A fairy tale without words, with hand claps and orchestra
Blancanieves (2012) · Alfonso de Vilallonga
Pablo Berger's Blancanieves is a silent, black-and-white film that takes the Snow White tale to 1920s Andalusia, among bullfighters and flamenco stages. With no dialogue, Alfonso de Vilallonga's music has to tell much of what words would tell in another film.
Vilallonga blends an orchestra that recalls old Hollywood with flamenco and Spanish popular music. There are melodramatic strings, in the manner of the period, but also flamenco guitar, hand claps and accordion.
The film also has a song, "No te puedo encontrar", written by Pablo Berger and guitarist Juan Gómez "Chicuelo".
At the 2013 Goya Awards, Blancanieves won ten prizes, including best film. Vilallonga took best original score and "No te puedo encontrar" won best song. It has since been screened with live music, for example by the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada and a flamenco quartet conducted by Pablo Urbina.