Detailed plot summary on Volver by Almodóvar (& analysing quotes)

Summary

This video is a comprehensive guide for A-level Spanish students, summarizing the plot and key quotes of the film 'Volver.' It begins by discussing the film's opening scene in a cemetery, focusing on the family dynamics and themes of superstition and death. The video explores the relationships between characters, particularly Raimunda and her daughter, highlighting female solidarity and secrets. The speaker also reflects on various scenes, explaining their significance and connection to broader themes. Visual aids are used to reinforce key moments, making it an essential study resource.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is aimed at A-Level Spanish students, offering a summary of the plot of the film 'Volver' and key quotes with their significance.
• 🌬️ The film begins with a strong visual of a cemetery and a mention of the wind, setting the tone for the supernatural and mysterious elements.
• 🔥 A central theme is the contrasting opinions of characters about how their parents died — peacefully or in a fire, which later plays into the revelation of hidden truths.
• 👻 The presence of Agustina, who cleans her own grave and references secrets about Raimunda’s father, hints at the supernatural and hidden family secrets.
• 🍴 Raimunda steps up as a provider after Paco’s death, juggling jobs, protecting her daughter, and hiding the murder of Paco, showcasing female resilience and solidarity.
• 💼 The film explores themes of deception, with Raimunda lying about Paco’s body and other characters covering up difficult truths to protect each other.
• 🖤 Funeral scenes depict traditional customs, with the women dressed in black and separated from men, highlighting the rural, communal lifestyle and belief in apparitions.
• 🎤 Raimunda’s emotional singing of the song 'Volver' is a pivotal moment where past trauma and unresolved emotions surface, deeply affecting her and other characters.
• 🤝 The film emphasizes female solidarity, particularly in scenes where Raimunda receives help from neighbors, and characters support one another through difficult times.
• 🌄 The film ends with Raimunda and her family confronting the truth about the past, reconciling, and dealing with Paco’s body, ultimately focusing on forgiveness and familial bonds.

Q & A

What is the significance of the strong East Wind in the cemetery scene?

The strong East Wind referred to as 'el viento solano' plays a symbolic role in the cemetery scene, possibly contributing to the fire that killed Raimunda and Sole's parents. It creates an eerie atmosphere, reinforcing the theme that things are not as they seem.

Why does Raimunda lie about her parents' death being peaceful?

Raimunda lies about her parents' death being peaceful because she does not want to face the painful truth that they died in a fire. Her denial reflects deeper emotional wounds and the complexities of her family relationships.

What role does Agustina play in the story?

Agustina is a key character who introduces mystery and superstition into the plot. She believes in the appearances of the dead and is seeking closure about her missing mother's fate, which ties into the film's themes of family secrets and unresolved trauma.

How does Raimunda react when she discovers Paco's dead body?

Raimunda reacts with shock but quickly shifts into a protective mode to shield her daughter, Paula. She lies to divert blame away from Paula and decides to hide the body, showing her resourcefulness and determination to protect her family.

What does the exercise bike symbolize when Sole finds it in Tía Paula’s house?

The exercise bike Sole finds in Tía Paula’s house is symbolic of something being out of place, as it is unusual for an elderly woman like Tía Paula to own one. It hints that there may be secrets or unexplained elements about how Tía Paula is living alone.

How is female solidarity portrayed in the film?

Female solidarity is a strong theme in the film. Characters like Regina and Raimunda help each other in difficult situations, such as when Regina helps Raimunda bury Paco's body. This collaboration among women highlights their strength and resilience.

Why is Raimunda reluctant to attend her aunt's funeral?

Raimunda lies about not being able to attend her aunt's funeral because she is overwhelmed with hiding Paco's body and running the restaurant. This also indicates her habit of using lies to avoid uncomfortable situations.

What is the significance of Raimunda singing 'Volver' during the restaurant party?

Raimunda singing 'Volver' at the party is significant because it is a song about returning to the past, reflecting her journey of coming to terms with her family's history and the secrets she has buried. It also emotionally connects her to her mother, Irene.

Why does Agustina refuse to participate in the TV show about her mother's disappearance?

Agustina refuses to continue participating in the TV show because she feels uncomfortable with the presenter’s probing questions. Her refusal shows her discomfort with turning personal tragedy into public spectacle, reflecting the film's critique of reality TV culture.

