Spain, in the Marché´s spotlight at Cannes

From May 16 to 24, the most important global film market is held, the Marché du Film. This time, the organization has named Spain the Country of Honour, which means that Spain has a bigger presence in events, pitchings and panels. In addition, at the festival, Spain has three feature films to screen in the different sections, as well as several selected shorts.

The return of Víctor Erice is big news this year, although the film has not been selected in the Official Competition Section. His new feature film, Close Your Eyes , is part of Cannes Première , the section where The Beasts began his successful path last year. Produced by Tandem Films and Pecado Films, in co-production with Nautilus Films and Argentina’s Pampa Films, it will be released in Spain on September 29 by Avalon, while the sales company is Film Factory. With a cast headed by Manolo Solo and José Coronado, Cannes will witness the premiere of the director’s fourth feature film, after The Spirit of the Beehive, The South and Dream of Light . With a script written by Michel Gaztambide and Erice, the film narrates how a famous actor disappears during the filming of a film. The police conclude that he has suffered an accident at the edge of the sea. Many years later, a TV program shows the last scenes in which he participated.

Robot Dreams , the first animated film directed by Pablo Berger

( Blancanieves, Torremolinos 73 ), will be in the Special Screenings section. It is produced by Arcadia Motion Pictures and the Navarran production company Lokiz Films, in co-production with Noodles and Les Films du Worso (France). The film will be distributed in Spain by BTeam Pictures. International sales are handled by Elle Driver.

The plot revolves around Dog, a lonely dog who lives in Manhattan. One day he decides to build a robot, a friend. Their friendship grows but one summer night Dog with great sorrow, is forced to abandon Robot. Will they ever meet again?

The other Spanish feature film is Creatura by Elena Martín Gimeno , which is participating in the Directors’ Fortnight. Produced by Vilaüt Films, Lastor Media, Avalon P.C. and Elastica Films, in association with Suris/Bishop Film, will hit spanish theaters thanks to Avalon while international sales are handled by Luxbox.

The new film from the author of Júlia ist follows Mila and her partner, who move to a town on the Costa Brava. After an argument, Mila begins to feel a loss of desire. She relives some of the experiences of her childhood and adolescence that will help her understand the origin of her trauma.

In this edition there is a good Spanish presence as far as short films are concerned. Of course, the spotlight is on Pedro Almodóvar , who returns to Cannes to present his new short, Strange Way of Life , at Special Screenings ( The Human Voice was screened in Venice).

This western of El Deseo was shot in English in the Tabernas desert in Almeria and has Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal as leading actors. The story follows a man who rides a horse and visits a sheriff. Twentyfive years ago they worked together as hitmen.

In the Official Short Film Selection we can find Aunque es de noche by Guillermo García López ( Delicate Balance ), who is showing his first fiction short. Shot in 16mm and produced by Sintagma Films, Salon Indien Films and Les Valseurs, it is set in the Cañada Real slum in Madrid. In this competition there is another short, Nada de todo esto , directed by the

(El está ambientada en la Cañada Real en Madrid. En esta competición hay otro corto, Nada de todo esto , dirigido por los argentinos Patricio Martínez y Francisco Cantón , que tiene coproducción española

En la Semana de la Crítica encontramos también Contadores de Irati Gorostidi Agirretxe , producción de Apellaniz y de Sosa y Tractora y Pirenaica. Ambientada en la Guipúzcoa de 1978, retrata la atomización del movimiento obrero durante las negociaciones por un nuevo convenio del metal. Por su parte, Trenc d’alba , cortometraje de ESCAC dirigido por Anna Llargués , forma parte de la sección oficial La Cinef, el apartado para descubrir los mejores trabajos de escuelas de cine. En ella, una familia vive en una masía aislada y, debido a la humedad y la incomunicación, mantenerla se ha hecho imposible. Sin embargo, la familia pelea por salvar su casa.

No queremos obviar la proyección de una copia restaurada de Carmen del recientemente fallecido Carlos Saura en Cannes Classics .

España, Country of Honour

En cuanto al Marché du Film (16-24 de mayo), España disfrutará de una mayor presencia gracias a haber sido designado como Country of Honour. El ICEX y el ICAA organizan de nuevo el pabellón Cinema from Spain . Bajo este paraguas están las agencias de ventas Begin Again Films, Bendita

Films, Cinema Republic, Feelsales, Filmax, Latido Films y Sideral, las film commissiones y entidades Andalucia FC, Basque. Audiovisual, Canary Islands Film, Catalan Films, Films From Galicia, Institut Valencià de Cultura, Madrid Make It Possible y Spain FC, así como Canary International Pictures y The Film Agency.

En cuanto a market screenings , este año se podrán ver Sica, Todos los nombres de Dios, El fantástico caso del Golem, Els encantats, Samsara, Shooting for Mirza, Tregua(s), Cenizas en el cielo, Bajo terapia, Un sol radiant, Crossroads, En otro lugar o 21 paraíso , entre otros.

El sábado 20 de mayo, el Spanish Spotlight del Producers Network será uno de los highlights de este Marché (espacio Lerins). Los productores Paola Botrán (Sideral), Marisa Fernández Armenteros (Buenapinta Media), Luis Ferrón (LaZona), Xavier Font Pijuan (ZuZú Cinema) y Emilia Fort Molas (Avalon) presentarán sus proyectos para encontrar financiación.

Asimismo, en colaboración ZINEBI y FICX Xixón, España presenta el 21 de mayo cuatro proyectos de documental en Cannes Docs : Itoiz de Larraitz Zuazo, Los restos del pasar de Luis Muñoz Cubillo ‘Soto’ y Alfredo Picazo, Um film de Fernando Ruiz Vergara de Concha Barquero y Alejandro Alvarado y Un árbol es un árbol de Carlos Marques-Marcet.

