The 60th edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Films in Progress section with a cycle jointly organised with the San Telmo Museum recovering some of the films presented over the decade.
Created in 2002 thanks to joint collaboration between the San Sebastian Festival and the Rencontres Cinémas d'Amérique Latine in Toulouse, Films in Progress was born to support Latin American film production through aid to the completion of films at the post-production stage. A series of titles from Latin American countries selected by both festivals are presented to a group of professionals with a view to obtaining different types of aid to post-production.
Ever since its first edition, Films in Progress has permitted the completion of outstanding Latin American films that have later been presented and landed awards at major international festivals. Some of today’s most reputed Latin American filmmakers have participated in this section: Ana Katz, Celina Murga, Tristán Bauer, Federico Veiroj, Julio Hernández Cordón, Rigoberto Perezcano, Jorge Durán, Ciro Guerra and Sebastián Silva, among many others.
IN PROGRESS. TEN YEARS WITH LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA recovers 18 of the most important titles from among all those screened at San Sebastian in these 10 years. These are 18 movies completed thanks to the Films in Progress workshop which later went on to feature on programmes and win awards at international festivals across the world.
Films in Progress San Sebastian has been possible thanks to the support of the following companies and institutions:
Casa de América, Estudios EXA, Embajada de Francia en España, Instituto Cervantes, Kodak (División de Cine Profesional), La Luna Titra, Madrid Film, Madpix, Molinare, No Problem Sonido, Programa Ibermedia, RF Sonido, Signis, Titra Film, Fnac España/Clubcultura, TechnicolorEntertainmentServicesSpain, Conaculta-Imcine, Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA), Ministério da Cultura do Brasil, Mediapro/Versátil Cinema, Interreg III A Francia-España, Gobierno Vasco-Dirección de Economía y Planificación, Bruesa, TVE, Programa Operativo de Cooperación Territorial España/Francia/Andorra (POCTEFA), Agencia Española de Cooperación para el Desarrollo (AECID), Best Digital, Dolby Iberia, Nephilim producciones, Mediamundus, Cine Sin Fronteras (CSF), Vértigo Films, Imasblue, Daniel Goldstein, DeluxeSpain, Laserfilm Cine y Video, Film Tank, Tiburón Producciones, McCormick de México, IDN.
Films in Progress Toulouse has been possible thanks to the support of the following companies and institutions:
Ateliers du Cinéma Européen (ACE), Caisse Centrale d’Activités Sociales (CCAS), Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée (CNC), CINÉ+, Cine Le Latina, Cinéfondation, Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’Art et Essai (CICAE), Conseil Général de la Haute Garonne, Conseil Régional Midi-Pyrénées, CROUS de Toulouse, Cultures France, Délégation Générale à la Langue Française et aux Langues de France (DGLFLF), École Supérieure d’Audio Visuel (ESAV), Embajada de Francia, EP2C-Postproduction training programme, Europa Distribution, Festival de Cine de Guadalajara, FNAC France, Fondation Groupama Gan pour le Cinéma, La Trame, Mac Guff, Mediavision, Mactari, Mairie de Toulouse, Marché du Film, Radio France International (RFI), SACEM, Signis, Télérama, TitraTVS, Union Latine.
THE FILMS IN THE CYCLE
FUERA DE JUEGO (OFFSIDE, Ecuador, 2002), Víctor Arregui
Juan, a young boy from a poor family stricken by timidity and unrequited love is driven to crime to fulfil a dream: to leave his country and try his luck in Spain. Industry Award at Films in Progress 2 (San Sebastian, 2002), participated in the Zabaltegi-New Directors competition at the 51st San Sebastian Festival (2003).
EL CIELITO (LITTLE SKY, Argentina, 2003), María Victoria Menis
Felix starts work on a small farm for a couple who live with their year-old son, Chango. A tense, silent family violence rises to the surface accompanied by a passion born with equal strength. Participant in Films in Progress 4 (2003) and presented in the Official Selection at the 52nd edition of the Festival (2004), where it landed the Arte, Futur Talent Signis and CICAE awards.
