Following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, Spain began its transition to democracy. Yet inside the country's military barracks, authoritarian practices and a culture of violence persisted. For millions of young men, compulsory military service was considered a rite of passage into adulthood. Families sent their 18-year-old sons away with a familiar reassurance: “They'll make a man out of you.”

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For many, the experience became a nightmare. They'll Make a Man Out of You exposes the systematic humiliation, harassment and abuse endured by young conscripts during the 1980s and 1990s. Ten former soldiers break decades of silence to recount experiences of physical and psychological violence, including beatings, torture and sexual assault.

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The documentary reveals how veteran soldiers subjected new recruits to a cycle of abuse, often with the knowledge or tolerance of military commanders. Within a rigid hierarchy inherited from Spain's authoritarian past, violence became normalized, while fear, shame and institutional impunity kept victims silent. Four decades later, the consequences remain deeply personal. Survivors describe lasting psychological trauma, unresolved anger and lives shaped by experiences they struggled to share, even with their own families.

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Beyond exposing an overlooked chapter of Spain's recent history, the film challenges the relationship between masculinity, institutional violence and silence, confronting a question that continues to resonate: what kind of men emerged from a system that claimed to turn boys into men?

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PRIX EUROPA 2025 nominated for the Best European Documentary.