Gli occhi bendati

Los ojos vendados (Blind folded eyes) is a melancholy story about relationships, especially Carlos Saura's relationship with Geraldine Chaplin against a back drop of a play about a woman name Inez sufferings at the hands of an authoritarian government.

Side note: Saura was part of a tribunal that heard the testimony of people who were tortured by the Franco government.

Luis (Jose Luis Gomez) an acting teacher and theater director of the play, has his lover Emilia (Chaplin) play the main character which mirrors how Saura placed Chaplin in the main character roles of his movies.

The scenes between Luis and Emilia felt very personal as if they were mirroring the conversations between Saura and Chaplin. Those scenes are very poignant because a year after the film was released, their relationship ended.

What does the title mean? I do believe it has a two meanings. One, we walk through life blindfolded, ignoring the world around us. Two, We are blindfolded in our relationships and refuse to take it off until its too late.

As of when this review is written, the movie can be found on the Criterion Channel (there is a subscription)

I highly recommend the film.