Recalling her youth in northern Spain during the 1950s, Estrella revisits her relationship with her beloved father Agustín, who was raised in the south, and realises how little she knew of him and his secrets. Víctor Erice’s delicate and mysterious film reveals his abiding fascination with memory and loss, missed opportunities and the links between private dreams and political realities.

The performances, like the meticulously lit compositions and the evocative soundtrack, are superb throughout; Omero Antonutti is a charismatic Agustín, while Sonsoles Aranguren and Icíar Bollaín shine, as respectively, the young and teenaged Estella.

A Palme d’or contender at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival, El Sur [The South], Víctor Erice’s follow-up to his acclaimed debut, The Spirit of the Beehive (1973), has been heralded by Pedro Almodóvar as one of the best films in Spanish cinema history. A delicate, beautifully shot film, with outstanding central performances and a haunting soundtrack, El Sur is compelling viewing, recalling similarly hypnotic films about childhood such as Cría Cuervos and Au revoir les enfants.

Following its well-received theatrical release in September, El Sur now comes to DVD and Blu-ray from the BFI on 23 January 2017 in a Dual Format Edition at the RRP of £19.99.

Special features:

• Haunted Memory: The cinema of Víctor Erice (Adrian Martin, Cristina Álvarez López, 2016, 13mins): a video essay celebrating the great Spanish director

• Víctor Erice interviewed by Geoff Andrew (UK, 2003, 83mins, audio only)

• Theatrical re-release trailer (2016)

• Fully illustrated booklet featuring essays by Geoff Andrew and Mar Diestro-Dópido and full film credits