It is one of the best documentaries I ever saw. Intelligent and beautiful cinematographic work, full of connotations on how modern life affects small villages that stand still once all the young people leave for the big cities. It also gives a very humorous look at political parties and the way they act in rural villages.
The village is situated in a boring landscape, but the director manages to transform that background into one of the most poetic places in the world. Thanks to changes of light and landscape through the four seasons.
The whole history of Spain, in particular of that region, is shown from a very shrewd and wise perspective. From the siege of the Romans in Numancia (a place nearby in the province of Soria where their people committed suicide before the Romans came in) to the present immigration of Arabs.
The fourteen old people who still live in the village have a very natural and often philosophical way of looking at life.