The 450 minutes eight episodes mini-series was also released as a 222 minutes feature film. It also exists a four episodes shortened version.
Premise
It presents the life of
Teresa of Avila, a
Spanishsaint,
mystic, and
doctor of the Roman Catholic Church,[1] who was at one time proclaimed "patron saint of the Spanish race"[2]: 227 by the Spanish government, and has been proposed on multiple occasions since her death to be an official
patron saint of
Spain.[2] Its dialogue is in Spanish, but versions with English subtitles are available.[3][4] The film stars
Concha Velasco as Teresa. Also appearing are Gonzalo Abril as Lorenzo de Cepeda (Teresa's younger brother, 2/8 episodes), María Massip as Juana Suárez (Teresa's friend, 2/8 episodes),
Francisco Rabal as
Peter of Alcantara (1 episode),
Héctor Alterio (1 episode), and Marina Saura as another nun (8 episodes). It tells the story of Teresa's life from age 23 (in the year 1538) until her death at age 67 (in 1582).
Synopsis
Teresa de Jesús was originally broadcast from 12 March to 30 April 1984, in the following 8 episodes:[5][6]
Episode 1 (12 Mar): Vida. Teresa is age 23, ill, and travelling to see a local healer. Along the way she is introduced to
Francisco de Osuna's book, The Third Spiritual Alphabet, which kindles her spiritual interest. She does not respond to treatment, but meets and helps a troubled local priest.[7]: 3
Episode 2 (19 Mar): Camino de perfección. Teresa's illness continues for 3 years and she experiences a coma for 3 days, but benefits from a miraculous cure she attributes to
St. Joseph. She experiences spiritual aridity, but is inspired by reading
St. Augustine'sConfessions. She experiences mystical visions that provoke distrust and opposition from fellow nuns and priests.[7]: 3
Episode 3 (26 Mar): Cuentas de conciencia. Further mystical visions, and continued opposition. She meets her spiritual guide
Peter of Alcantara, and first contemplates the idea of a reform movement within her order, the
Carmelites.[7]: 3
Episode 4 (2 Apr): Desafío espiritual. Founding of the first
reformed convent, in
Ávila, despite strong opposition from the neighborhood residents. First experiences in living by the new
rule.[7]: 4
Episode 5 (9 Apr): Fundaciones. Founding of several more reformed convents. Teresa meets a young man who joins her order in its first monastery. He was later to become
St. John of the Cross.[7]: 4
Episode 6 (16 Apr): Visita de descalzas. Teresa is appointed against her wishes as prioress of her original (unreformed) convent, and she continues visiting and managing challenges of the newly founded reformed houses. She meets her confessor Father
Jerónimo Gracián,[8] and is denounced to the Inquisition by
Princess Eboli, a noblewoman whose unreasonable demands Teresa had resisted.[7]: 4–5
Episode 7 (23 Apr): Las moradas. Conflicts come to a head between reformed (
Discalced) and unreformed (Calced) orders.[9]St. John of the Cross is imprisoned and tortured by monks of the unreformed order. Eventually, The Pope approves autonomous status for the reformed orders, shielding them from interference from the unreformed.[7]: 5
Episode 8 (30 Apr): Hija de la Iglesia. Teresa's final illness, last wishes, and passing away. An epilogue about the reported
incorruptibility of her remains, and her wider posthumous recognition, including her
canonization.[7]: 5
In 2008, the film was released in the US as a 3-disc DVD set with English subtitles.[3] It included a 16-page booklet with episode summaries, Teresa's biography (4-pages) and timeline (1 page), a set of 9 discussion questions,[10] an interview with historian
Thomas Dubay, and a bibliography for further reading.[11]
^Since Teresa's reform (the
Discalced) was restoring original practices, those who did not adopt her changes (the Calced) are also sometimes called the Reformed.
^Discussion questions include, for example, "Throughout the film, men are attracted to Teresa. What do you think it is that they find attractive about her?", "What wisdom does Teresa gain from the book given to her by her uncle?", and "What insights does the film offer regarding prayer?"