Inaugural Recent Cinema From Spain Festival

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Print this article Inaugural Recent Cinema From Spain Festival (released 10/9/2011) By greenroomwire In honor of this year's 25th anniversary of Spain's Goya Awards, EGEDA, the Miami International Film Festival, and the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts will premiere seven of the most dynamic new films from Spain, from October 20-23rd, in an inaugural Recent Cinema From Spain Festival. Held at the Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center, ticket holders will enjoy nightly red carpet events and participate in Q&A sessions with filmmakers and talent following each film. "We're extremely proud of our collaboration with EGEDA and the Gusman Center on the Miami Recent Cinema From Spain selection," said Jaie Laplante, executive director of the Miami International Film Festival. "This is a diverse group of films that showcases the strength and range of the Spanish producers and film industry in 2011. The lineup of artists scheduled to attend represents a spectacular array of Goya-award winning talent, and Miami will truly be getting a taste of the finest from Spain with this event." "Having recently opened an office in Miami, EGEDA is delighted to have an official presence in this amazing city and work in conjunction with the Los Angeles office in representing the interests of the Spanish filmmaking industry and management of intellectual property rights in Latin America," said President of EGEDA Enrique Cerezo Torres. "We're thrilled to work with the Miami International Film Festival and the Gusman Center on this film festival and look forward to supporting the 2012 Miami International Film Festival." The complete line-up for Recent Cinema From Spain is: Thursday, October 20, 2011 - Opening Night Black Bread (Pa negre): (7:30 pm) Spain's official submission to the 2012 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category and winner of nine Goya Awards. The film chronicles the events that follow 11-year-old Andreu (Francesc Colomer) after he witnesses two brutal murders. Andreu is sent to live with extended family in the countryside where he befriends his jaded cousin Nuria (Marina Comas), who has lost her fingers due to a grenade explosion, and an imaginative boy who thinks he has angel wings. Loosely based on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations with the bleak fantastical soul of Pan's Labyrinth, subversive filmmaker Agustí Villaronga's harrowing and richly textured depiction of Spanish rural life during wartime is both challenging and rewarding. Attending talent: Goya-winning producer Isona Passola is scheduled to attend and discuss the film. Opening Night guests will be greeted with a complimentary glass of Spain's premier cava Anna de Codorniu, Viña Zaco and Raimat wines, and chocolates courtesy of Valor, prior to the screening, and a Filmotech gift bag. Friday, October 21, 2011 Don't Be Afraid (No tengas miedo): (6:45 pm) - Director Montxo Armendáriz's haunting drama delves into the long-term psychological effects caused by the abuse of children. Upon turning twenty-five, Silvia (Michelle Jenner) decides to reveal the hell she experienced and face the people, feelings and emotions that keep her bound to the past. Armendáriz blends documentary and fiction by including testimonials based on real events that are incorporated into the fictional narrative. These on-camera confessions – spoken by real victims and actors – serve to show the wide range of people of different sexes, ages and social backgrounds who may fall victim to abuse during their childhood and youth. The cast includes Goya-winner Belen Rueda (The Sea Inside) as Silvia's in-denial mother. Cousinhood (Primos): (9:45 pm) - When Diego (Quim Gutiérrez) is jilted at the altar, his cousins, playboy Julián and depressed, eye patch-wearing Miguel, convince him to join them on a trip to northern coastal Spain, where they think Diego can re-ignite the spark with ex-girlfriend Martina (Inma Cuesta). Upon arrival at Martina's pueblo, Diego finds his old flame now to be a single mother, complicating the men's plans for a swift, simple reunion. Director Daniel Sanchez Arévalo reunites with Gutiérrez and actor Antonio de la Torre (all three of them won Goyas for Dark Blue Almost Black) and Raul Arévalo, whom he directed to a Goya-winning performance in Fat People. Saturday, October 22, 2011 Forever Young (Héroes): (4:00 pm) Audience Award Winner at the 2011 Malaga Film Festival, this heart-warming drama, co-written and directed by Pau Freixas, chronicles the journey of a young publicist named Sala (Àlex Brendemühl) after he picks up a female hitchhiker, Cristina (Eva Santolaria) and, is reminded of the long-lost days of his childhood. A cascade of emotional memories from the best summer of his life is revisited, as the story weaves between two different historical time periods -- present day and the '80s -- and Sala's world is turned upside down from his renewed happiness, causing him to question his present life. Reminiscent of a Spanish version of the classic Stand By Me, the adult characters are an essential part of the story, though the true protagonists of the film are five kids, as they bring the youthful adventures to life. The cast also includes Goya-winning actress Emma Suarez (The Dog in the Manger). Blackthorn (Sin destino): (6:45 pm) Stepping into the iconic boots previously worn by Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy in the 1969 western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff) plays Cassidy in this revisionist story, and survives the epic standoff with the Bolivian military in 1908. Tired of his long exile from the US and hoping to see his family again before he dies, Cassidy (now calling himself "Blackthorn") sets out on the long journey home until an unexpected encounter with an ambitious young criminal (Eduardo Noriega) derails his plans and thrusts him into one last adventure, the likes of which he hasn't experienced since his glory days with the Sundance Kid. The cast also includes Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) and Peruvian actress Magaly Solier (The Milk of Sorrow, Amador). Attending Talent: Four-time Goya Award winning filmmaker Mateo Gil (The Sea Inside, The Method, Agora) is scheduled to attend and discuss the film. Three Meters Above the Sky (Tres metros sobre el cielo): (9:45 pm) The highest grossing domestic production of 2010 at the Spanish box office, and based on the Italian novel by Federico Moccia, director Fernando González Molina's Three Meters Above The Sky tells the story of two young people who belong to different worlds. The film chronicles the relationship between an innocent upper-middle class girl named Babi (María Valverde) and a rebellious-impulsive boy named Hache (Mario Casas). Like a contemporary Romeo and Juliet, both must ?ght against the harsh realities and injustices of life in order to preserve their bond, and, against all odds, sustain a love born outside of convention. An inspiring and romantic comedy, the film is a portrait of the ?eeting and ephemeral nature of adolescence. Attending talent: Goya Award nominee for Best New Actor (El juego del ahorcado), Alvaro Cervantes is scheduled to attend and discuss the film. Sunday, October 23rd, 2011 Five Square Meters (Cinco metros cuadrados): (7:30 pm) (U.S. Premiere) This revenge thriller about the effects of corruption in the Spanish construction industry details the burst of the real estate bubble which left many in dire straits worldwide. The crash takes its toll on Alex (Fernanando Tejero) and his fiancé, compelling him to use unorthodox means to get back at the unscrupulous developer who ripped him off. Winner of Best Film and Best Actor at the 14th Malaga Spanish Film Festival. Attending Talent: Goya-winning actor Fernando Tejero (Soccer Days) is scheduled to attend and discuss the film. Complete details on the program can be found at miami.recentcinemafromspain.com. Individual tickets for each film, as well as a special series pass for all films (including Opening Night), are now available for purchase at gusmancenter.org. Miami Film Society members will receive a discount off individual ticket purchases. Digg this article

