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Dear Amigos,
I'm excited to present another diverse
and rewarding programme of Spanish
cinema in 2008, a line-up of vibrant,
polemical, artful and beautiful films.
Some tell intimate, human stories
focused on local issues, while
others reveal transnationals cultural
landscapes. The make-up of the
productions themselves attest to
this: Spanish co-productions with
Argentina, Morocco & Ecuador show
global collaboration, while a Chilean
director working in Barcelona, and
Spanish producers working in Latin
America and Europe, demonstrate
that borders and boundaries are no
longer cultural markers. In celebrating
the culture of other Spanish-speaking
countries, we are supporting the aim
and mission of our new presenting
sponsor, The Instituto Cervantes.
Although Spain has an industry
with very well established international
filmmakers, we are also proud of
having a vibrant and active film
industry that supports new talent. For
its 11 years, the Spanish Film Festival
has proudly showcased these new
directors, providing opportunities for
young filmmakers to be discovered
by Australian audiences. 2008 is no
exception. The sensational film we
have chosen for the closing night The
Orphanage attests to the exciting
work of first-time directors, who
represent almost half the films in this
year's programme.
We continue to bring you the
Festival favourites - the LIFE IS TOO SHORT programme of award-winning
short films; a special programme for
children and the tribute to Argentina
Our spotlight section this year is
dedicated to one of the great Spanish
actresses, Maribel Verdú, showcasing
the richness of her career, from our
opening night film, Seven Billiards
Tables which earned Verdú the
2008 Goya for Best Actress, to the
wonderful, Academy Award-winning
Belle Epoque.
It has been the vision of the
Spanish Film Festival over the
last 11 years to bring to Australian
audiences the modern face of Spain,
as reflected through our cinema, to
offer audiences a selection of the
renowned and respected filmmakers
and actors, alongside the new faces in
the industry.
In this highly competitive industry
dominated by big productions and
million dollar budgets, it's sometimes
easy to overlook the small films and
lesser-known names, who with the
right audience, can and will one day
be the international stars of years to
come. What the films in this year's
selection share with their betterknown
commercial cousins, lies at
the heart and soul of filmmaking: the
ability to tell a great story and to move
an audience. It's a passion that drives
the cinema and drives us to present
these films to you, year after year.
I hope you enjoy the programme I
have selected for you. Enjoy it!
Muchas Gracias!
Natalia Ortiz (Festival Director)
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