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Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival
This year’s Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival showcases a dynamic industry that’s fighting back post-pandemic. Eddie Harrison finds that opportunities are rife for a different kind of Spanish cinema
Cinema worldwide seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. With a post-pandemic downturn in cinema attendance, plus domestic legislation that has deeply impacted independent movie makers, the nish film industry is eeling the s me ressures s the intern tion l bo o fice in gener l. et des ite these di ficulties this ye r s dinburgh nish ilm esti l finds lenty o vibrant features, both fresh and vintage, for audiences to celebrate, including a tribute to director Bigas Luna of G olden Balls fame, lus showc se o films bout th century nish nd tin American women.
Among the visiting talent is Icíar Bollaín, partner of Scottish screenwriter ul erty who returns with o ening night film Maixabel , a drama based on the true story of Maixabel Lasa. Lasa’s husband was killed by ETA (the Basque separatist group), and she sought out a meeting with the man responsible. It’s an
Spain on screen (previous page clockwise from top): Zipi Y Zape Y La Isla Del Capitán, My Way Out, El Cover, Los Huevos De Oro (this page clockwise from left) Explota Explota, Maixabel, La Volunteria, La Chica Nueva
undeniably controversial subject, but one Bollaín was keen to tackle head-on. ‘I was approached by two producers, Koldo Zuazua and Juan Moreno, who had it in mind to tell Maixabel Lasa’s story and proposed it to me and cowriter Isa Campo,’ says Bollaín. ‘I was totally struck by the idea that someone can be ready to meet the people who have hurt them most, that people so far from each other were capable of sitting together and listening.’ oll n w s t ken b ck by some o the re ction to her film. e were ctu lly sur rised to find th t not only critics but lso editori ls rom right wing nd le t wing news ers like were welcoming the film s necess ry . It got gre t re ction mong the udience too the film w s seen by o er h l a million spectators despite restrictions.’ ith o er e tures in the rogr mme including m instre m hits like Carla Simón’s Golden Bear-winner Alcarràs and Juan Miguel del Castillo’s thriller La Mani obr a De La Tor tuga , Bollaín says it’s still vital that such films c n re ch the gener l ublic on the big screen. I do think cinem still has enormous power to communicate stories in a very deep way. There is a concern about how history is going to be told, but because of people like Maixabel, what happened doesn’t get idealised.’
oll n ho es th t her film h ndles th t story with strong sense o truth and can also have a positive effect by showing the devastating consequences of such brutal and senseless acts. ‘Violence affects the victims, obviously, but also the perpetrators, and leaves a deep mark in the society where it occurs. There is a need to deal with all the trauma and pain which violence leaves behind nd th t s wh t the film t lks bout through the ins iring story o Maixabel.’ esti ls ro ide sn shot o country nd its culture nd the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival puts Bollaín’s fresh work in context with other female directors like Carla Simón, and shines a welcome light on new female talent. This year’s programme is the work of festival director Marian A Aréchaga, curating a selection that addresses a big question: is Spanish cinema in good health right now?
‘Independent auteur cinema is now practically invisible in our country since recent legisl tion led to film industry system th t is lmost e clusi ely dependent on the two biggest television companies,’ says Aréchaga. ‘They are the ones who legitimately invest in the products they believe will become huge successes or them. he networks r rely bet on those filmm kers with
their own vision; they opt instead in many cases for reliable directors who ensure a product that is as commercial as it is inconsequential. That’s why, when indie directors do manage to get a project off the ground, it’s important to make the work visible both in Spain and abroad, and that’s where a festival like ours becomes important.’
What’s happening in Spain isn’t unique; the whole eco-system of independent, nonblockbuster cinema is currently under threat, with streaming providing precious revenue, but at the expense of cinema production and attendance. Bollaín believes that Spain, like many other nations, has suffered from the same post-pandemic reluctance of audiences to return to cinemas. But she does see hope in the future. ‘There is a very strong presence of female directors and many newcomers that are making a great splash in and outside of Spain,’ she says. ‘What’s going right is that after years of activism and lobbying, we have managed to get some positive action from the Ministry Of ulture to su ort films with em le directors nd writers. s result o th t roducers re feeling more inclined to “take the risk” which is resulting in a bigger presence of female filmm kers doing more interesting films.
Five to see
There’s a wealth of movies to choose from across October at the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival. Here’s a mere handful of intriguing cinematic treats
EL COVER
The opening movie of last year’s Malaga Film Festival, Secun de la Rosa’s romcom musical is a Benidorm-set paean to music featuring songs from The Killers, Lady Gaga and Loquillo, revolving around a romance between a waiter and an Adele tribute act. n Everyman, Glasgow, Saturday 1 October, 5pm; Everyman, Edinburgh, Saturday 8 October, 8pm.
LA VOLUNTARIA
A retired doctor travels to a Greek refugee camp where she meets a young boy in dire need. Nely Reguera’s second film takes aim at Western consumerism and colonialist guilt. n GFT, Glasgow, Sunday 2 October, 4pm; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Saturday 8 October, 5.45pm.
ZIPI Y ZAPE Y LA ISLA DEL CAPITÁN
An adventure film from 2016 by Oskar Santos, two boys (Zip and Zap) take a Christmas trip to a remote island with their parents. When a storm wrecks their journey, the pair seek sanctuary in a children’s home run by an eccentric woman. And then things start to get strange. n French Institute, Edinburgh, Thursday 6 October, 10am; GFT, Glasgow, Wednesday 12 October, 6.15pm; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Sunday 16 October, 2pm.
MY WAY OUT
Directed by Izaskun Arandia, this documentary follows the trans community at a London club which has been going for three decades and ultimately provides a safe haven for those who have suffered abuse and rejection. n Everyman, Edinburgh, Sunday 9 October, 5.05pm.
LA CHICA NUEVA
Winner of Best Film at the Cinélatino Tolouse festival in 2021, Micaela Gonzalo’s debut feature follows a young woman fleeing homelessness in Argentina, as she and her half-brother attempt to navigate an economic and labour crisis. n Summerhall, Edinburgh, Friday 14 October, 6pm.
