SFC EVENTS / 2008 FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA
THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER, New York
ShortMetraje: New short stories from Spain | December 14-18, 2008
ShortMetraje: New short stories from Spain | December 14-18, 2008
GENE SISKEL FILM CENTER, Chicago
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | December 5-29, 2008
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | December 5-29, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | November 17-23, 2008
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | November 17-23, 2008
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER, Portland
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | November 21-December 11, 2008
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | November 21-December 11, 2008
NORTHWEST FILM FORUM, Seattle
FESTIVAL OF NEW CINEMA FROM SPAIN | November 14-20, 2008
FESTIVAL OF NEW CINEMA FROM SPAIN | November 14-20, 2008
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, US
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | November 5-9, 2008
FESTIVAL OF NEW SPANISH CINEMA | November 5-9, 2008
FILMOTECA REGIONAL DE CASTILLA Y LEON, Spain
LATINBEAT: From de Film Society of the Lincoln Center to Spain | November 18-December 23, 2008
LATINBEAT: From de Film Society of the Lincoln Center to Spain | November 18-December 23, 2008
FILMOTECA CANARIA, Spain
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | October 3-17, 2008
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | October 3-17, 2008
FILMOTECA DE CANTABRIA, Spain
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | July 9- August 17, 2008
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | July 9- August 17, 2008
CIRCULO DE BELLAS ARTES, Spain
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | July 15-20, 2008
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | July 15-20, 2008
FILMOTECA REGIONAL FRANCISCO RABAL, Spain
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | May 20-25, 2008
LATINBEAT: From the Film Society of Lincoln Center to Spain | May 20-25, 2008
VARIOUS VENUES, US
DOCUSPAIN: Spanish Documentary Tour | February 15- November 29, 2008
DOCUSPAIN: Spanish Documentary Tour | February 15- November 29, 2008
MEDINA DEL CAMPO FILM FESTIVAL, Spain
American Spectrum: Short films from the Americas | April 11-19, 2008
American Spectrum: Short films from the Americas | April 11-19, 2008
ESCOLA TECNICA SUPERIOR D’ARQUITECTURA DEL VALLES, Spain
Dissensus. Architecture, Politics and Cinema | March 26, 2008
Dissensus. Architecture, Politics and Cinema | March 26, 2008
EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO, New York
Latinoamerican Women Celebration | March 5, 2008
Latinoamerican Women Celebration | March 5, 2008
BFI SOUTHBANK, London
Spain (Un)censored | January 15 through 17 February, 2008
Spain (Un)censored | January 15 through 17 February, 2008
BFI SOUTHBANK & INSTITUTO CERVANTES, London
Other events celebrating Spain (Un)Censored | January 15 through 17 February, 2008
Other events celebrating Spain (Un)Censored | January 15 through 17 February, 2008
THE KING JUAN CARLOS I OF SPAIN CENTER, New York
Documenta Spain | February 5- March 25, 2008
Documenta Spain | February 5- March 25, 2008
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For anyone who loves Spanish cinema, this selection of recent award-winning films offers a diverse, up to the minute look at the great talents at work today.
