On Thursday, October 8, the Palacio de los Condes de Gabia in Granada hosted the pre-screening of La voz quebrada, a documentary directed by Manuel Menchón that reconstructs the relationship between Federico García Lorca and Juan Ramírez de Lucas. Actor Álvaro Morte, who provides the voice for Lorca, joined local officials and the filmmaking team ahead of the film’s October 16 theatrical release by distributor Sideral.
Manuel Menchón Directs Documentary on Lorca and Ramírez De Lucas
- The Project: La voz quebrada is a documentary feature directed by Manuel Menchón that explores the relationship between Federico García Lorca and Juan Ramírez de Lucas just before the poet’s execution in 1936.
- The Archive: The film centers on personal papers, poems, and diaries left by Ramírez de Lucas—who died in 2010—alongside newly discovered film reels showing Lorca in motion during a 1932 tour with the theatrical group La Barraca.
- The Release: Following a screening at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and a Granada premiere on October 8, the film opens in commercial cinemas across Spain on October 16.
Uncovering Unpublished Archives and Rare Film Reels
Directed by Manuel Menchón, La voz quebrada pulls from an extraordinary cache of hitherto unseen materials preserved for decades. The documentary incorporates rare moving images of Lorca from a 1932 tour with his theater company, La Barraca, alongside footage discovered in Uruguay, bringing roughly fifteen minutes of historical film footage into the production. The investigative work also unearthed extensive pre-civil war visual archives of Granada, including footage of the Rosales family home, Alfacar, and Víznar.
At the heart of the narrative are the personal notebooks and diaries of Juan Ramírez de Lucas, an Albacete-born writer considered by researchers as Lorca’s last love. Ramírez de Lucas stipulated that these documents remain private until after his death, which occurred on July 20, 2010, at age 93. The recovered papers detail plans for the couple to flee to Mexico together in July 1936—an escape route rendered impossible before Lorca was shot between Víznar and Alfacar on August 18, 1936.
Álvaro Morte and the Voice of the Poet
Actor Álvaro Morte, who spent two years studying in Granada at the IES Padre Manjón, voices García Lorca in the film. Speaking at the Palacio de los Condes de Gabia, Morte recounted that returning to Granada with a film like this was a special excitement for him.
Director Manuel Menchón explained that casting decisions relied on auditory research, noting that accounts from Lorca’s friends and family described the poet’s vocal tone as woody, qualities he found matched in Morte’s delivery.
Institutional Support and the Road to National Release
The Granada presentation brought together municipal and provincial authorities, including Pilar Caracuel, Culture and Education Deputy for the Diputación de Granada; Luis Recuerda, territorial delegate of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sports for the Junta de Andalucía; and Carolina Amate, Councilor for the Ayuntamiento de Granada. Provincial officials highlighted public sector backing for Andalusian audiovisual projects, noting that the Film in Granada office and the Patronato Federico García Lorca aided production prior to its festival run.
Following its selection at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the premiere at Megarama Granada, La voz quebrada heads toward a commercial release in Spanish cinemas on October 16. The project coincides with broader theatrical interest in the poet’s legacy, running alongside the release of cinematic works such as La bola negra, which adapts unfinished writings by the Granada author.
| Production Detail | Fact / Personnel |
|---|---|
| Director | Manuel Menchón |
| Voice Cast (Lorca) | Álvaro Morte |
| Key Archival Source | Juan Ramírez de Lucas diaries and papers |
| Theatrical Release Date | October 16 via Sideral |
