It's clear that much traditional lore surrounds the game cock. "When the cock crows the ghosts vanish, the cock is a charm against evil." Jose checks and preens his cockerel for the ring. Some members of this association want to hold fights on Sunday, as well as the traditional Saturday fight. The men argue easily and loudly. "They have learned how to behave by watching cocks fight. It's part of becoming a man in their society. A way to compete, to push yourself..." The cocks are weighed and measured, like boxers, before the fight. Their spurs are measured so that a worthy match can be found. They are supposed to wear special leather gloves over their spurs, a practise Francisco objects to. "We need to blood the cock to know that it's brave."

The cockpit knows it is breaking the law. Cockfights are legal, "providing the animals aren't hurt and where the only test is their bravery, for the purpose of improving the breed". Ostensibly, the cockfights continue so that good studs can be singled out for breeding purposes. The game cocks are then exported, mostly to South America. But with 10,000 cock breeders in Spain, only 3,000 cocks were exported in 1999, which suggests that there are other reasons to continue breeding cocks. The tests should be private and there should be no betting. In practice this is utter nonsense, as the animals peck each other to blindness and death. Yet no cockpit has been prosecuted for mistreating animals. "You need to understand that this has been part of our country for years' says the Environmental Protection Service, by way of explanation."

Before the fight the legs and chests are shaved so the wounds heal more quickly. The spectators call out their bets and those who accept it shout their agreement. Hard-earned money is thrown away to gain social status. In the ring, the red has blinded the grey and futilely pecks at the air without finding his opponent. The fight is over when one bird dies, collapses, or "sings like a chicken": emits a submissive cluck recognising the superiority of its opponent. Nearly every cocker has had at least one one-eyed cock which has gone on to win many fights, but the grey cock, now completely blind, does not have a chance for victory. Yet its owner leaves his mangled bird in the ring, hoping to finish the fight in a draw. "Even blinded they continue to fight."

This is a culture that also allows bullfighting, pig shooting and turkey tossing. Even ecologists understand that it is difficult to get cockfights banned whilst bullfighting continues. "The cock is the poor man's bull." But the argument goes even deeper than cruelty to animals, into a moral dimension: "They can't say it isn't violent and the animals don't suffer. These days we can't allow people to dedicate their lives to creating these disturbing shows of violence". But the authorities prefer just to impose fines on the cockpits for illegal betting. Finally, the agony of the grey has not been in vain: the fight ends in a draw and its owner is spared his $80. As the birds are washed of blood, the other owner is disappointed. "He couldn't finish off the other. I had hoped for better." As the cock is treated to stop the haemorrhaging, the next fight has already begun.

Ecologists argue that by outlawing this gratuitous violence, society would become less violent. Whilst breeders continue to dream that one day cockfights will attain the status of the bullfight.

Director: Antonio Perez Molero/ Producer: Valerie Delpierre