What is the ultimate resolution between Raimunda and her mother Irene?

In the final scene, Raimunda and her mother Irene reconcile and promise to stay in touch. Irene apologizes for her past mistakes, including not recognizing the abuse Raimunda suffered, and the two rebuild their relationship, symbolizing closure and healing.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Introduction and Plot Overview

The video is aimed at A-level Spanish students and provides a summary of the movie's plot along with important quotes. The scene begins with a cemetery visit, where key characters Runda and Paa clean the gravestone of their parents, who died in a fire. Tensions arise when Agustina arrives, hinting at secrets regarding the true parentage of the characters. The weather and the strong wind are used to set a tone of mystery and foreshadowing. This segment sets up the complexity of relationships and reveals that things are not as they appear.

05:02

💼 Raimunda Takes Responsibility

Raimunda steps into a leadership role after discovering her husband Paco's death. She lies about being unable to attend a funeral due to household responsibilities. In desperation for money, she accepts an offer from a film crew to use her restaurant, symbolizing her growing independence. Along the way, Raimunda's network of neighbors helps her out, showcasing the theme of female solidarity. At the funeral of Aunt Paa, traditional customs are displayed, further emphasizing the cultural setting. Throughout, Raimunda juggles lies and secrets, managing her personal turmoil while keeping up appearances.

10:04

🎭 Family Secrets and Ghosts

The story delves deeper into family secrets as Sol encounters her mother, who appears to have returned from the dead. Sol reacts with shock but quickly accepts the situation. Raimunda’s daughter Baa grapples with her mother's revelations about her father. Meanwhile, Raimunda struggles to conceal Paco’s body and deal with family conflicts, including a confrontation over stolen items. The scene portrays complicated family dynamics, unresolved issues, and themes of superstition, as characters like Agustina hint at the supernatural with stories about apparitions and ghosts.

15:05

🎶 Emotional Climax and Confession

During a lively party at the restaurant, Raimunda sings a heartfelt song, bringing tears to her mother's eyes. The moment serves as a way for Raimunda to distract her daughter Baa from the harsh realities surrounding them. As the story continues, the tension escalates with a confession from Raimunda about the truth behind Baa's biological father. Themes of reconciliation and emotional release become prominent, leading to a climactic scene where secrets begin to unravel. Meanwhile, Raimunda’s continued efforts to cover up Paco's death intensify.

Keywords

💡Plot Summary

This refers to the overall storyline or sequence of events in the movie. In the video, the speaker provides a detailed summary of the film's plot, outlining key moments such as family dynamics, deaths, secrets, and the overarching theme of female solidarity.

💡Quotes

Quotes are significant lines from the movie that hold important meaning in the context of the narrative. The video focuses on explaining various quotes and their relevance to the plot, helping students understand the film’s deeper themes and character motivations.

💡Las Esporas

This is the opening scene of the movie, set in a cemetery with a strong East Wind, where characters are cleaning the gravestone of Irene. The name 'Las Esporas' sets a melancholic tone and introduces themes of death and the supernatural in the film.

💡Raimunda

Raimunda is one of the main characters of the film, central to the story’s emotional and familial conflicts. Her actions, like lying to protect her daughter or hiding the death of her husband, showcase her resilience and maternal instinct, which are core to the film’s theme of female strength.

💡Female Solidarity

A recurring theme throughout the film, female solidarity is depicted in various instances, such as the relationship between Raimunda, her daughter, and her friends. The video highlights moments where women come together to support each other through difficult times, such as hiding a body or sharing resources.

💡The Wind

The wind plays a symbolic role in the film, particularly in the opening scene where it is mentioned as a strong force spreading the fire that killed Raimunda’s parents. It often represents the uncontrollable forces of nature and fate that shape the characters' lives.

💡Aunt Paula’s Death

The death of Aunt Paula is a key event in the movie, raising suspicions about the supernatural and setting the tone for the uncovering of family secrets. It is discussed in the video as an important turning point that leads to further revelations about the characters' relationships.

💡Regina

Regina is a neighbor who helps Raimunda in burying her husband's body. Her character is important as she represents the theme of women working together in times of need, especially when engaging in risky or illegal activities, as shown in the video.