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Inaugural Recent Cinema From Spain Festival
(released 10/9/2011)
By greenroomwire

In honor of this year's 25th anniversary of Spain's Goya Awards, EGEDA, the Miami International Film Festival, and the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts will premiere seven of the most dynamic new films from Spain, from October 20-23rd, in an inaugural Recent Cinema From Spain Festival.

Held at the Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center, ticket holders will enjoy nightly red carpet events and participate in Q&A sessions with filmmakers and talent following each film.

"We're extremely proud of our collaboration with EGEDA and the Gusman Center on the Miami Recent Cinema From Spain selection," said Jaie Laplante, executive director of the Miami International Film Festival. "This is a diverse group of films that showcases the strength and range of the Spanish producers and film industry in 2011. The lineup of artists scheduled to attend represents a spectacular array of Goya-award winning talent, and Miami will truly be getting a taste of the finest from Spain with this event."

"Having recently opened an office in Miami, EGEDA is delighted to have an official presence in this amazing city and work in conjunction with the Los Angeles office in representing the interests of the Spanish filmmaking industry and management of intellectual property rights in Latin America," said President of EGEDA Enrique Cerezo Torres. "We're thrilled to work with the Miami International Film Festival and the Gusman Center on this film festival and look forward to supporting the 2012 Miami International Film Festival."

The complete line-up for Recent Cinema From Spain is:

Thursday, October 20, 2011 - Opening Night

Black Bread (Pa negre): (7:30 pm) Spain's official submission to the 2012 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category and winner of nine Goya Awards. The film chronicles the events that follow 11-year-old Andreu (Francesc Colomer) after he witnesses two brutal murders. Andreu is sent to live with extended family in the countryside where he befriends his jaded cousin Nuria (Marina Comas), who has lost her fingers due to a grenade explosion, and an imaginative boy who thinks he has angel wings. Loosely based on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations with the bleak fantastical soul of Pan's Labyrinth, subversive filmmaker Agustí Villaronga's harrowing and richly textured depiction of Spanish rural life during wartime is both challenging and rewarding.
Attending talent: Goya-winning producer Isona Passola is scheduled to attend and discuss the film.