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GENE SISKEL FILM CENTER, Chicago Curated by Marta Sánchez. Support for the exhibition comes from Dirección General de Política e Industrias Culturales and Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA) of the Spanish Ministry of Culture, Tourist Office of Spain, Embassy of Spain, Washington, DC., and Dirección General de Relaciones Culturales y Científicas, Filmoteca, AECI, of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Special support from Tourist Office of Spain Chicago chapter. Support for the opening reception provided by Tourist Office of Spain in Chicago. |
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MATAHARIS | Icíar Bollaín | Spain | 95 min. | 2007 |  |
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With Najwa Nimri, Nuria González, María Vázquez, Tristán Ulloa, Diego Martín. No other Spanish filmmaker bravely portrays the untouchable issues concerning Spanish comptemporary society better than Icíar Bollaín. Her previous powerful feature Take My Eyes won every major Goya award. This time, Mataharis has been nominated in six categories, including Best Director, Screenplay, Actor and Actress. Bollaín dives into the lives of three private investigators. Ines (Maria Vazquez) is working undercover at a corporation, ostensibly to weed out corruption but actually to report on workers’ efforts to unionize. Eva (Najwa Nimri), recently back at work after maternity leave, struggles to juggle her caseload with family life, when she accidentally discovers a secret her partner has long kept from her. Carmen (Nuria González), investigating a case of adultery, starts reflecting on her own loveless marriage. “Bollaín, a pure storyteller, has made a very complete and alive film. (The film) is an inusual magic trick’: (Jordi Costa: Diario El País)
To view a preview CLICK |
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SEVEN BILLIARDS TABLES Siete mesas de billar francés | Gracia Querejeta | Spain | 113 min. | 2007 | |
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With Maribel Verdú, Blanca Portillo, Victor Valdivia, Jesús Castejón. Upon receiving the news that her father is ill, Angela (Maribel Verdú), and her son Guille, travel to the capital. She arrives too late, and her father’s long-time girlfriend, Charo (Blanca Portillo), explains that the business is far from good. The business in question is a billiard hall with seven tables. Over theyears, it has has lost it all: style, clients, and money. An idea occurs to Angela: Why not take over the business and try to turn it around? The film display a superb narrative that lead us to a simple, and perfect, ending. Nominated for 10 Goyas (Spanish Cinema Awards) & 9 Spanish Critics Circle Awards, the film is not just a showcase of magnificent performances by Maribel Verdú (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Blanca Portillo (Volver). It is also a proof of Gracia Querejeta’s rich talent, crowning her as one of the most interesting yet solid filmmakers working today.
To view a preview CLICK |
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UNDER THE STARS Bajo las estrellas | Félix Viscarret | Spain | 107 min. | 2007 | |
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With Alberto San Juan, Emma Suárez, Julián Villagrán, Violeta Rodríguez. After its successful critic and box office success in Spain, Under the Stars is a remarkable debut film, in which Félix Vizcarret, well known by his short films, evokes the claustrophobia and paranoia of small-town life, with everyone getting into everyone else’s business and secrets hard to keep. When Benito Lacunza, a shiftless waiter cum aspiring jazz musician, has to return to his hometown Estella for a few days, he is surprised to learn that his brother Lalo -who makes sculptures out of scrap metal- is about to marry. Benito remembers the bride all too well from his oat-sowing adolescence: she is Nines, a single mom who’s seen her share of hard times. Benito decides to save his brother from such a fate, but unexpectedly finds himself up against a formidable foe in the person of Nine’s daughter, Ainara, an introverted, rebellious, precocious smoker who Benito ends up forging a one-of-a-kind friendship with. San Juan’s excellent performance as Benito won him a 2008 Goya for Best Lead Actor. The fim’s palmares gathers the most important awards in Spain, including those as best director, screenplay at the San Sebastián and Malaga Film Festivals.
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IN SYLVIA’S CITY En la ciudad de Silvia | José Luis Guerin | Spain | 90 min. | 2007 | |
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With Xavier Lafitte and Pilar Lopez de Ayala. Described as “A film that audiences would want to see more than once” by Ray Bennet (The Hollywood Reporter), auteur Jose Luis Guerin (Under Construction) bring us a romantic yet intensely expressive dialogue-free story anchored by real substance and full of desire. It’s summer and a young foreigner saunters through the streets of a city of street cars and canals. As he walks through the city – observing, writing and drawing‚ with voyeuristic undertones – the nature of his mysterious intentions slowly becomes clear. Trying to glean an insight into a woman he met years ago and for whom he now has only a memory and a first name: Charlotte.
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BIRDSONG El Cant dels ocells | Albert Serra | Spain | 98 min. | 2008 | |
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With Mark Peranson, Lluis Carbo, Montse Tripla. Have you ever thought of the Three Kings’ relationship to one another while they traversed the world’s deserts in search of Christ? Albert Serra, whose previous film Honor de Cavalleria was named “one of the best 10 films of 2008” by Cahiers du Cinéma, is back with a film even more beautiful and crazy than his debut piece. Displaying freely his own vision about the classic myth of the Nativity, the film is beautifully crafted and contemplative, with impresive views and photograph-like cinematography to satisfy the most demanding eye. This exercise about the essence of cinema holds rank with the films of major importance at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight. Even so, the Three Kings are so human that will make you smile.