💡Secrets and Lies

Throughout the film, characters hide important truths from each other, often to protect loved ones or maintain social harmony. The video discusses how lies like Raimunda’s about her husband’s death and her daughter’s biological father are central to the unfolding drama.

💡Ghosts and Supernatural

The concept of ghosts and the supernatural is woven into the film’s narrative, especially around the character Irene. The video explores how the appearance of Irene, who is presumed dead, leads to emotional confrontations and the resolution of unfinished family business.

Highlights

The film has a dramatic start with the cemetery scene, where Raimunda and Sole clean their parents' grave and discuss how they died.

A key revelation is that Agustina's comment about Paco being Raimunda's biological father hints at hidden family secrets.

The strong winds, referred to as 'el viento de los muertos,' are linked to the fire that killed Raimunda and Sole's parents.

The scene in which Sole finds an exercise bike in Tía Paula’s house raises suspicions about her ability to live alone.

Raimunda takes charge of her household after Paco loses his job, showing her resilience and determination.

Paco’s inappropriate behavior towards Paula (Raimunda’s daughter) is revealed, leading to a confrontation and his death.

Raimunda covers up Paco's death and takes over the restaurant, using it as a front to hide the body.

The funeral scene is significant in portraying the cultural tradition of women gathering and gossiping, as seen during Aunt Paula's wake.

Agustina’s belief in apparitions and her search for closure regarding her missing mother introduces the theme of unresolved family ties.

Raimunda's singing at the end-of-filming party provides an emotional release and a moment of bonding with her daughter.

Regina helps Raimunda bury Paco’s body, illustrating the theme of female solidarity.

Raimunda scratches Paco’s initials on a tree after burying him, symbolizing her complex emotions towards him.

The TV interview with Agustina, in which she discusses her cancer and her mother's disappearance, brings family trauma into the public sphere.

The final revelation of Raimunda's mother's involvement in the death of Agustina's mother resolves the central mystery of the plot.

The film ends on a note of reconciliation as Raimunda and her mother promise to stay connected and rebuild their relationship.