Opening Night guests will be greeted with a complimentary glass of Spain's premier cava Anna de Codorniu, Viña Zaco and Raimat wines, and chocolates courtesy of Valor, prior to the screening, and a Filmotech gift bag.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Don't Be Afraid (No tengas miedo): (6:45 pm) - Director Montxo Armendáriz's haunting drama delves into the long-term psychological effects caused by the abuse of children. Upon turning twenty-five, Silvia (Michelle Jenner) decides to reveal the hell she experienced and face the people, feelings and emotions that keep her bound to the past. Armendáriz blends documentary and fiction by including testimonials based on real events that are incorporated into the fictional narrative. These on-camera confessions – spoken by real victims and actors – serve to show the wide range of people of different sexes, ages and social backgrounds who may fall victim to abuse during their childhood and youth. The cast includes Goya-winner Belen Rueda (The Sea Inside) as Silvia's in-denial mother.

Cousinhood (Primos): (9:45 pm) - When Diego (Quim Gutiérrez) is jilted at the altar, his cousins, playboy Julián and depressed, eye patch-wearing Miguel, convince him to join them on a trip to northern coastal Spain, where they think Diego can re-ignite the spark with ex-girlfriend Martina (Inma Cuesta). Upon arrival at Martina's pueblo, Diego finds his old flame now to be a single mother, complicating the men's plans for a swift, simple reunion. Director Daniel Sanchez Arévalo reunites with Gutiérrez and actor Antonio de la Torre (all three of them won Goyas for Dark Blue Almost Black) and Raul Arévalo, whom he directed to a Goya-winning performance in Fat People.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Forever Young (Héroes): (4:00 pm) Audience Award Winner at the 2011 Malaga Film Festival, this heart-warming drama, co-written and directed by Pau Freixas, chronicles the journey of a young publicist named Sala (Àlex Brendemühl) after he picks up a female hitchhiker, Cristina (Eva Santolaria) and, is reminded of the long-lost days of his childhood. A cascade of emotional memories from the best summer of his life is revisited, as the story weaves between two different historical time periods -- present day and the '80s -- and Sala's world is turned upside down from his renewed happiness, causing him to question his present life. Reminiscent of a Spanish version of the classic Stand By Me, the adult characters are an essential part of the story, though the true protagonists of the film are five kids, as they bring the youthful adventures to life. The cast also includes Goya-winning actress Emma Suarez (The Dog in the Manger).

Blackthorn (Sin destino): (6:45 pm) Stepping into the iconic boots previously worn by Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy in the 1969 western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Sam Shepard (The Right Stuff) plays Cassidy in this revisionist story, and survives the epic standoff with the Bolivian military in 1908. Tired of his long exile from the US and hoping to see his family again before he dies, Cassidy (now calling himself "Blackthorn") sets out on the long journey home until an unexpected encounter with an ambitious young criminal (Eduardo Noriega) derails his plans and thrusts him into one last adventure, the likes of which he hasn't experienced since his glory days with the Sundance Kid. The cast also includes Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) and Peruvian actress Magaly Solier (The Milk of Sorrow, Amador).
Attending Talent: Four-time Goya Award winning filmmaker Mateo Gil (The Sea Inside, The Method, Agora) is scheduled to attend and discuss the film.

Three Meters Above the Sky (Tres metros sobre el cielo): (9:45 pm) The highest grossing domestic production of 2010 at the Spanish box office, and based on the Italian novel by Federico Moccia, director Fernando González Molina's Three Meters Above The Sky tells the story of two young people who belong to different worlds. The film chronicles the relationship between an innocent upper-middle class girl named Babi (María Valverde) and a rebellious-impulsive boy named Hache (Mario Casas). Like a contemporary Romeo and Juliet, both must ?ght against the harsh realities and injustices of life in order to preserve their bond, and, against all odds, sustain a love born outside of convention. An inspiring and romantic comedy, the film is a portrait of the ?eeting and ephemeral nature of adolescence.
Attending talent: Goya Award nominee for Best New Actor (El juego del ahorcado), Alvaro Cervantes is scheduled to attend and discuss the film.

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

Five Square Meters (Cinco metros cuadrados): (7:30 pm) (U.S. Premiere)
This revenge thriller about the effects of corruption in the Spanish construction industry details the burst of the real estate bubble which left many in dire straits worldwide. The crash takes its toll on Alex (Fernanando Tejero) and his fiancé, compelling him to use unorthodox means to get back at the unscrupulous developer who ripped him off. Winner of Best Film and Best Actor at the 14th Malaga Spanish Film Festival.
Attending Talent: Goya-winning actor Fernando Tejero (Soccer Days) is scheduled to attend and discuss the film.

Complete details on the program can be found at miami.recentcinemafromspain.com. Individual tickets for each film, as well as a special series pass for all films (including Opening Night), are now available for purchase at gusmancenter.org. Miami Film Society members will receive a discount off individual ticket purchases.
Digg this article