La lengua de las mariposas trailer

1999 Spanish film

Butterfly's Tongue or Butterfly (Spanish: La lengua de las mariposas[laˈleŋɡwaðelasmaɾiˈposas]; may be more literally translated as "The Tongue of the Butterflies"), is a 1999 Spanish film directed by José Luis Cuerda. The film centers on Moncho (Manuel Lozano) and his coming-of-age experience in Galicia in 1936. Moncho develops a close relationship with his teacher Don Gregorio (Fernando Fernán Gómez), who introduces the boy to different things in the world. While the story centres on Moncho's ordinary coming-of-age experiences, tensions related to the looming Spanish Civil War periodically interrupt Moncho's personal growth and daily life.

The film is adapted from three short stories from the 1996 book ¿Qué me quieres, amor? by Galician author Manuel Rivas. The short stories are "A lingua das bolboretas", "Un saxo na néboa" and "Carmiña".

The film received critical acclaim. It was nominated for the 2000 Goya Aw