You don’t have to be Spanish to appreciate the feast of film at this year’s Spanish Film Festival. Indeed, not all the films are Spanish, although they are in variations of the language.
Consider the Argentinian true crime story, A SINGULAR CRIME from Director, Lucas Combina.
Set in 1980 Argentina, the news of John Lennon’s assassination is devastating to two jurists who are presently pursuing a case of apparent kidnapping.
A wealthy businessman has gone missing, a ransom has been issued, a disgraced lawyer is under surveillance.
These two mustached machismos, a sort of Starsky and Hutch stereotype of late Seventies sleuths, race against time, internal treachery, military interference and bare faced police corruption to try to solve the case which is entwined with intrigue, steeped in reprisal, and solvent in plain sight.
Gripping, and with an insight into the jilted jurisprudence of a country under a junta, A SINGULAR CRIME is just one of the many enticing presentations at this year’s Spanish Film Festival.
The highly anticipated Festival is celebrating 25 years in 2023 and befitting such a milestone, will be presenting a thirty-two-film strong lineup that offers exciting, inspiring and entertaining viewing from the region. The many highlights include a focus on Women in Filmmaking featuring the work of seven prominent Spanish and Latin American female directors, a comprehensive Carlos Saura retrospective, a Uruguayan documentary with an Australian connection and much, much more.
Opening this year’s festival is the Australian premiere of the delicious comedy TWO MANY CHEFS (La vida padre). Set in Bilbao’s world of high cuisine, this Spanish box office hit stars Karra Elejalde and Enric Auquer as a father and son whose unexpected reunion after thirty years apart puts their ideas about cooking and life to the test.
Festival Centrepiece ALCARRÀS has been a critical and audience success in Spain, taking home the coveted Golden Bear at Berlinale in 2022. Carla Simón’s personal and beautifully observed new ensemble drama follows a family of Catalonian farmers who, after generations harvesting the same land, face eviction and an uncertain future.
The 2023 Festival Retrospective Lord of Dance: A Focus on Carlos Saura showcases a selection of works from the legendary Spanish filmmaker who passed away earlier this year. Brimming with his vibrant passion for music, art and dance, this selection of Saura’s work displays the consummate filmmaker’s dedication to presenting and showcasing culture through creativity.
Sydney dates for the Spanish Film Festival are 20 June – 12 July:Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema.
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