Transcripts

olos this is going to be my last big

video on the actual content of the movie

Vol for a-level Spanish students in this

video I'm going to summarize the entire

plot as well as talk about loads of

quotes and their importance so this is

pretty much a twoin one video a summary

of the plot and quotes I've put lots of

images from the movie too to help reug

your memory Val empath this film has a

very man shaken start with the song Las

esporas

Village in the cemetery with a strong

East Wind referred to as elento tho

Ronda Sol and paa are cleaning the

gravestone of ID who supposedly died

four years ago watch my previous Vol

videos if you're confused who the

characters are and their relations runda

has the opinion that her parents died in

a lucky way in each other's arms while

they were sleeping but so disagrees

because they died in a fire which she

says is the worst way to die then just

as those three were about to leave

Austina comes to clean her own tomb when

she sees paa she comments that she has

misos being Ra's dad this sets the

audience up to know that things are not

the way they seem because of course

later on we find out that B's biological

dad is also raimunda's dad so agustina's

comment is correct the weather and

specifically the wind is a big part of

the scene when they talk about the fire

that killed their parents we can assume

that the fire spread so quickly as a

result of the strong winds in G laa R

calls it ELO Dees as they leave the

cemetery paa

asks

replies

then solad goes upstairs and finds an

exercise bike which of course is

incredibly shocking for an old woman

like theala on the journey back to

Madrid a little after this scene she

tells runda what she found here again

suspicions are waste for both runda is

so and the audience on how Thea baa is

able to live on her own something is not

as it seems after going to paa's

house

in this scene we also learn a bit more

about Austina she's proud of the fact

that her mother

was and shows her jewelry made

from the Ronda iala drive back to Madrid

here we get one of of our first more

important scenes where we see bak and we

get a look inside R munda's flat in

Madrid when they arrive in Madrid they

meet deina a Cuban prostitute from the

neighborhood this is the first time we

see her and her character becomes quite

important in showing female solidarity

later on when raunda and paa enter their

house we find out that pako has been

fired with the quot man despedido here

we see Ronda stepping up as her mother

as she offers to get another job to one

the household on her only day off

Sundays she also

says telling to get off the phone B is

watching football on the TV and stares

at paa as she sits on the

couch when raunda comes home from her

job at the airport she sees paa Standing

Outside in the Rain

paa Boro

in raunda enters the kitchen sees the

dead body and paa explains what happened

she

says somewhat shockingly

says

more to protect her daughter and shift

any blame away from her

emo comes to give raunda the keys of the

restaurant so she can show other

potential buyers around when Amelia

notices the blood stain on her neck he

asks what happened runda cleverly

replies gas Dees knowing amilio won't

ask any further questions and just after

Sol calls to inform raunda that Aunt paa

has died here raunda says that she can't

attend the funeral and so doesn't

understand why she lies by saying that

she has a ton of ironing to do so there

is no way she can attend she then tells

solid to lie to the people at the

funeral saying she had an operation of

some

sort in as transport to a freezer in

aia's restaurant then in the morning

when runda goes to check up on the body

a man comes to the restaurant looking

for a place for his team of 30 F crew to

eat without any sort of hesitation

raunda says yes we can assume she does

this in desperation for money now that

bako is dead she immediately goes to the

market to buy food and on her way home

she meets two neighbors Regina who we've

seen before and eness she asks them for

help and buys the food they have from

them promising she'll pay them back

tomorrow her first day serving the film

team is a success

then Dia paa's funeral takes place in

augustina's house so drives to lancha

and enters laasa de diala she finds

herself face to face with her mother and

in fear or in shock she runs to

agustina's house where she accidentally

barges into the funeral and is greeted

by Austina Austina mentions that she is

aware that runda couldn't come because

of her operation and so is once again

forced to lie one thing to note is that

men and women are separated during the

funeral and all the women immediately go

to hug Sol as she enters Almodovar is

portraying a typical Manan funeral the

woman of the village dressed from head

to toe in Black celebrate ant bala's

wake with prayers and gossip there's a

lot of talk about who warned Austina

that laa had died what the three

neighbors say in these

quotes clearly shows how common this

sort of Gossip was and how fearlessly

they talk about superstition

Austina takes Sol to another room where

she gives her some food Austina tells

her that there are people who have seen

ID and say that apparitions of the Dead

are part of daily

life the next scene is the actual return

of er who of course is hiding in the

boot of Sol's car as she drives back to

M so is shocked to see her but quite

quickly accepts her and they both go to

Sol's

house asks Sol if she still has the

salon and she replies GL the es then

as and continue talking tells her the

truth about her father and his

cheating we also learn more about Sol in

the scene she is seen as lonely and

says

we find out her husband left 2 years ago

and hasn't contacted her since the next

day runda pays Regina and iness for all

the food they gave her the day before

and generously gives them more money

than she owed them they help raunda

transport a fridge to the restaurant as

the fridge that's already in the

restaurant has Paco's body inside She

Lies by saying it doesn't work meanwhile

so cuts and dyes her mother's hair she

asks her mother if there's anything that

she wants her to do because Austina said

people come back from the dead to

complete things that were left

undone

responds a lot of this I think is in

reference to her relationship with which

fortunately we get to see improve later

on they decide that she will impersonate

a Russian immigrant and help her with

the clients of her illegal salon at the

restaurant ELO talks to dunda and tells

