After celebrating, in the past three years, Israeli cinema, Romanians' century-long contribution to the glory of Hollywood and Germany, the fourth edition of MECEFF – THE CENTRAL EUOPEAN FILM FESTIVAL which will take place between August 31 and September 6, has as special guest a country whose cinema continues to surprise us and to bring forth great directors: Spain.
A few days ago we announced the first titles listed in this section (23 F: La pelicula, Patrimonio nacional & National III, Raza, el espiritu de Franco, Los santos inocentes, Sé quién eres, Torremolinos 73). Now, it's time for a series of documentaries and experimental films whose common denominator is their author, award-winning director Pere Portabella:
Aidez l'Espagne - a short documentary based on the poster Aidez l'Espagne created by Joan Miró in 1937 to help the Republic.
Miró l’altre, Miró la forja & Miró tapis - as indicated by the titles, this is a series of revealing documentary shorts about the Barcelona born Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramist Juan Miro.
Los Premios Nacionales - a short documentary film about the best paintings from the 1941 - 1969 period, all winners of the National Prize for Painting.
Informe general sobre algunas cuestiones de interes para una proyeccion publica - this fascinating interview with the opponents of the Franco regime is an exercise / tribute to those who fought against the system, as well as a complex reflection with ironic emphasis on post-dictatorship political representations.
Pont de Varsovia - a documentary document (sic!) dated 1989, the year in which the Berlin Wall fell. Images of the new progressive, European and amnesiac intellectuals and elites; in the background, the tension of broken memories and personal and historical cataclysms. Filmed as meticulously as any given sample of modern commercial cinema,Pont de Varsovia is the older brother of the godardian Germany Year 90 Nine Zero.
La Tempesta - naked bodies floating on water while Rossini plays in the background; a poem in images that brings an earnest homage to the opus of the multifaceted contemporary Spanish artist Carles Santos.
No al No– the same Carles Santos, this time at the piano, playing some of his own compositions; a short film made as part of the exhibition Visca el piano! from 2006
Plan Hidrologico Nacional - "We need a culture of water," says physics professor Pedro Arrojo; a short film from the Hay Motivo omnibus made by the best directors in Spanish cinema as a form of protest against the policies pursued by the Popular Party before the 2004 election.
Die Stille will Bach - A dramatic analysis of the relationship between image and music, where the music is intended not only as accompaniment to the picture, but as the subject of the narrative itself. The film comes from a musical structure already defined via works by Bach and Mendelssohn.
Mudanza – for 20 minutes, the visitors of the Garcia-Lorca museum in Granada assist to the emptying of the house of all furniture and art pieces; the result, paradoxically, is a show that is not alienating viewers but brings them closer to the poet's personality.
Uno de aquellos - the latest creation of the Spanish filmmaker and, at the same time, one of the most ambitious: an audible and visual illustration of the lyrics from the same title song performed by musician Juan Manuel Serrat.
MECEFF – Medias Central European Film Festival is organized by Ecran Cinema Management, the Medias Town Hall, the Ministry of Culture, CNC, and the Tarnave Region
Co-producer: TVR
Website: www.meceff.ro
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/MeCEFF
Main partners: ROMGAZ, Luxten, Kromberg & Schubert
Supporters: BACHMANN, The Federation of Romania-based Jewish Communities, Ambient.
With the support of: Magyar Institute in Bucharest, Polish Institute in Bucharest, The Slovak Embassy, The National Center for Jewish Film, The Austrian Cultural Forum, The Slovenian Embassy, Czech Centre, The Cervantes Institute.
Media partners: Nova TV, Monitorul de Mediaș, Mediaș news, Mediaș news Blog, Adevărul Verde-n Față, Feri Teglas Blog, Tango, revistatango.ro, Aarc.ro, Cinemagia, Film New Europe, CinemaRx, Liternet, Cinefan, Film Reporter, Blog de Cinema, România Pozitivă, infestival.ro, ArtActMagazine, Studentie.ro, Observator Cultural, infestival.ro