LA SOMBRA DEL CAMINANTE (THE WANDERER’S SHADOW, Colombia, 2003), Ciro Guerra
Mañe has lost a leg. He can’t find a job or pay his rent and has to bear the brunt of his neighbours’ jibes. One day he meets a‘chair man’ who makes a living carrying people on his back. Industry Award and Casa de América Award at Films in Progress 4 (2003). Competitor for the Zabaltegi-New Directors Award at the 52nd San Sebastian Festival in 2004 and at the Toulouse Festival, where it landed the Audience Award.
CINEMA, ASPIRINAS E URUBUS (CINEMA, ASPIRINS AND VULTURES, Brazil, 2004), Marcelo Gomes
A young German boy travels the deserted regions of north-eastern Brazil in the 40s with a load of aspirins to relieve pain and films to light the fantasies of those who approach his truck. Presented in Films in Progress 6 (San Sebastian, 2004) and the following year in the “Un Certain Regard” section at the Cannes Festival, competitor in the “Horizontes Latinos” section of the 53rd San Sebastian Festival (2005).
ILUMINADOS POR EL FUEGO (BLESSED BY FIRE, Argentina, 2004), Tristán Bauer
Two men among the contingent of troops sent by Argentina’s military dictatorship to recover control of the Falkland Islands meet again twenty years down the line and reminisce on their odyssey. Winner of Films in Progress 6 (San Sebastian, 2004), competitor in the Official Selection at the 53rd San Sebastian Festival (2005), where it won the Special Jury Award, and winner of the Goya for Best Spanish Language Foreign Film in 2006.
É PROIBIDO PROIBIR (FORBIDDEN TO FORBID, Brazil, 2005), Jorge Durán
Close friends Leon, a sociology student, and Paulo, a doctor-to-be, share a room. Meeting the terminally ill Rosalina, the youngsters find themselves thrown head first into the city violence. Industry and Signis Awards at Films in Progress 8 (San Sebastian, 2005), participant in Zabaltegi-New Directors at the 54th San Sebastian Festival (2006).
EL BAÑO DEL PAPA (THE POPE’S TOILET, Uruguay-Brazil-France, 2005), Enrique Fernández and César Charlone
In Melo, a miserable Uruguayan town where people scrape by on contraband dealings with the nearby Brazilian border, news of the first visit by a pope to the area has the locals dreaming of becoming rich thanks to the thousands of visitors expected. Following its participation in Films in Progress 8 (San Sebastian, 2005), it was the winner of Films in Progress 9 (Toulouse, 2006), after which it participated in the “Un Certain Regard” section at Cannes Festival and “Horizontes Latinos” at the 55th San Sebastian Festival (2007).
EL VIOLÍN (THE VIOLIN, Mexico, 2005), Francisco Vargas
The double life of Don Plutarco, his son Genaro and grandson Lucio, poor rural musicians who support the peasant rebel movement to overthrow the tyrannical government. Originally presented as a short in Films in Progress 7 (Toulouse, 2005) and completed as a feature film for the 8th edition (San Sebastian 2005), where it won the Casa de America, CICAE and Signis awards. It went on to participate in the “Un Certain Regard” section at Cannes Festival and in the “Horizontes Latinos” section at the 54th San Sebastian Festival (2006), where it landed a jury mention.
UNA NOVIA ERRANTE (A STRAY GIRLFRIEND, Argentina, 2006), Ana Katz
Ines and her boyfriend are on their way to enjoy a short holiday, but he suddenly disappears at one of the bus stops. Now Ines has to spend her days alone while trying to get back the man she loves. Second feature written, directed and starred by Ana Katz, winner of the Industry Award at Films in Progress 10 (San Sebastian, 2006), participated in the “Un Certain Regard” section at the Cannes Festival in 2007 and opened the “Horizontes Latinos” section at the 55th San Sebastian Festival.
GASOLINA (GASOLINE, Guatemala, 2007), Julio Hernández Cordón
Every night, three middle-class teenagers leave the safety of their estate for a high-octane joyride on stolen petrol. Industry, CICAE and Casa de America Awards at Films in Progress 12 (San Sebastian, 2007), participated the following year at the Locarno Festival and in the “Horizontes Latinos” section of the 56th San Sebastian Festival, from which it carried off first prize.
UNA SEMANA SOLOS (A WEEK ALONE, Argentina, 2007), Celina Murga
A group of kids and teenagers are left at home alone when their parents go off on summer holidays. Their routine is interrupted with the arrival of the maid’s younger sibling. The second feature from Celina Murga participated in Films in Progress 12 (San Sebastian, 2007) and was selected for Venice Festival in 2008.