her that he wants to use the Terrace for

the end of shoot party whil flirting a

bit with her in the afternoon runda and

baa visit so's house and she acts in a

very strange way hiding the fact thata

is with her in the bathroom runda

recognizes a characteristic smell that

reminds her of her mother which makes

them all laugh raunda gets very angry

when she opens the closet and sees her

mother's clothes

saying

and Aunt paa suitcase which she accuses

solad of stealing runda storms out the

house with

baa then we get on to one of the more

lively scenes the end of filming party

while baa is decorating the restaurant

for the party she realizes that bak's

body is still in the freezer and runda

says she wasn't able to get rid of the

body then at home while paa is not in

the mood for the party she confesses

that she does not stop thinking about

the death of her father to which lunda

confesses that Bako was not her

biological father and that she will soon

tell her the truth of everything she

says another half lie saying bala's

biological father is someone from the

village and that he is dead then it cuts

to the party which is Lively and goes

well Sol and Ida drive to the restaurant

and Sol returns dear paa suitcase while

Ida hides in the car at that moment they

can hear the famous song Vol and raunda

full of energy decides to sing the song

baa says she has never heard her mom

sing and in a way to distract baa of

give baa something to smile about she

goes to sing Ira is still in the back of

the car and she's seen crying upon

hearing raunda

sing the next day A Man by the name

ofos she immediately begins to lie and

says that neighbor has taken her over

then on the phone to amilio raunda says

that the man seems suspicious hence she

did not show him around as paa watches

her mom lie on the phone raunda begins

to confess everything

toia and she wants him to understand the

position that she's in on her way to's

house raunda receives a call from

Austina who is in hospital and tells

runda she has

cancer runda then leaves paa with so and

goes to visit Austina at the hospital

Austina asks zunda that if IR appears to

her as a ghost ask her where her mother

is Austina does not want to die without

knowing if her mother is alive or not

dunda thinks she is crazy for asking

this junda seems the most apprehensive

about ghosts and the apparitions of dead

people Austina also tells her that her

sister bhida who works in television

would like to arrange a reunion with

ramunda on the TV show to which ramunda

refuses just before I continue I have

put a PDF on my website with all of this

information and more in a written PDF

form so if you would like to download

that the link is in the description it's

completely free and it has loads of

quotes and the full plot summary with

pictures all in chronological order it's

a resource that I will be using to study

so I hope you find it useful too

Val it cuts back to so's house where so

and two of her clients are talking about

reality TV or basura one client says a

really important quote of basura ES

then explains her past a bit to paa she

talks about Ra's childhood and how for a

reason she did not know they both grew

apart this is quite an important scene

as well

says she tells paa to love her mom a lot

and that r needs to feel her love runda

goes to a shop to buy materials to BU

Paco she gets the van in which she's

going to transport bak's body she then

drives to Sol's house to let so know

Bala will be staying there overnight

while raunda is busy boing the body

runda says another light to so that Baka

wants to come over to talk hence she

wants to be alone then she drives to

Regina's house asking her for help and

in return raunda will pay her neighbors

help the move the fridge with bak's body

inside the van runda and Regina drive to

the river and bury the body on the way

there we learn about Regina's life and

how she makes a living

says

and even though helping raunda is risky

she does it anyway showing how women

work together to get ahead once they

reach the river they dig a trench and

bury the freezer raunda scratches p

initials on a tree next to the ditch at

the restaurant the next morning runda

receives a visit from Austina she's come

to see if raunda has found any more

information about The Disappearance of

her mother she ends up confessing a lot

to

raund struggles to believe what AA is

saying

raunda and paa walk to Sol's house paa

says they should let Sol know they're

coming because IR won't have time to

hide runda comes to talk to so about Dia

paa's house as they're planning on

selling it as paa is watching TV Austina

comes up on her sister's show so zunda

and S this client all washed in front of

the TV Austina talks about her mother's

disappearance and her cancer she gets up

halfway through the interview and

abandons it because she doesn't want to

answer the presenters seemingly intimate

and irrelevant questions raunda proceeds

to talk to so about what ausa was saying

so slowly reveals that has been

appearing all the time to her there's

some really nice quotes in this scene

asks and

replies raund slowly realizes what is

trying to

say

ask then and raund meet raund

asks and

responds raunda storms out with B for a

second time in the movie outside she

breaks down crying and B suggests they

go

back this is the final scene ra and Ira

have a long chat while walking Ira

explains everything she apologizes for

not seeing her husband's Behavior

G all four of them then drive back to

the Village they stopped by the river

where bako was buried they talk about

how the droughts in Spain have caused

the river to dry up a lot

of course dunda knows for a fact that

has dried up because she went there

recently to bury the body baa notices

back's initials on the tree and she and

her mother have a moment alone thinking

about Pak the four of them Return to

thala's House and cook and eat dinner

Austina briefly visits to apologize for

going on the show ID goes into ausa's

house and tells her she will take care

of her until she dies it's the least she

can do after being responsible for the

death of ausa's mother and lastly runda

and Ela have a chat outside promising to

see each other every day and talk about

everything Val that's the entire plot of

R this video has taken me ages to record

so drop a like if you found they

worthwhile and remember you can download

the PDF from my website AAR spanish.com

subscribe for more AEV Spanish videos

and I'll see you in the next one

adios