London Spanish Film Festival: 23-29 September 2005 at Ciné Lumière

This is the only film festival in London dedicated exclusively to cinema from Spain, the festival is a selection of recent Spanish films and this first edition will include several UK premieres and encounters with directors, iconic actress Victoria Abril and one of the most important young actors in Spanish cinema, Eduardo Noriega.
The festival will showcase films from well-established directors such as Carlos Saura’s El séptimo día (The Seventh Day), a film based on a true story about an unrequited love, bitterness and revenge, and Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón’s La vida que te espera (The Live that Awaits You), an intense rural drama with murder and romance, which screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the director.
Alongside there will be films from new young directing talents: Jaime Rosales’ Las horas del día (The Hours of the Day), a brave and unique film winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, Joves (Youth), by Carles Torras and Ramon Termens, La flaqueza del bolchevique (The Weakness of the Bolshevik), by Manuel Martín Cuenca, and Síndrome (Syndrome), by Liberto Rabal, who will take part in a Q&A session after the screening together with main actress, Adriana Davidova.
Eduardo Noriega will attend the festival to talk about his film El Lobo (The Wolf) and director Felipe Vega will join us with Nubes de verano (Summer Clouds), an elegant film about infidelity treated with a delightful light touch.
Victoria Abril, one of Europe’s most popular actresses, will attend the closing night and give an exceptional on stage interview with Paul Ryan and Peter Evans (Professor of Hispanic Studies and Film Studies at Queen Mary, University of London) followed by a musical surprise. The program includes three of her many films: Saura’s El séptimo día (The Seventh Day), Pedro Almodóvar’s cult movie ¡Atame! (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!) and Incautos (Swindled), a stylish and gripping thriller by Miguel Bardem.

The London Spanish Film Festival is organised by:
Tristana Media Ltd.
in collaboration with:

with the support of:

Thanks to the sponsorship of:



For further information, please, contact Joana Granero - Tel: 07733 164 053
joana@londonspanishfilmfestival.com - www.londonspanishfilmfestival.com

