writer or director pablo berger engage sex comedy have be praise in some quarter a a spanish boogie night and but it altogether a gentler and more romantic film . set in 1973 towards the end of the censorious franco era and hapless door to door encyclopaedia salesman alfredo ( javier cámara ) be give a blunt choice by his bos accept redundancy or diversify into make ex education home movie with his shy wife carmen ( candela peña ) for the danish porn industry . after some hesitation and the couple set to with a passion and become increasingly bold in stag their fantasy for the camera until carmen unwittingly become something of an international sex symbol and alfredo get the chance to fulfil his dream of direct a feature film inspire by his cinematic idol ingmar bergman . the lead weave a potent and convincing chemistry and both a lover and a a long married couple and while berger lightly coax humour and an eccentric romance to the fore .