Festival of New Spanish Cinema at Vancity Theatre Vancouver, February 22-28, 2013

In his second year, the Festival of New Spanish Cinema consolidates itself as the most important itinerant festival of contemporary Spanish Cinema in North America. The Festival, which will take place at the Vancity Theatre in Vancouver from February 22 to 28 2013 is copresented by PRAGDA and the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa. It  will screen some of the riskiest and most innovative Spanish films of the year.

Selected films include  Madrid, 1987 (2011), a sensual and intelligent encounter by two very different generations directed by David Trueba; Wilaya (2011), a window into the lives of a Sahrawi family living in a Saharan refugee camp directed by Pedro Perez Rosado; The Double Steps (Los Pasos Dobles, 2011), Isaki Lacuesta’s gorgeously shot award-winning film; Sleep Tight (Mientras Duermes, 2011), the latest fright by mastermind of suspense Jaume Balagueró,  and Blancanieves (2012), this tribute to silent film is a brilliant retake of the Grimm fairy tale propelled by Flamenco rhythms that has multiple nominations for the 2013 Goya Awards.

Blancanieves

Directed by Diego Berger (2012)

Feb. 22 07:00 pm

  • A wildly imaginative re-invention of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Snow White, brought to life silent-movie style in gorgeous monochrome. Antonio, a famous matador, is gored by a bull; his wife dies during childbirth. Now crippled, Antonio marries his wicked nurse, who confines him to an upstairs room and treats his daughter, Blancanieves, like a lowly servant.

Sleep Tight

Directed by Jaume Balaguero

Feb 23 09:00 pm

Feb. 28 09:00 pm

Vancity Theatre, Vancouver

  • Toiling silently amongst the residents of an everyday Barcelona apartment building, doorman Cesar harbors a dark secret: his sole desire in life is to make others unhappy. When he sets his sights on Clara, one of his building’s cheeriest residents, his sick need blossoms into a full-fledged obsession.

The Double Steps

Directed by Isaki Lacuesta

Feb 24 08:20 pm

Feb. 28 09:00 pm

Vancity Theatre, Vancouver

  • The best way to escape from your pursuers without leaving any traces behind you is to walk backwards over your own footprints. This is what French artist and author François Augiéras believed as he painted every inch of the walls of a military bunker in the desert and let it sink into the sand so that no-one would find it till the 21st Century.

Madrid 1987

Directed by David Trueba

Feb 23 07:00 pm

Feb. 28 07:00 pm

Vancity Theatre, Vancouver

  • Sacristan and Valverde shine in David Trueba’s smart, sophisticated, sensual film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to great acclaim. On a hot summer day in a vacant Madrid during a period of social and political transition in Spain, Miguel, a respected journalist, sets up a meeting in a café with Ángela, a young journalism student.

Wilaya

Directed by Pedro Perez-Rosado

Feb 24 06:30 pm

Feb. 28 08:20 pm

Vancity Theatre, Vancouver

  • Fatimetu is born to a Sahrawi family in a Saharan refugee camp in Algeria and later sent to live with foster parents in Spain. After the death of her mother she returns to the camp. She has been absent for sixteen years. Her brother now expects her to stay and look after her sister Hayat, who has difficulty walking. Fatimetu, who unlike the other women can drive a car, finds work transporting animals, meat and bread from one administrative district to another.

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