One of the most popular festivals on the circuit is the Spanish Film Festival. And this year is sure to be an even bigger hit as it joins with the Latino Film Festival, showing works of the Spanish diaspora.
Glam recently caught up with Palace Nova National Festivals Coordinator, Paulette Arvizu, to chat about the state of Spanish cinema, and this year’s festival.
“We have 32 films this year, and of those 15 are from Latin America. We are also really proud to have 11 films by female directors. Last year we had five, and we thought that was a great achievement: but this year it’s doubled!”
Of the three films from Arvizu’s home country of Mexico, all three are directed by women.
Although there is no particular theme this year, it seems that each country’s film industry has its own obsessions.
“For instance, most of the Argentinian films this year are comedies, Mexico is producing more dramas, and Spain is producing a lot of thrillers. There’s a really good mix in the program.”
This year’s opening night, which includes pre-show drinks and a post-show fiesta, is the 2019 Goya winner Champions. A professional basketball coach is sentenced to community service after a traffic offence. This sees him coaching an amateur basketball team, made up of players with intellectual disabilities.
” As well as winning best film at Goya this won Best New Actor for Jesús Vidal, a theatre actor, who has an intellectual disability. It’s a really heart-warming film about how we need to break down prejudice”
Principal sponsor Moro (without whom my family would have starved years ago!) are presenting a special night in celebration of olive oil.
” We have a documentary called ‘Virgin and Extra: Jaen, the Land of the Olive Oil‘, which looks at the production of olive oil in Spain, and why it is so important for the culture, food and industry. Moro is going to be hosting a masterclass, with a tasting. So you can hear a talk about olive oil, watch the film, and then participate in a tasting afterwards.”
Closing night sees a special presentation of the Almodovar masterpiece, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
“We were trying to find a classic film for closing night, and we realised it was the 30th anniversary of this film, which launched Almodovar internationally, as well as Antonio Banderas. It is an opportunity for people to relive it on the big-screen, and for all the new fans of Almodovar to catch it. “
The Moro Spanish Film Festival opens tomorrow night in Adelaide, and the program will be screened at Palace Nova Eastend and Prospect until Wednesday 15th May.
Opening Night: Tuesday April 23rd. Champions, with drinks and after-party fiesta.
Special Event: Thursday 2nd May Super Crazy.
Special Event: Thursday 9th May, Moro olive oil masterclass, Virgin and Extra and tasting.
Closing Night: Wednesday 15th May. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, with pre-show drinks.
Click here for screening times and further information.
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