How cinema and television transformed leisure in Spain

Cinema and television changed how people enjoyed their free time in Spain: cinema filled Sunday afternoons during the first half of the 20th century, while television entered homes from the late 1950s, transforming social gatherings. Card games remained part of everyday life, but now shared people’s leisure time with the screen.

The local cinema

In many towns and neighbourhoods, a trip to the cinema was the big event of the week. There were double bills, open-air summer screenings and queues for the latest release. Above all, it was something people did together.

Television comes home

Regular broadcasts in Spain began in 1956. At first, few people owned a television, so they watched in the bar or at a neighbour’s house. Later, every household had its own set, and time spent lingering together after meals began to revolve around it. We explore this in after-meal gatherings in Spain.

What about card games?

In bars, television and card games existed side by side: football on the screen and Mus (a Spanish card game) or Guiñote (a Spanish trick-taking card game) at the table at the back. We explain more in why bars kept a pack of cards.

The next screen

Today, the screen is a mobile phone, and, paradoxically, it also offers a way to get back to playing cards with friends. We explore this in how card games survive in the 21st century.