The streets of the capital often become the main setting for Spanish cinema, offering different perspectives that invite you to explore it on foot—so much so that it is the Spanish city where the most films are shot.
That’s why we asked our contributor Adry Flash to create an itinerary based on five films to help us rediscover Madrid by strolling through its neighborhoods, ranging from the most classic areas of the historic center to the outlying districts that reflect the city’s more complex urban reality.
From the historic center to the outlying neighborhoods
The first film we’ll look at is *All the Songs Are About Me* by Jonás Trueba , which portrays the Vistillas neighborhood as one of the best places to walk. The film explores how the city is home to places that residents return to time and again, even when they’re linked to painful memories.
On a more historical note, La Virgen Roja, directed by Paula Ortiz, offers a sort of temporary tour. Its scenes depict areas such as Plaza de Canalejas, the Congress of Deputies, the Ateneo, and Gran Vía, all set in the 1930s.
Changing perspectives, Montxo Armendáriz’s *Historias del Kronen* illustrates the need to stroll through the urban landscape while paying attention to the heights, reminding us of the importance of looking up to capture the essence of the buildings.
For its part, Carmen y Lola, by Arantxa Echevarría, sets its love story between two young Romani women in Hortaleza. This journey is more bittersweet, as it highlights areas of the city affected by urban development delays, such as the pending relocations of the UVA, reminding us that there are zones where the concept of walking freely loses its usual meaning due to the deterioration of infrastructure.
This cinematic tour concludes with Ópera Prima, by Fernando Trueba. This feature film evokes a different Madrid, where pedestrians could still stroll through public spaces without the contemporary rush, marking a clear contrast to the current pace of the main avenues.