Ese mismo día se celebra Spanish Screenings Goes to Cannes . Cinco productores realizarán una breve presentación o pitch de proyectos work-in-progress, seguida de la proyección de un fragmento de 12 minutos. Los proyectos seleccionados son El salto de Benito Zambrano, La canción de Sima de Roya Sadat, A nuestros amigos de Adrián Orr, Tratamos demasiado bien a las mujeres de Clara de Bilbao y Llobás de Pau Calpe Rufat.

El ICAA participará en Fantastic 7 , en colaboración con el Marché du Film y el Festival de Sitges. El evento, que tendrá a Álex de la Iglesia como padrino y muestra 7 proyectos de género el 21 de mayo, tiene una representante española: La ermita de Carlota Pereda ( Cerdita ). Producida por Filmax y Bixagu, es un film de terror protagonizado por Belén Rueda. Esa tarde coorganiza el evento de networking Fantastic Fanatics Mixer.

Asimismo, el ICAA también participa en el Spotlight Asia , haciendo una presentación del panorama de ayudas en España, acompañados del Spain AVS Bureau, que aportará la visión sobre los incentivos fiscales.

También podemos destacar el panel ‘From Festivals to Distribution: Spain’s Winning Strategy for Film Promotion’ el 17 de mayo a las 11:00 horas en el Festivals Hub o las presentaciones de las nuevas ediciones de Conecta Fiction (el día 22 a las 12:30) y de Iberseries & Platino Industria (el día 21 a las 18:00), en ambos casos en el pabellón español •

Contadores

Argentines Patricio Martínez and Francisco Cantón , which has a Spanish co-production

In Critics’ Week we also find Contadores by Irati Gorostidi Agirretxe , produced by Apellaniz and Sosa and Tractora y Pirenaica. Set in Guipúzcoa in 1978, it portrays the fragmentation of the labor movement during the negotiations for a new metallurgy agreement. On the other nad, Trenc d’alba, a short film by ESCAC directed by Anna Llargués, is part of La Cinef, the section to discover the best works from film schools. The plot revolves around a family that lives in an isolated farmhouse. Due to humidity and lack of communication, it has even been declared in ruins. However, the family fights to save their home.

Finally, we can´t forget to highlight the screening at Cannes Classics of a restored copy of Carmen by the recently deceased Carlos Saura .

Spain, Country of Honor

As for the Marché du Film (May 16-24), Spain will have a bigger presence as a Country of Honor. The ICEX Trade and Investment and the The Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute (ICAA) organize the Cinema from Spain pavilion . Under this umbrella you can find the sales companies Begin Again Films, Bendita Films, Cinema Republic, Feelsales, Filmax, Latido Films and Sideral, the film commissions and public bodies Andalucia FC, Basque. Audiovisual, Canary Islands Film, Catalan Films, Films From Galicia, Institut Valencià de Cultura, Madrid Make It Possible and Spain FC, as well as Canary International Pictures and The Film Agency.

Regarding Spanish market screenings , this year the schedule includes Sica, All the Names of God, The Fantastic Golem affairs, The Enchanted, Samsara, Shooting for Mirza, Truce(s), Ashes in the Sky, Under Therapy, A Bright Sun, Crossroads, Call from the North or 21 Paradise , among others.

On Saturday, May 20, the Producers Network’s Spanish Spotlight will be one of the highlights of this Marché

(Lerins area). The producers Paola Botrán (Sideral), Marisa Fernández Armenteros (Buenapinta Media), Luis Ferrón (LaZona), Xavier Font Pijuan (ZuZú Cinema) and Emilia Fort Molas (Avalon) will present their projects to find financing.

Likewise, in collaboration with ZINEBI and FICX Xixón, Spain presents four documentary feature film projects in Cannes Docs on May 21: Itoiz Summer Sessions by Larraitz Zuazo, The Remnants of the Pass by Luis Muñoz Cubillo ‘Soto’ and Alfredo Picazo, Um film by Fernando Ruiz Vergara by Concha Barquero and Alejandro Alvarado and A tree is a tree by Carlos Marques-Marcet.

That same day, Spanish Screenings Goes to Cannes is held. Five producers will make a brief pitch of their work-inprogress projects, followed by the screening of a 12-minute fragment. The selected projects are Jumping the Fence by Benito Zambrano, Sima’s Song by Roya Sadat, To Our Friends by Adrián Orr, We´ve always treated women too well by Clara de Bilbao and Werewolf de Pau Calpe Rufat.

The ICAA will also participate, as usual, in Fantastic 7 , in collaboration with the Marché du Film and the Sitges Film Festival. The event, which on this occasion will have Álex de la Iglesia as godfather and shows 7 genre projects on Sunday, May 21, has a Spanish representative: The Chapel of Carlota Pereda ( Piggy ). Produced by Filmax and Bixagu Entertainment, it is a horror film starring Belén Rueda. That same evening he co-organized the Fantastic Fanatics Mixer networking event.

Likewise, the ICAA also participates in Spotlight Asia , making a presentation of the film subsidies in Spain, accompanied by the Spain AVS Bureau, which will provide a look at tax incentives.

We can also highlight the panel ‘From Festivals to Distribution: Spain’s Winning Strategy for Film Promotion’ on May 17 at 11 a.m. at the Festivals Hub or the presentations of the new editions of Conecta Fiction (on the 22nd at 12: 30 pm) and Iberseries & Platino Industria (on the 21st at 6 p.m.), in both cases in the Spanish pavilion •

Aunque es de noche