After 23 years, the garden’s tradition of dedicating palm trees to personalities who have contributed to the world of art and culture is recovered
On Saturday 5th April, the Huerto del Cura Garden in Elche witnessed a very special event: the dedication of a palm tree to the renowned writer, screenwriter and film director Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón. This ceremony paid tribute to his outstanding career, and after 23 years of rest, revived the garden’s tradition of dedicating palm trees to influential personalities who have made a significant contribution to the world of art and culture.
‘There is the golden palm in Cannes and the academic palms, the palm tree is closely linked to the creative world, but I would never have expected them to dedicate a palm tree to me’, Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón said with great emotion, just before watering the chosen palm tree with local red wine. The palmerero then proceeded to climb, in the traditional style, to the top of the palm tree to place the sign with the filmmaker’s name on it. In this way, the chosen female palm tree has been linked to Gutiérrez Aragón, who will receive a basket with the fruit that comes from this specimen as a gift every year.
Moving speeches
Previously, Vicente Orts, on behalf of the family that owns the Huerto del Cura, explained the process of the event and expressed the importance of recovering this tradition and the honour of this tribute. Later, Pablo Mas Serrano, filmmaker, UMH professor and friend of Gutiérrez Aragón, gave a moving speech highlighting the career and achievements of the veteran director. The mayor, Pablo Ruz, concluded the ceremony by reflecting on the symbolism of the palm tree in the world of culture and the special link it has with the city of Elche. He also highlighted the location of the palm tree in honour of the patron saint of Elche, José Capuz, to whom a palm tree was dedicated in 1940, for his work of the Virgin of the Assumption, patron saint of Elche.
More than five decades dedicated to cinema
Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón, Spanish film director, scriptwriter and writer, born in 1942 in the town of Torrelavega (Cantabria), one of the most important people on the Spanish film scene. His career spans more than five decades, during which he has directed emblematic films such as “Demonios en el jardín”, “Jarrapellejos” and “La mitad del cielo”. Throughout his career, he has won numerous awards, standing out for his contribution to visual narrative and his ability to tackle social and political issues with depth and sensitivity. He has also been a full member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando since 24 February 2004 and of the Real Academia Española since 24 January 2016.
On the other hand, Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón together with Pablo Más from Elche have recently directed the documentary film “La Festa”, which premiered this 16th March in a special screening out of competition at the Malaga International Film Festival. A film based on the Misteri d’Elx that has been awaited for years and was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
An illustrious tradition
The dedicated palm trees in the Huerto del Cura Garden are symbols of recognition and admiration. Some of these palms are named after illustrious figures, recalling their legacy and their impact on society. The complete and varied collection of palm trees together with this unique tradition, which began in 1900, make the Huerto del Cura a place of memory and celebration of human talent.
Nowadays, the Huerto del Cura Garden has more than 12,000 square metres and almost a thousand palm trees of different species. It was declared a National Artistic Garden in 1943, and is considered a Cultural Heritage Site of the Valencian Community, having been declared by the Generalitat Valenciana as a site of cultural interest, as part of the Palmeral de Elche, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.
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