If They Tell You I Fell (1989): Cast & Plot
If They Tell You I Fell is a 1989 romantic thriller directed by Vicente Aranda, starring Cesáreo Estébanez as Ñito, Mercè Sans and Jorge Sanz. It runs 2 hours.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h (120 min)
- Director
- Vicente Aranda
- Original language
-
Spanish - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is If They Tell You I Fell About?
The premise of If They Tell You I Fell without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In post‑war Catalonia, children gathered amid the ruins to tell “aventis,” stories that blend war memories, local gossip, comic‑book heroes, fantasy and real events. The film recounts these tales through flashbacks. In the mid‑1980s, a doctor and a nurse‑nun—childhood friends now working together—identify the corpse of a central figure from those stories, uncovering new mysteries and unresolved doubts decades after the Civil War’s impact on a typical Barcelona neighbourhood.
If They Tell You I Fell Themes & Keywords
· 13 tags- urinating on someone
- male nudity
- female nudity
- male full frontal nudity
- female frontal nudity
- male pubic hair
- female pubic hair
- pubic hair
- male frontal nudity
- nude pregnant woman
- pregnant character played by pregnant actress
- female full frontal nudity
+1 more Show fewer
- female rear nudity
If They Tell You I Fell Cast & Characters
Cesáreo Estébanez leads the cast as Ñito, with Mercè Sans as Sor Paulina and Jorge Sanz as Daniel Javaloyes 'Java'. Directed by Vicente Aranda; 30 actors are credited in all.
- Director Vicente Aranda
- Cesáreo Estébanez as Ñito
- Mercè Sans as Sor Paulina
- Jorge Sanz as Daniel Javaloyes 'Java'
- Teresa Cunillé as Abuela Java
Also Starring in If They Tell You I Fell
· 26 more- Ariadna Navarro Juanita
- Victoria Abril Menchu / Ramona / Aurora Nin
- Juan Diego Botto Sarnita
- Antonio Banderas Marcos
- María Botto Fueguiña
- Aitor Merino Ado
- Lluís Homar Palau
- Guillermo Montesinos Fusam
- Carlos Tristancho Sendra
- Javier Gurruchaga Conrado-Señor Galán
- Jordi Dauder Alberto
- Fredy Ripers Miliciano
- Ferran Rañé Taylor
- Montserrat Salvador Señora Galán
- Margarita Calahorra Dueña Continental
- José Cerro Justiniano
Show all 30 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Rosa Morata Rubianca
- Pep Cruz Luis Lage
- Pep Ferrer Falangista
- Mireia Ros Margarita
- Joan Dalmau
- Victoria Vivas Balbina
- Joan Miralles Nadal
- Luis Giralte Luis
- Marc Barahoma Mingo
- Carles Sabater
More from Vicente Aranda
More films directed by Vicente Aranda, best-rated first: Mad Love, Luna caliente, Lolita’s Club and The Maidens’ Conspiracy.
If They Tell You I Fell Plot Summary
What happens in If They Tell You I Fell from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the years after the war, Catalan kids gather in circles among the ruins and weave aventis—open-ended stories that drift between memory, rumor, and fantasy. These tales mingle war recollections, local gossip, comic-book heroes, and real events, and the film unfolds them through flashbacks set in 1970, 1940, 1936, and the mid-1980s.
In 1970, Nito, Cesáreo Estébanez, a medical examiner assistant, and Sor Paulina, Mercè Sans, a nurse-nun who grew up with him, identify the drowned couple from a car accident. The dead man is Daniel Javaloyes, known as Java, Jorge Sanz, one of the central aventis figures. The woman appears to be Juanita, a former orphan, portrayed by Ariadna Navarro. The discovery of Java’s body stirs memories of events decades past, some true and some shaped by imagination.
Full summary
The whole story of If They Tell You I Fell, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know If They Tell You I Fell?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who works as a medical examiner assistant in the 1970 storyline?
If They Tell You I Fell Also Known As
3 alternative titles, including “Aventis” and “借尸还魂”.
- Also known as
-
- Aventis
- 借尸还魂
- Если они скажут, что ты чувствуешь
Seen If They Tell You I Fell?
Movies Like If They Tell You I Fell
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Fallen Heroes, The Barcelona Vampiress and Lovers: A True Story.
If They Tell You I Fell FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of If They Tell You I Fell, each answered in a sentence.
How long is If They Tell You I Fell?
If They Tell You I Fell runs 2 hours (120 minutes).
When was If They Tell You I Fell released?
If They Tell You I Fell was released on September 19, 1989.
Who directed If They Tell You I Fell?
If They Tell You I Fell was directed by Vicente Aranda.
More films by Vicente Aranda Who is in the cast of If They Tell You I Fell?
If They Tell You I Fell stars Cesáreo Estébanez as Ñito, Mercè Sans as Sor Paulina and Jorge Sanz as Daniel Javaloyes 'Java', among 30 credited actors.
Does If They Tell You I Fell have a post-credit scene?
No. If They Tell You I Fell has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is If They Tell You I Fell in?
The original language of If They Tell You I Fell is Spanish.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
