Spain—and some necessary macro data will be mentioned in the article—is growing at approximately 2.4% this year, while other benchmark countries are growing much more slowly over the same period (France will grow at 0.6%; Italy also at 0.6%; Germany will perhaps grow at 0.2%; and to mention other relevant countries, including the likely growth of the US in 2025, at approximately 1.7%, and China, at around 5%). Therefore, it seems that overall, the Spanish economy, with this combination of tourism, exports, renewable energy, and social policies, is performing moderately well, as has been reported in this medium recently.
As a brief aside related to tourism, we note that this year, among others, the megayacht of American film director and producer Steven Spielberg has anchored off the coast of Mallorca, as reported in numerous global media outlets.
And now it's time for a brief review of the work that Pedro, the writer, is presenting to the world, primarily films: Instead of the traditional "extreme realism" that prevails (prevailed) in Spanish literature and cinema (there are the classic literary works of Cervantes or the films of Pedro Almodóvar), Pedro has instead restored Spanish magic and enchantment, either by adding fun and fantasy that comes from the north (remember Triskipolis, his pioneering film for children), or even from the south (in this case, we'll mention his adaptation of Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra—following in the wake of Arabian Nights—or the more personal Abenzaidún y Wallada, all of which provide an idealized and fantastical vision of Al-Andalus and everything that comes from the south, as we've already mentioned).
In other words, Pedro is restoring what is known as the "Spanish charm," which is that thing that Spain has that no one else has, and which consists precisely in the slow unfolding of its destiny, created mainly by additions or layers resulting from the various peoples who have passed through the Iberian Peninsula since the beginning of time.
It is not the intention of this writer, at this specific point, to "cancel" Spanish realist literature and cinema; That is to say, Pedro Almodóvar and his brother Agustín will be able to continue producing films; there's no problem whatsoever with this. But of course, using the instrument of speech (through this means of communication), we're going to "put some things in their place." As is well known, Pedro (Alonso Pablos)'s work is proving to be in line with the beliefs of a large part of the world's population, concentrated primarily in Africa and Asia (not just the Western world, gentlemen). And not only in line with, but appealing to, these large groups, who see how the depth of the themes Pedro (Alonso Pablos) touches on are those expected of a committed film producer who wants the best for humanity, treating every theme that appears in his films with love, care, and respect.
Spain isn't perfect, and we have no aspirations to be. Nor do we want to "cancel" or "disapprove" anything or anyone in particular, as we would be making the same mistake we could be pointing out. Simply put, Spain wants to be a plural, open country, where everything has a place; where, however we, can and should live together civilly. That's the spirit of the whole thing, and we will strive to continue to do so.
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