La huella del crimen (transl. The trace of the crime) is a Spanish prime-time anthology true crime television series that narrates some of the most lurid crimes that occurred in the late 19th and 20th centuries in Spain. Produced by Televisión Española and directed by renowned film directors, its three seasons and fourteen episodes were broadcast on La Primera of Televisión Española between 1985 and 2010. An additional story, initially intended as an episode of the series, was theatrically released as a standalone feature film titled Lovers in 1991.
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Premise
Created and produced by Pedro Costa for Televisión Española, each of the series' episodes is directed by a renowned film director who was invited to recount a true crime in 16 mm film format. Each standalone story stars a different ensemble cast of well-known actors of the time. The series, only authorized for audiences over eighteen years old, caused a great impact in Spain due to the crudeness of the crimes.
Episodes
Lovers
Lovers was initially intended as the last episode of the second season to be titled Los Amantes de Tetuán, but its director Vicente Aranda proposed, and Televisión Española agreed, to expand the script and turn it into a feature film for its theatrical release. The film accounts a crime committed by a couple living in the district of Tetuán de las Victorias in Madrid whose tragic outcome took place in La Canal, near Burgos in 1949. Starring Victoria Abril, Jorge Sanz and Maribel Verdú, it was theatrically released on 12 April 1991.
Among many accolades received, the film won the Goya Award for Best Film and Aranda won the Goya Award for Best Director at the 6th Goya Awards. The film entered competition at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival where Abril won the Silver Bear for Best Actress.
Accolades
Seminci
La huella del crimen was chosen television series of the year by the Valladolid International Film Festival in 1985. The six episodes of the first season were screened in their film version during the thirtieth edition of the festival and round tables were held with the directors of each of the episodes.