ZinemaldiaCAT, a window to Basque cinema in Cataluña
2019/03/06
Euskara. Kultura. Mundura.
Basque cinema will once again have a space in Cataluña. The Basque Centre in Barcelona, with support from the Etxepare Basque Institute and the Azkue Foundation, has organised the 14th edition of the Basque film festival ZinemaldiaCat. Held this year from March 14th to 17th, the event will take place at the Cinemes Girona theatres, and will include by talks by directors, films of all kinds, and award presentations, among other surprises.
Basque cinema will once again have a space in Cataluña. The Basque Centre in Barcelona, with support from the Etxepare Basque Institute and the Azkue Foundation, has organised the 14th edition of the Basque film festival ZinemaldiaCat. Held this year from March 14th to 17th, the event will take place at the Cinemes Girona theatres, and will include by talks by directors, films of all kinds, and award presentations, among other surprises.
The roster for this year’s ZinemaldiaCat has already been announced. The opening night will feature two films. Dantza, directed by Telmo Esnal, reflects on the cycle of life through dance, and Oreina, directed by Koldo Almandoz, tells the story of Khalil, a young man without roots who has fallen on hard times. Both directors will be present at the opening. This year, however, only documentaries films will be up for awards this year, four of which will compete for the major award:
Margolaria (The Painter), directed by Oier Aranzabal. March 15th at 10 p.m. The film will be presented by the director.
This is the story of a journey which starts when the artist Alain Urrutia offers a canvas as a gift to the musician Mikel Urdangarin, during a Skype conversation. There is one condition: Urdangarin must go to London by ferry to pick it up. The journey is the thread that weaves together Greek myths and concerts with huge audiences, as we discover the everyday life of an artist: the alchemy of creation, the sweat and tears of powerlessness, the shadow of failure, and the loneliness of fame. A journey whose end becomes a starting point.
Muga deitzen da Pausoa (Stepping into the Boundary) directed by Maider oleaga. March 16th, at 6 p.m.
Two women meet at an apartment, but only one is actually living: the filmmaker. The other is Elvira Zipitria, a woman who ran the first clandestine Basque language school in that apartment during the Franco dictatorship – and who died in 1982.
Jainkoak ez dit barkatzen (God doesn’t forgive me) directed by Josu Martinez. March 16th at 8 p.m.
He saved 900 lives, tried to kill Franco, and smuggled millions of weapons into the port of Bilbao. He came up with a plan for the Basques to have their own state. Lezo Urreiztieta tells us about his life 37 years after his death.
Young & Beautiful by Marina Lameiro. March 17th at 8 p.m.
Four 30-somethings have doubts about their past, present and future. They neither understand nor accept the laws of society.
Representing short films, five works that form the 2018 Kimuak catalogue (a programme fostered by the Etxepare Basque Institute and the Basque Film Archive) will also be screened at the festival: Ama (Mother) by Josu Martinez, Espedizio Handia (The Great Expedition) by Iban del Campo, Kafenio Kastello by Miguel Ángel Jiménez, No me despertéis (Don’t Wake Me Up) by Sara Fantova and Zain (Waiting) by Pello Gutierrez.
The Basque Centre of Barcelona has been the Basque cultural reference in Barcelona and Cataluña since it was created in 1979. You can find further information about ZinemaldiaCat and how to get tickets here.
