Three must-see films before moving to Spain

Preparing for your move to Spain can sometimes feel like a near-endless procession of mini chores that can sap all of the excitement out of the biggest decision you will ever make.

The form filling, the applications, the legal and financial paperwork, the packing, the tying up of loose ends… it can sometimes get a bit much. But during this time it is important to remind yourself why you chose to make the move in the first place, and movies are a great medium for that.

Here are three films that you should definitely catch before you bid ‘Adios!’ to Britain…

1. Al sur de Granada

Meaning ‘South from Granada’ in English, this 2003 movie about a lost and demobilised English soldier settling in rural Andalucía for a year in 1919 is a wonderfully evocative film that will prepare you nicely for the little culture shocks that lie ahead.

The setting is beautiful, with the Alpujarra hills forming a glorious backdrop, while the dry humour and fine performances make it a riotous film in its own right. However, as a soon-to-be Brit expat, it is the English protagonist’s various dealings with the locals that will strike a chord. From initial language struggles to small misunderstandings and finally the not-so-small matter of romance and love, the sweeping narrative arc may well match your own experiences… you just don’t know it yet.

2. The Business

Filmed in and around Puerto Banús in 2005, The Business was released at the height of the Brit-flick gangster years, and follows a similar theme: ’80s wannabe wideboy Danny Dyer falls in love with the easy money and fast lifestyle of the Costa del Sol, but quickly learns that his own sense of morality is rather at odds with the behaviour of his new friends. Inevitably, he is soon shaken down from his highlife, and must find a new identity.

While the vast majority of Brits who move to Spain will fail to see any similarities between themselves and the characters portrayed within, The Business does a fine job of capturing the ‘anything goes’ essence that once characterised Puerto Banús, and remnants of that era can still be seen and felt today. The glitz and glamour remains, too, so if you want a taster of what a weekend down “The Port” feels like, this isn’t too far off.

3. Spanglish

Yes, a US comedy starring Adam Sandler and set in Los Angeles will prepare you for life in Spain. How so, you ask? Well, the entire premise of the film revolves around the general ignorance of Spanish inherent among Anglo-Saxons, and charts Sandler’s difficulties in not only mastering the lingo but also the passion, modesty and soul of his Hispanic housemaid, wonderfully played by Sevillian, Paz Vega.

Sandler’s wife, played by Téa Leoni, epitomises the other side of that coin: complete indifference, ignorance and an ingrained sense of superiority over her Mexican servants. While the relationship between Brits in Spain and local Spaniards is much more respectful and honest than that displayed in this movie, there are still lessons to be learnt about cultural sensitivity, tact and humility that will set all Brits heading to Spain in good stead.