Dubbed movies in Spain: why?
Spain tends to dub foreign television or movies more than probably any other country in Europe, and the reason for this can be traced back to our old ‘friend’, Generalissimo Francisco Franco! Franco insisted that Castellano Spanish – and only Castellano Spanish – be spoken throughout Spain, and so regional languages like Catalan, Basque, and Gallego were banned. Additionally, any foreign movies that were allowed to be shown were dubbed into Spanish. This also helped him censor any content to do with politics, religion or sex, making films and television a very useful propaganda tool.
Franco has long since departed, but old habits die hard, and foreign language content on Spanish TV is still almost always dubbed. The majority of Spaniards are accustomed to it at this stage and will tell you it’s what they prefer, as they can’t deal with reading subtitles.
What does V.O.S.E. stand for?
Before the coronavirus pandemic struck, certain cinemas used to show V.O.S.E. movies, but usually only relatively infrequently, and usually only one movie, and, as Murphy’s Law would have it, rarely the movie you actually wanted to see! Before we go any further, though, in case you’re not familiar with ‘V.O.S.E’, it stands for (Versión Original Subtítulos Español = original version Spanish subtitles).
Why V.O.S.E. rather than dubbed?
We’re just going to borrow the words (translated from Catalan) from the website of a local cinema to explain the advantages of watching movies in their original version:
Veuràs la pel·lícula tal i com el director o directora l’ha creat.
You will see the film as the director created it.
Les veus i les entonacions dels actors doten de personalitat al seu personatge i això es perd amb els doblatges a el castellà. El mateix passa amb els jocs de paraules o els dobles sentits, que només és possible entendre en l’idioma original.
The voices and intonations of the actors give personality to their characters, and this is lost with the dubbing in Spanish. The same goes for puns or double meanings, which are only possible to understand in the original language.
Ajuden a aprendre idiomes i són un gran aliat per mesurar el teu nivell. Ajuden a que l’oïda es vagi acostumant als diferents accents, entonacions i estructures gramaticals amb les que et trobaràs quan viatges a l’estranger.
They help you learn languages and are a great ally in measuring your level. They help your ear get used to the different accents, intonations and grammatical structures you will encounter when you travel abroad.
5 V.O.S.E. cinemas in the Baix Empordà
As of 2025, the following cinemas in the Costa Brava area continue to offer V.O.S.E. screenings, though availability may vary by season or event.
Teatre Municipal – Palafrugell
As its name would suggest, this place is the municipal theatre that doubles as a cinema. It hosts all sorts of shows, including V.O.S.E. films (original versions with Spanish subtitles). The website is only available in Catalan. When you open the page, click on ‘Programació’ at the top, then select ‘Filtrar per Categories’ from the options, and choose ‘Cinema’ from the list. Pretty easy, right? Then click on the individual movies to see what’s on in the original version.
Web Teatre Municipal
Location Palafrugell
OCINE – Platja d’Aro
This OCINE cinema typically shows original version movies on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, with more frequent screenings during the summer season. On their website, which is only available in Catalan and Spanish, click on Cartellera (billboard). Then, once on that page, click on the VOSE ‘button’ just underneath to see what non-dubbed movie is currently on offer. Then, click on the movie image to view the showtimes.
Web OCINE
Location Platja d’Aro
Cinema Casino – Begur
The Cinema Casino Espai Cultural, true to its name, has been around for some time, just as Carrer del Casino suggests. In recent years, it has started screening V.O.S.E. films every weekend in their original version with Spanish subtitles. The website is available in Catalan, Spanish, and English, and it’s easy to check what’s on in V.O.S.E.
Web Cinema Casino
Location Begur
OCINE – Girona
The same OCINE chain also has a theatre in Girona city, just north and across the river from the old town. They used to have V.O.S.E. shows every Tuesday and Thursday, but as of 2025, listings show they now run on Thursdays and Fridays. The website works in a similar manner to the OCINE one for Platja d’Aro.
Truffaut Cinema – Girona
For something a little different, or even an alternative, try the Truffaut Cinema in Girona. All their movies are shown in their original version and come from a wide range of countries. Most are non-mainstream titles, at least outside their country of origin. Slightly ironically, their website is still only in Catalan, but it’s easy to check the weekly schedule. As of 2025, the cinema is fully operational with two screening rooms and continues to attract an enthusiastic audience of film lovers from the region.
Web Truffaut Cinema
Location Girona
Movies by the sea
What’s better than a film night under the stars? Cinema Lliure a la Platja brings free, open-air cinema to Platja de Sant Esteve la Fosca in Palamós and Platja Gran in Tossa de Mar. These screenings feature independent films in their original language, with Spanish or English-language subtitles. Bring a towel, pack some snacks and catch a film just a few steps from the sea. See the 2026 programme at Cinema Lliure.
Cine sénior 65+
From now until June 2027, the Cine Sénior initiative offers cinema tickets for just €2 every Tuesday for people aged 65 and over. Nearly 400 cinemas across Spain are taking part, including several in Girona Province and along the Costa Brava. No registration is required. Simply bring a valid ID and buy your ticket at the box office or online. View the list of participating cinemas.
P.S.
On some websites, an issue appears to occur when purchasing tickets using the English language version. To avoid this, once you have chosen a movie you want to attend, click the language back to ‘CA’ or ‘ES’, and then you should be able to buy your tickets without difficulty.