Gerardo Herrero’s ‘Carte Blanche’ on Rif War, Franco
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- Gerardo Herrero directs “Carte Blanche,” a thriller based on Lorenzo Silva’s novel about Spain’s 1921 Rif War in Morocco.
- Juan Faura (played by Iván Pellicer) is a disillusioned Legionnaire who wants to die, illustrating many volunteers’ motivations according to Herrero.
- Francisco Franco (portrayed by Manuel Pico) appears as a Legion commander; Herrero says his Moroccan campaign propelled his later rise to power in the Spanish Civil War.
- Variety reports Herrero claims the Rif War is “the most significant historical event in the history of Spain after the Civil War” and that few cinematic depictions exist beyond a Francoist‑era black‑and‑white film.
- Spanish Legion was granted “carte blanche” to brutally suppress Berber forces, a policy that shaped the war’s brutality and later political consequences.
Why it matters: Spanish audiences and historians gain a vivid depiction of the Rif War, while the legacy of Franco’s early military exploits is re‑examined, potentially reshaping Spain’s historical narrative.
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