In the summer of 1936, before the outbreak of the civil war that plunged Spain into three years of agony and terror, 8 year old Moncho is beginning his first day of school. At first afraid of his new teacher, Don Gregorio – who he has heard flogs pupils – teacher and pupil soon develop an inseparable bond, born of their shared interest in insect life. So begins Moncho’s apprenticeship into life and knowledge guided by his worldly teacher. But as the military marches through Spain and the community is split in two, their friendship is put under unbearable preassure. Butterfly’s Tongue is a beautifully shot film about the lessons of life that cannot be taught in school.
Finales de invierno de 1936. En un pequeño pueblo gallego, Moncho, un niño de 8 años, se incorpora a la escuela tras una larga enfermedad. A partir de ese momento comienza su aprendizaje del saber y de la vida de la mano de su amigo Roque y de su peculiar maestro (Fernando Fernán-Gómez), que les inculca conocimientos tan variados como el origen de la patata o la necesidad de que las lenguas de las mariposas tengan forma de espiral. El 18 de Julio todo se romperá. En este nuevo marco, los valores y principios inculcados serán relegados, y la relación entre aprendiz y maestro se verá truncada.