PROGRAM
La flaqueza del bolchevique (The Weakness of the Bolshevik)
UK Pemiere  cert.15  video screening
Spain  2003  col  99mins  dir. Manuel Martín Cuenca, with Luis Tosar, María Valverde, Mar Regueras
After an incident in morning traffic, Pablo López is so infuriated by the other driver’s attitude that he begins a campaign of harassment against her. His behaviour seems to be spiralling out of control until he meets the beguiling María – his victim’s 15-year-old sister. A psychological drama, this is a film about two people who become involved in an intense, poetic relationship.
fri 23 sept  6.30  double bill  sun 25 sept  5.00pm  double bill
La vida que te espera (The Life that Awaits You)
UK Premiere  cert. 15  launch event
Spain  2004  col  111mins  dir. Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón, with Marta Etura, Luis Tosar, Juan Diego
Dairy farming is the only life that Gildo knows. But the murder of his neighbour undermines all the old certainties – for him and for his daughters. Aragón’s film is a stirring portrait of a world in transition; one in which two ways of life must struggle for supremacy.
Followed by a Q&A with director Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón and Dr. Isabel Santaolalla, Reader in Spanish, Roehampton University
fri 23 sept  9.00pm  double bill
The screening will be preceded by a reception open to the general public from 8.15pm. Wines kindly provided by Moreno Wines and Parxet and tapas by Navarro’s.
En la ciudad (In the City)
cert. 18
Spain  2003  col  117mins  dir. Cesc Gay, with Mónica López, Eduard Fernández, Alex Brendemühl
Excitement and danger have always drawn people to cities. When societal pressures require individuals to lead double lives, secrecy only intensifies these attractions. With an outstanding ensemble cast, Gay’s tale is a sharp portrait of intersecting lives and loves in the city he knows best, Barcelona.
sat 24 sept  3.45pm
El séptimo día (The Seventh Day)
cert. 18  video screening
Spain  2004  col  103mins  dir. Carlos Saura, with Juan Diego, Eulalia Ramón, Victoria Abril, José García, José Luis Gómez, Yohana Cobo
This is the astonishing true story of a 30-year family feud that finally exploded in 1990 and almost destroyed the entire village of Puerto Urraco. Tense and thoughtful, Saura’s film is an incisive examination of the insidious nature of collective exclusion, intolerance and consuming vengeance.
sat 24 sept  6.15pm  double bill
El Lobo (The Wolf)
Special Preview  cert. 18
Spain  2004  col  130mins  dir. Miguel Courtois, with Eduardo Noriega, José Coronado, Mélanie Doutley
El Lobo is based on the true story of a 1960s ETA infiltrator who caused more damage to the outfit than the Spanish police were ever capable of. To this day, ETA commandos each carry a single bullet designated for El Lobo.
Followed by a Q&A with main actor Eduardo Noriega
sat 24 sept  8.30pm  double bill
Las horas del día (The Hours of the Day)
cert. 18
Spain  2003  col  101mins  dir. Jaime Rosales, with Alex Brendemühl, Agata Roca, Vicente Romero
Abel’s humdrum life revolves around his small family business, his mother’s house, his girlfriend’s bed and the neighbourhood bars and cafés. However, under his pleasant, calm exterior, something has cracked, and has done so repeatedly. Las horas del día is a brave, unique and disconcerting film, avoiding any simplistic explanations for the behaviour of its protagonist and shot with elegant detachment.
sun 25 sept  7.00pm  double bill
Síndrome (Syndrome)
UK Premiere  cert.18
Spain 2004  col  99mins  dir. Liberto Rabal, with Adriana Davidova, Javier Albalá, William Miller
Syndrome is a small-budget film which aims high aesthetically. It was born out of the desire of the director and actors to investigate how a fictional story might be constructed from the starting point of uncompromising realism. What happens here is fiction, while how it happens is real. When Víctor discovers that he only has a few months to live, he decides to save Ana from her downward spiral of self-destruction.
Followed by a Q&A with director Liberto Rabal, actress Adriana Davidova and Dr. Parvati Nair, Senior Lecturer in Hispanic Studies, Queen Mary, University of London
tue 27 sept  8.30pm
Joves (Jóvenes, Youth)
UK Premiere  cert. 18
Spain  2004  col  105mins  Catalan and Spanish  dir. Carles Torras and Ramon Termens, with Roger Coma, Aina Clotet, Pau Roca
Jordi, a young broker, wants to succeed at all costs. Cristina just wants to have fun. Pau lacks all direction whatsoever. Composed of the intersecting stories of three disaffected young people, the film perfectly captures the mood of a generation facing an uncertain future.
wed 28 sept  6.30pm  double bill
Nubes de verano (Summer Clouds)
London Premiere  cert. 15
Spain  2004  col  106mins  Spanish and Catalan  dir. Felipe Vega, with Natalia Millán, Irene Montalà, Roberto Enríquez, David Selvas
Summer on the Costa Brava. During their fourth year at the same resort, Ana and Daniel become entangled in a web of deceit with three of the locals – Marta, Tomás and Robert. This elegant and thoughtful film finely balances the attractions and pitfalls of sexual infidelity.
Followed by a Q&A with director Felipe Vega
wed 28 sept  8.30pm  double bill
¡Atame! (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!)
cert. 18
Spain  1990  col  111mins  dir. Pedro Almodóvar, with Victoria Abril, Antonio Banderas, Loles León
Upon his release from a mental institution, Ricky tracks down Marina, a porn film star he once had sex with, and asks her to be his wife. She is a bit reluctant, so he ties her up. How will she react to this unconventional approach? Vintage Almodóvar.
thu 29 sept  6.00pm
Victoria Abril ‘in-conversation’
with Paul Ryan and Peter Evans, Professor of Hispanic Studies and Film Studies, Queen Mary, University of London
thu 29 sept  8.15pm
with special thanks to Hasta Siempre
Incautos (Swindled)
London Premiere  cert. 18
Spain/France  2004  col  115mins  dir. Miguel Bardem, with Ernesto Alterio, Victoria Abril, Federico Luppi
Ernesto, a small time crook, moves towards the big time when a meeting with El Manco leads to an alliance with the enigmatic Federico, the king of all con-men. Ernesto starts to hustle bankers, politicians and army generals. Life couldn’t be better… until the appearance of a certain Pilar.
thu 29 sept  9.00pm


Tickets: £7, conc. £5
Double bills: £9, conc. £7
Victoria Abril on-stage conversation + Incautos: £10, conc. £8
Video screenings: £5, conc. £4

Ciné lumière at the Institut français: 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2DT – www.institut-francais.org.uk

www.londonspanishfilmfestival.com