Countdown to the 20th Seville European Film Festival (SEFF): dates and featured films
The reception of the Latin Grammy put in check the celebration of the Seville European Film Festival (SEFF), and also in what would be the twentieth edition of a contest already consolidated as a reference for the cinematography of the old continent. A coincidence of dates that made it practically impossible for the city to be prepared for two events of such magnitude at the same time. Not without suspense, the festival will finally take place from this Thursday, November 23 to Wednesday, November 29.
Six days of cinema plus the opening galaon the 23rd, with the best European cinema in which 66 feature films and 21 shorts will be screened. Naturally, the official section stands out, a selection of films with important nominations at the European Film Academy (EFA) awards, the new waves and the promotion of the Andalusian Panorama section.
The Royal Artillery Factory will host the opening ceremony and will pay tribute to the late journalist, poet and film enthusiast Juan Antonio Bermúdez, responsible for the Panorama Andaluz section and considered the alma mater of the contest. He died on November 14, 2022, two days after the closing of last year’s edition.
Official Section
With 23 feature films selected, we start with truly irresistible titles such as To simmer of Tràn Anh Hùngthe Vietnamese filmmaker living in France, in which the director of The smell of green papaya mixes cooking and overflowing sensuality with the help of its leading couple, Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel. Award for best direction at Cannes and is also France’s representative at the Oscars.
No less expectation for The book of solutionsthe new of Michael Gondry, proposing a guide of useful practical advice for countless problems. With The promised land the danish Nikolaj Arcel will place us in an epic set in 1755 starring Mads Mikkelsen, and it is the one selected by Denmark for the Oscars. AND I, Captain of Matteo Garrone brings us a more current theme, the drama of African migrants, Silver Lion for best director in Venice and Italy’s candidate for the Oscars.
More films with renowned filmmakers with the documentary Anselm of Wim Wenders, Club Zero from the Austrian Jessica Hausner and his dystopia about food, The last summer of the french Catherine Breillat, The bête by the Frenchman Bertrand Bonello (best actress award at the Valladolid festival for Léa Seydoux) or the drama about pedophilia a silence from the belgian Joachim Lafosse.
They are not going to leave the western indifferent either Eureka of Lisandro Alonso and a Viggo Mortensen who returns to work under the orders of the Argentine director. Or the stylized neo noir in black and white The universal theory from German Timm Krogeran enigmatic quantum mechanics thriller, and The packs from the moroccan Kamal LazraqJury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section.
Also in the official section: crossing from Dutch Jacqueline van Vugt, Midwives of the french Lea Fehner, Music from the veteran German actress and director Angela Schanelec, The bête dans la jungle from the Austrian Patrick Chiha and Whe It Meltsdebut feature of the flamenco actress Veerle Baetens (the protagonist of Alabama Monroe).
Official section: the Spanish representation
The blue star It is the debut feature of the Zaragoza native Javier Macipea biopic inspired by the rocker Mauricio Aznar and his trip to Latin America in the 90s that enthused in San Sebastián after his time in the New Directors section. Also Pablo Berger He has walked through several competitions, leaving the public speechless with his wonder of animation. Robot Dreamsa story of friendship between a dog and a robot.
The co-production Animal/Human from Italian Alessandro Pugno narrates two parallel trajectories, that of an Italian boy who dreams of being a bullfighter and that of a gentle calf destined to be a fighting bull; It seems inevitable that his destinies will cross one day in the ring. Philip of the debutant Federico Schmukler It is a co-production between Argentina, Spain, Guatemala and Mexico. Especially at night It is the debut of the Bilbao native Victor Iriarte (prize for best direction at the Cinespaña Festival in Toulouse), a co-production between Spain, Portugal and France. AND Hesitation Wound from Turkish Selman Nacar It is a co-production between Türkiye, Spain, Romania and France.
EFA Selection
between the movies that have received the most nominations at the European Film Academy Awards (the awards gala will take place on December 9 in Berlin) we will find the winner of the Palme d’Or in Cannes, the celebrated Anatomy of a fall of the french Justine Triet. Also Fallen Leaves from Finnish Aki Kaurismäkiwinner of the jury award at Cannes and the FIPRESCI award from international critics. How to Have Sex from the London-based director Molly Manning-Walker (and with one of its actresses, Mia McKenna-Bruce, nominated for best actress at the EFA) or The chimera of the Italian Alice Rohrwacher.
Spanish representation with Acherona 27-minute short film by the Sevillian Manuel Muñoz Rivas and Slow from the Lithuanian Marija Kavtaradzeco-production between Lithuania, Spain and Sweden.
Andalusian panorama
Together with the official competition section, it is the largest section with 19 feature films which include fiction films and documentaries. For example, the most recent from Andalusian authors, such as Dream and bread from Cordoba Luis “Soto” Muñoza radical proposal around the classic theme of quinqui cinema, or Mamacruzof Patricia Ortega and presented at Sundance. There are also international co-productions, such as Liuben from Bulgarian Venci Kostovor the works of debutantes such as Hugo Ruiz with One night with Adelastarring Laura Galan (Little pig).
Of the selection, the best-known title, after passing through the Sitges Festival, is the rural thriller with fantastic overtones The wait of Francisco Javier Gutierrezand which has also swept the recent Calavera Island Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival awards.
Among the documentaries, Break Nation of David Parejaa journey through 90s breakbeat electronic music, or The Singla of Paloma Zapatacentered on the figure of the flamenco dancer and actress Antonia Singla Contreras.
From new waves to classics
In the most radical section of Nuevas Olas titles such as The love scam of the Barcelonan Virginia García del Pino, Samsara from Vigo Lois Patino inviting us to meditation and On the go of the andalusians Gisele Royo and Julia de Castroa road movie which obtained the special mention at the Locarno Festival.
In family cinema four feature films, including Tony, Shelly and the magic lantern by the Czech animator and cartoonist Filip Pošivač made with puppets using the stop-motion technique. And in Panorama Andaluz short films 24 selected works.
In Restored Classics two titles belonging to the silent films of the 1920s. Giants and big headeds of Florian Rey from 1926 and the 38-minute short documentary The olive industry of Pedro Pellicera. And in the Retrospective dedicated to Victor Ericescreening of his most recent film, the acclaimed Close the eyes with Manolo Solo, Jose Coronado and Ana Torrent.
Meetings with the public
In addition, there will be discussions with the director Pablo Berger (on Friday the 24th), Carlota Peredadirector of Little pig and The hermitage and the French filmmaker Catherine Breillat (both on Sunday the 26th).
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