Mani’s family serves as a microcosm of a fractured Spain, with his four older brothers representing the conflicting ideologies of the era: : A dedicated Communist. Antonio : An impulsive Anarchist involved in local unrest.

: Distanced from politics, focused on romantic pursuits. La desbandá - Amazon UK

The title refers to the mass exodus in February 1937, when tens of thousands of civilians fled Málaga following its fall to Nationalist and Italian forces. As they retreated along the coastal road toward Almería, they were relentlessly bombarded from the sea by Nationalist ships and from the air by German and Italian aviation. This event resulted in thousands of deaths and is often cited as a larger-scale tragedy than the bombing of Guernica.

: A devout young man seeking refuge in the priesthood.