And so we reach the present. After the cultural euphoria of the 1980s and 1990s, where are we now? Well, judging our culture by the biggest box-office hits of recent decades, Torrente seems to be our unofficial ambassador. There is no doubt that this character, created by Santiago Segura, is an extreme parody of the worst Spanish stereotypes: sexist, racist, ignorant, and, above all, an incorrigible layabout. But the most worrying thing about Torrente is not his existence as a character, but his massive success.
What Torrente reflects is Spaniards' fascination with the worst in ourselves. While other countries such as France and Italy have maintained a film culture grounded in beauty, sophistication, and innovation, in Spain we have chosen to embrace complacency and grotesquerie. What does it say about us that Torrente has been one of Spanish cinema's most successful franchises?
This does not mean we have no great artists today. Creators still exist who challenge conventions and produce high-quality works in cinema, literature, and art. But these creators seem increasingly removed from mass audiences, who prefer cultural products that are mediocre at best and, at worst, directly harmful to culture.
Music has also undergone a transformation. Although flamenco remains one of Spain's cultural pillars, reggaeton and urban music have taken over the charts. While pop, rock, and other genres retain a certain cultural relevance in other European countries, in Spain music seems reduced to a repetitive formula of easy rhythms and lyrics rarely offering anything beyond superficiality.