Year of Enlightment

Year of Enlightment

Year: 1986

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: Spanish

Director: Fernando Trueba

DramaWar

April 1940, 16‑year‑old Manolo and his 8‑year‑old brother Jesús are taken by their army‑lieutenant brother to a tuberculosis sanatorium on the Portuguese border. Surrounded by younger patients, Manolo feels dominant, sharing the only male company of gardener Emilio and his wife Rafaela. He has a voyeuristic first sexual encounter with nurse Vicenta; when she departs, village girl María Jesús replaces her, and Manolo falls hopelessly in love, a bond that will last.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Year of Enlightment (1986)

Trace every key event in Year of Enlightment (1986) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Arrival at the sanatorium

Manolo and his younger brother Jesús arrive at a rural sanatorium in Sierra de Gata to recover from tuberculosis. They join a group of children under the watch of Irene, the strict director, as springtime begins after the Civil War. The setting establishes the hospital as a backdrop for health battles and early coming-of-age tensions.

Spring 1940 Sanatorium, Sierra de Gata
2

Manolo's adolescence and attraction

Manolo, the only adolescent among the children, begins his slow recovery and sexual awakening. He finds himself drawn to Vicenta, the attractive woman in charge of the children's care. These feelings set the stage for the storms of desire and authority that unfold at the sanatorium.

Spring 1940 (early) Sanatorium
3

Vicenta's presence and Manolo's spying

Manolo's flirtations with Vicenta intensify his curiosity about love and boundaries. He spies on her at night as she undresses, signaling a precocious and troubling coming-of-age moment. The dynamic adds a charged tension to the ward's routine.

Spring 1940 (evenings) Sanatorium
4

Irene's infatuation with the boy

Amid his attraction to Vicenta, Irene, the head nurse, becomes infatuated with Manolo himself. Her unreciprocated feelings complicate the governance of the sanatorium and his fragile boundaries. The situation underscores the film's themes of desire and control.

Spring 1940 Sanatorium
5

Confrontation with Doña Tránsito

Manolo clashes with Doña Tránsito, the conservative teacher who embodies strict authority. The confrontation pushes him to study on his own and questions the classroom's power structures. This clash accelerates his self-education and rebellious streak.

Spring 1940 Residence/Classroom, Sanatorium
6

Emilio guides a young mind

Emilio, the old free-thinking janitor, becomes Manolo's mentor and introduces him to new ideas. He exposes him to authors like Montaigne, Balzac, and Flaubert, broadening his perspective beyond the sanatorium's routines. This intellectual awakening helps shape Manolo's sense of self.

Spring 1940 Sanatorium library/quarters
7

Vicenta departs; new flame emerges

Vicenta leaves the sanatorium, leaving Manolo disappointed and redirected in his affections. He soon becomes infatuated with Maria Jesús, a young village girl who arrives as Vicenta's successor. Emilio quietly supports this shift toward a first romance.

Spring 1940 Sanatorium
8

Manolo and María Jesús begin their romance

Manolo and María Jesús start exploring their first love and sexual awakening under a renewed sense of possibility. Emilio encourages their budding romance, seeing in their youth a chance to learn about desire and freedom. The affair unfolds against the backdrop of the sanatorium's rules and the children in residence.

Late spring 1940 Sanatorium
9

Irene discovers the kiss and acts

Irene discovers Manolo and María Jesús kissing in the infirmary, and she immediately fires María Jesús, sending her away to stay with her uncle, the local priest. The situation is deepened by a twist revealed later: María Jesús is the priest's illegitimate daughter. These events abruptly derail the romance and intensify the power struggle within the sanatorium.

Late spring 1940 Infirmary, Sanatorium
10

Pepe returns and separation becomes permanent

Pepe, the elder brother and army officer, comes back to take Manolo with the rest of their family. With Manolo leaving, the young lovers are separated forever, ending the romance that had bloomed in the sanatorium. The journey back marks a hard boundary between youth and the adult world outside the camp.

End spring 1940 Sanatorium and home

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:39

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Year of Enlightment Summary

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Year of Enlightment Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Year of Enlightment

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