While at War

The events unfold during the early days of the Spanish coup in July 1936, a pivotal moment that would plunge Spain into civil war. The period is marked by rapid power shifts as Nationalists seek a single leader and the Republic reels from institutional upheaval. The film situates its drama in the social and political climate of mid-1930s Spain, where intellectuals, soldiers, and politicians clash over the meaning of loyalty and authority.

Salamanca, Spain, serves as the primary backdrop where university life intersects with political upheaval. The city’s academic institutions and public spaces become stages for power struggles and urgent public debates. The action also touches nearby Cáceres, Burgos, and Toledo as leaders coordinate and the Nationalist project advances. The film uses these cities to illustrate how urban centers become flashpoints for ideology and authority.

⚖️ Conscience

The film centers on a moral tension between personal belief and political necessity. Unamuno's stances place intellect and ethics at odds with nationalist fervor, forcing characters to weigh truth against public expectation. The pressure to sign a manifesto and conform tests integrity, highlighting how history is shaped by private choices as much as public acts. The narrative uses dialogue and conflict to question whether conscience can survive in a climate of coercive power.

🏛️ Power

Leadership and legitimacy drive the plot as factions vie for command. Franco's ascent, backed by key generals and intellectuals, demonstrates how charisma and institutional politics fuse to create a nationalist movement. Millán-Astray and others push for decisive action, pressing Unamuno and the university to align with a new order. The film portrays power as both a unifying force and a source of fear, shaping every decision from campus to fortress.

🗣️ Propaganda

The narrative exposes how public rhetoric and symbolic acts shape perception during upheaval. The characters use speeches, letters, and symbolic gestures to mobilize support or condemn opponents. The film shows that ideology is performed as much as believed, influencing personal relationships and institutional decisions. In this climate, truth becomes a negotiable commodity.