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SOLITARY FRAGMENTS La soledad | Jaime Rosales | Spain | 128 min. | 2007 | |
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With Sonia Almarcha, Petra Martinez, Miriam Correa, Nuria Mencia. The beautifully nuanced performances of both Sonia Almarcha as Adela and Petra Martínez as Antonia, as well as Rosales’ keen ability to portray isolation and beauty in the apparently mundane world, makes Solitary Fragments a supreme delicacy not to be missed. Having premiered at the Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard section, the film swept 3 Goyas (Spanish Cinema Awards), including Best Picture and Best Director. Adela lives a quiet life in rural Spain with her son Miguelito. Hoping for more from life, she moves with her son to Madrid, where they share an apartment with a couple, Ines and Carlos. Elder Antonia watches her family tear itself apart in a dispute over money. Stylish yet thoughtful and far from melodrama, the film takes you by the hand towards a shocking ending in a film difficult to forget.
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ME Yo | Rafa Cortés | Spain | 100 min. | 2007 | |
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With Alex Brendemühl, Margalida Grimalt, Rafel Ramis, Aina de Cos. Named “Revelation of the Year” by FIPRESCI, the international association of film critics at Cannes 2007, Me is the story of a man who, suspecting himself accused of something he hasn’t done, sets out to prove an innocence that nobody questions. Every attempt to correct this mistake leads him closer to the real problem: himself. Set in Majorca island, the atmosphere is supported by strange characters, suspicious looks, and a light surrealistic nightmare climate that begins to build in this unsettling and meticulously crafted drama. Rafa Cortés’ burgeoning talent is undeniable, creating a palpable atmosphere with the help of Alex Brendemühl’s (who co-wrote the film) brilliant performance.
To view a preview CLICK |
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SEPTEMBERS Septiembres | Carles Bosch | Spain | 98 min. | 2007 | |
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For the incarcerated participants of the 2005 Festival of Song, singing love songs is not merely entertainment. It is also a poignant reminder of the people they left behind. Carles Bosch, director of the Oscar®-nominated Balseros, follows four men and four women in prison. Spanning a year—from September to September, between one festival and the next—the film portrays their love stories.
Despite the hostile environment, this film displays extraordinary emotion an it is an inspiration to all who watch it. With major accomplishments already under its Belt (Shortlisted for the Best Feature Documentary IDA Awards-International Documentary Association and nominated as Best Documentary Joris Ivens Competition IDFA. Amsterdam), Bosch’s sympathetic and at times humorous vision delight us with a question to answer: Can a documentary capture the true essence of Love? To view a preview CLICK |
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SHORTMETRAJE A series of short films | Various directors | Spain | 90 min. | 2007-8 | |
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This is a year of unparalleled creativity for Spanish short filmmakers. In a cloud of turmoil and hallucinatory imagination, these directors present their wildest hopes and dreams in different forms, from experimental plays to shouts of happiness. Free from any convention, this year’s artists have undressed their souls and minds. Come enjoy the journey!
LIBRA (4 min) Carlota Coronado Carlota reports strongly about everyday’s issues creating a high impact in this very short film. This is a very short film with a great impact Two weeks. That’s what Libra’s main character asks for. SAID’S JOURNEY El Viaje de Said (12 min.) Coke Riobóo Said, a Moroccan boy crosses The Straights. On the other side, in the land of opportunity, he discovers the world. This film was nominated to the Goya© Awards as Best Short Animation. SUMMER OR THE FLAWS OF ANDRÉS Verano o los defectos de Andrés (22 min.) Jorge Torregrosa It is Summer and it is hot. Andres and Sara have known each other for a short time. Felix and Silvia have been together for five years. The two couples spend a summer day around a swimming pool. As always in Torregrosa’s astonishing work, human nature is one more character and his unique look makes us wonder about our own condition. THE HAPPY MAN El Hombre Feliz (14 min.) Lucina Gil Gil’s keen eye responds to this daring and good humores question: Does the Happy Man Exist? MACHINE Maquina(16 min.) Gabe Ibañez Through pain and confusion a girl discovers his new nature, finding the way to achieve the lost harmony. TRAUMATOLOGY Traumatología (22 min.) Daniel Sánchez Arévalo Helmer Daniel Sánchez Arévalo gives us once again an assured and captivating tragicomedy. Today is a great day. Antonio is getting married. But an unexpected event force all the family to spend the wedding night at the hospital. |
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