LA NANA (THE MAID, Chile, 2008), Sebastián Silva
Raquel, a servant, has spent more than half her life working for a wealthy family in Santiago and considers her position in the household to be hers and hers alone. One of the big surprises at Films in Progress 14 (San Sebastian, 2008), later screened and presented with awards at numerous international festivals (Sundance, Havana, Guadalajara, Viña del Mar, Huelva, etc.).
NORTEADO (THE CALL OF THE NORTH,Mexico, 2008), Rigoberto Perezcano
Andres, a peasant from Oaxaca, heads for Tijuana with the intention of illegally crossing the border into the USA. His repeated attempts at crossing are frustrated, but Andres refuses to give up. Winner of Films in Progress 14 (San Sebastian, 2008), TVE Award, Casa de America Award and competitor in the Zabaltegi-New Directors section at the 57th edition of the Festival (2009).
LA VIDA ÚTIL (A USEFUL LIFE, Uruguay, 2009), Federico Veiroj
Jorge has worked all his life at the Montevideo film archive. When the institution has to close its doors, he finds himself out of work and has to start a new life. Industry Award at Films in Progress 16 (San Sebastian, 2009), competitor in Zabaltegi-New Directors at the 58th San Sebastian Festival (2010), where he landed a jury special mention. Subsequently won several awards in different international competitions.
LUCÍA (LUCIA,Chile, 2009), Niles Jamil Atallah
Portrait of a generation as it struggles to recover from the wounds of the Chilean dictatorship through the story of Lucia, a factory seamstress, and her elderly father. Presented at Films in Progress 16 (San Sebastian, 2009), participated in the Zabaltegi-New Directors competition at the 58th San Sebastian Festival (2010), at the Bratislava Festival and at the Rotterdam Festival in 2011.
ROMPECABEZAS (THE PUZZLE,Argentina-France, 2009), Natalia Smirnoff
Maria del Carmen is a middle-class mother who suddenly discovers her exceptional talent for doing puzzles, opening the door to a whole new world. Casa de America Award at Films in Progress 16 (San Sebastian, 2009), competed in the official selection at the Berlin Festival, at Guadalajara, the BAFICI and in the “Horizontes Latinos” section of the 58th San Sebastian Festival (2010).
ENTRE LA NOCHE Y EL DÍA (BETWEEN NIGHT AND DAY, Mexico, 2010), Bernardo Arellano
Francisco, autistic, lives with his brother Victor, his sister-in-law Silvia and his nephew Bruno, who treat him more like a servant than a member of the family. Silvia wants rid of him and takes him to live the countryside, where he discovers a whole new world. Winner of the Films in Progress 18 Award (San Sebastian, 2010) and participant in the “Horizontes Latinos” section at the 59th San Sebastian Festival (2011).
TODOS TUS MUERTOS (ALL YOUR DEAD ONES, Colombia, 2010), Carlos Moreno
One morning, Salvador makes his way to work in the fields, only to find them occupied by a pile of bodies. But it’s election time in his town and the authorities want nothing to do with the matter. Following its participation in Films in Progress 18 (San Sebastian, 2010), the film competed in the “Horizontes Latinos” section of the 59th San Sebastian Festival (2011), after having been presented at important festivals including Sundance, Rotterdam and Cartagena de Indias.
Thematic retrospective
Under more generic, allegorically-entitled headings, the Festival has grouped together films not commonly offered (even in specialised sections) and which, nevertheless, deserve filmgoersí attention. Based on this philosophy, a number of cycles have seen the light, including "The Guys in the Photo", "Forgotten Films"; "You Only Live Once", "The Best 100 Years in our Lives", "The European Adventure", "Spanish Cinema Discoveries", "The Red Nightmare", "A Long Absence", the two editions dedicated to post-war Italian comedy, entitled "Hunger, Humour and Fantasy" and "The Boom Italian-Style", or "The TV Generation", "It Happened yesterday", "50 from the 50s", "Amongst friends and neighbours", "Incorrect@s", "Rebellious and untamed", "Emigrants", "Cold Fever", "Japanese Film Noir", "Backswash; curring edge of french cinema", ".doc – New paths of non-fiction", "American Way of Death: American film noir 1990-2010", "Digital Shadows: Last genration chinese film" last of these cycles.
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