La Polaca
Also Known As: Josefa Cotillo Martínez
Biography: Josefa Cotillo Martínez, La Polaca, (Madrid, June 16, 1944 - Seville, June 2, 2010) was a Spanish dancer and actress. She was born in the Lavapiés neighborhood of Madrid. After leaving her studies at the age of ten, she began to dedicate herself to flamenco dancing and created her own style in an absolutely self-taught way. At the age of twelve, she made her debut as a professional in the play “La Parrilla”, at the Alcázar theater in Madrid. At the age of sixteen, she went to America as part of the company of the dancer José Greco, in which she quickly became one of the main figures. Her nickname is attributed to her dancing a Polish dance. At the end of the fifties she toured the Soviet Union, Europe, and the United States, where she appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and performed before President Kennedy. Back in Spain, she consolidated her upward career with successive tours and reached the status of leading figure in flamenco ballets such as “Los canasteros” and “Las brujas”. She made her film debut in 1965 with the film “Con el viento solano”, by Mario Camus. Throughout the seventies she participated in various titles giving life to passionate characters through which she frequently exhibited her dancing skills. Among the films in which she intervenes are “El amor brujo” (1967), by Rovira-Beleta; “The Secretaries” (1969), by Pedro Lazaga; and “Del amor y la muerte” (1977), by Antonio Giménez-Rico. In 1978 she appeared as a judge on the dance contest “Fiebre del 2”, a Mexican program on Televisa. At the turn of the decade, in the eighties, her career began to decline, although she would still participate in Carlos Saura's new version of El amor brujo (1986).
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Adult: No
Birthday: June 16, 1944
Age: 80 years old
Gender: Female
Deathday: June 02, 2010
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Known For:

El amor brujo

Overview: In a Gypsy village, the fathers of Candela and José promise their children to each other. Years later, the unfaithful José marries Candela but while defending his lover Lucía in a brawl, he is stabbed to death. Carmelo, who secretly loves Candela since he was a boy, is arrested while helping José and unfairly sent to prison. Four years later he is released and declares his love for Candela. However, the woman is cursed by a bewitched love and every night she goes to the place where José died to dance with his ghost.
Genres: Music Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1986-03-23
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Las secretarias

Overview: Three young and attractive secretaries, Julia, Paula and Doli, work in an insurance company.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1968-01-01
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Verano 70

Overview: Typical Spanish comedy of the seventies set in Benidorm, the famous coastal town of Alicante where numerous families come to spend the summer. It tells the travel arrangements and incidents that occur before arriving to the apartments as well as the return of working husbands to the city, once the families have settled on the beach, and their unsuccessful attempts to flirt while alone
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1970-04-27
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Del amor y de la muerte

Overview: Don Diego goes to war and his son Don Gonzalo is, in his absence, the new lord of the region. The milling Elvira, one of the mistresses of Don Diego, has a beautiful daughter, Elena, who has the desire of Don Gonzalo. But Elena is also the daughter of Don Diego and to separate the love of his brother, they marry her to Rodrigo, the pastor. This will be the beginning of the tragedy.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1977-01-01
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La boda o la vida

Overview: Elena is pregnant and Carlos, the future father does not have financial means to marry her. The solution is in a game show that offers substantial rewards to those who can correctly answer questions about the forties. Patricia, Elena's older sister, mobilizes the whole family. Carlos will undergo an intensive study plan.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1974-12-23
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The Last Meeting

Overview: A flamenco dancer (Antonio Gades) reflects on his life and career when he is surprised to be honored on a television show telling his life story. The memories stir up controversy, and an old friend seeks retribution as Antonio had once stolen his girl.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1967-06-08
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El abominable hombre de la Costa del Sol

Overview: A young dreamer as attractive as dreamer see his shabby promised as a distinguished gentleman, fascinating and radiant. This, however, eventually reaching a grand illusion, become the public relations director of a large hotel on the Costa del Sol
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1970-02-16
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Españolear

Overview: Luis, the son of the greater of the farm owned by Don Pedro, is accused of stealing a large amount of money. Stolen money has really Joseph son of Don Pedro, forcing Louis to confess to the robbery, threatening to take the farm to his parents, older may not work elsewhere. With this move, Joseph not only is cleared of any suspicion but also with a clear path to reach dew, until then girlfriend of Luis.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1969-09-24
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Si estás muerto, ¿por qué bailas?

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Genres: Comedy
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1971-09-10
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Hurrah for Adventure!

Overview: Two Parisians and inseparable friends, Alexandre and Philippe, decide to spend their vacations in Palma. Philippe arrives by car, accompanied by his young wife, while the flighty Alexandre has hired a blonde hitchhiker. But what a surprise to find the villa, rented by correspondence, inhabited by strange and worrying occupants... Soon mistaken for secret agents, Philippe and Alexandre embark on extravagant adventures involving a mysterious shipment of gold.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: fr
Release Date: 1970-07-01
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Rum Runners

Overview: During the prohibition era, Cornelius, a bootlegger, is on the run from the American coastguards. He comes across a silent film actress, Linda, on the set of a movie and falls in love with her.
Genres: Adventure Comedy
Original Language: fr
Release Date: 1971-10-13
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With the East Wind

Overview: The life of Sebastián (Antonio Gades), a 28-year-old gypsy, changes drastically after he kills a man. From that moment, he must flee, experiencing the torments of loneliness, guilt, and the rejection of his people.
Genres: Action Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1967-07-17
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The Godfather and His Goddaughters

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Genres: Comedy Crime
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1974-01-28
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Bewitched Love

Overview: This tragic drama is based on the ballet by famed composer Manuel De Falla. A young woman is caught between the violent struggle of two rival suitors who love her passionately. Candelas (La Polaca) is pursued by kind-hearted Antonio (Antonio Gades) and the evil diablo Diego (Rafael Cordova). Lucia (Morucha) is the cryptic gypsy fortune teller, with Fernando Sanchez Polack as Candela's beloved father.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1967-06-22
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Corazón solitario

Overview: Antoñito is a bachelor who works in a cabaret as a clarinetist. He has put an advertisement in the newspaper, looking for a good and honest girl, and to which responds Rocío, who escapes from her native Córdoba to hide the embarrassment of her pregnancy. The coexistence with the naive clarinetist, who refuses the insinuations of a co-worker dedicated to prostitution, who idolizes his deceased mother and keeps as a relic the orthopedic leg of his late father, is not easy. The other men will tend their ties around Rocío, that makes way in the world of the spectacle pretending to be blind. When she can no longer conceal that she is pregnant, Antoñito decides to give his name to the fruit of sin.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1973-07-22
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Delusions of Grandeur

Overview: Don Sallust is the minister of the King of Spain. Being disingenuous, hypocritical, greedy and collecting the taxes for himself, he is hated by the people he oppresses. Accused by The Queen, a beautiful princess Bavarian, of having an illegitimate child to one of her maids of honor, he was stripped of his duties and ordered to retire to a monastery.
Genres: Comedy History
Original Language: fr
Release Date: 1971-12-08
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Canciones de nuestra vida

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Genres: Music Documentary
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1975-11-24
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