Self indulgence and pure enjoyment reveals the artistic motives of Oscar-winning director Fernando Trueba. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese held a retrospective festival of Trueba’s films this weekend at the Arena Grand Theater.

“I made the movies for capricious reasons; for the pleasure of making them,” Trueba said.

The weekend opened on Thursday with “El año de las luces” and finished with a sensational bang from the musical documentary on Latin jazz, “Calle 54.”

“Calle 54” captures the raw energy and exhilaration that comes from live performance. The movie presents 13 different songs in their entirety with dancing, Latin rhythms and strong percussion.

The hands of skilled pianists, guitarists and drummers move at lightning speed with dynamic skill as they present their masterpieces to the viewer.

From flamenco dancers and singers to African folkloric dance the roots of Latin jazz cultivate a precious energy that reaches the audience.

Musicians shown in the film include Tito Puente, Carlos Valdes, Eliane Elias and Miguel Camino. Trueba moves all across the world from 54th St. (Calle 54) in New York to Puerto Rico, Cuba and Russia.

“All films are documentaries – fiction or nonfiction,” Trueba said.

Friday showcased Trueba’s award-winning film, “Belle Époque.” This film is Trueba’s visualization of paradise with his representation of happiness and beauty.

“Belle Époque” is like a painting with the characters, landscape and optimism,” Trueba said. “I paint life as I would like it to be, not as it is.”

Four daughters tease and seduce a young seminarian in the beautiful Iberian countryside during the pre-Civil War era in Spain.

Trueba constructed his paradise on the premise of the hopes and dreams that the people of this time period shared.

“I chose this period because it was an illusion and then a deception – the happy period has an end,” Trueba said. “Everyone had hoped that Spain was going to get better.”

The film mimics this philosophy of good things coming to an end. Trueba bracketed the illusionary paradise within tragic events.

“I started with a killing and a suicide of the civil guards and ended with a suicide and marriage,” Trueba said. “I wanted to bracket with horrible events and then have all the good stuff inbetween.”

“Belle Époque” criticizes religion, marriage and government. Trueba realizes his own version of morality through the protagonist, Fernando.

Fernando deserts the army in Madrid and meets up with a whimsical Republican, Manolo. Fernando decides to stay with Manolo upon seeing his beautiful four daughters. Fernando has sex with all four daughters without any relationship or commitment, and the farmer is impartial of the illicit affairs.

The film runs like a parody: unreal and illusionary with every restraint of religion and government cast aside and all the wild desires of Trueba frolicking free.

“The movie tries to create a time of happiness, not a historic presentation,” said Matias Martinez-Abeijon, a graduate assistant in Spanish. “He tries to capture the hope of people, the hope that there was a chance. It’s about the sensation of happiness.”

Trueba has a unique viewpoint when it comes to films said Liz Ranade, Ohio State alumnae.

“The part that interested me most was the question-and-answer session,” Ranade said. “It was interesting to see Trueba’s criticism of American films – that everything has to be an analogy or metaphor alluding to something profound. He makes films to take at face value.”