Luis Garcia Berlanga, died recently, made several films using satire and irony to talk about our cruel but very realistic society into the Franco-era.
'Plácido' was set in Manresa and was nominated to the Academy Award as best foreign-language film but the Oscar went to the director Ingmar Bergman.
Berlanga uses funny situations in christmas time to satirize the hypocrital slogan in the time, 'Ponga un pobre en su mesa' (Place a poor man at his table). This slogan should have been the title of the film but Franco's censors banned it. This way Berlanga develops a critique of the bourgeoisie and the bureaucracy using a brilliant screenplay and great cast.
Another interesting films by Berlanga are 'El verdugo', 'Calabuch', 'Bienvenido, Míster Marshall' or 'La escopeta nacional'.