Spanish cinema shines in Nantes

by Fabien Lemercier

15/03/2012 - Over 50 guests will join the West of France for the 22th edition of the Nantes Spanish Film Festival (from March 15 to 27) to be opened by the caustic As Luck would Have It [trailer, film focus] by Álex de la Iglesia, a director who will be honoured in person at the event through the screening of six of his films.

The main competition for the Jules Verne Jury Award will include Madrid 1987 [trailer] by David Trueba (recently screened at Sundance in the World Dramatic section), the poignant Don't Be Afraid [trailer, film focus] (No tengas miedo) by Montxo Armendáriz, The Sleeping Voice [trailer] (La voz dormida) by Benito Zambrano (unveiled at San Sebastian - read the review - and awarded three Goya 2012 awards, notably for best supporting actress and most promising actress), Iceberg [trailer] by Gabriel Velázquez (discovered in February in Rotterdam - review), and Katmandú, un espejo en el cielo [trailer] (lit. "Kathmandu, a mirror in the sky") by Icíar Bollaín (read the interview).

The Opera Prima competition section will notably present two much-talked-about films: the futuristic Eva [trailer] by Kike Maillo (well-received out of competition in Venice - read the article - to be released in France on March 21 by Wild Bunch Distribution) and the animation feature Wrinkles [trailer, film focus] by Ignacio Ferreras (winner at the 2012 Goya in its category, and for best adapted scenario). Also to be screened are Bi anai (lit. "Two brothers") by Imanol Rayo (discovered at the last San Sebastián Film Festival), Urteberri on, amona! [trailer] (lit. "Happy New Year, Grandma!") by Telmo Esnal, and the collective film Puzzled love.

A Fantasy Night will include Spanish blockbuster Torrente 4 [trailer] by Santiago Segura, a zombie hunt in Juan de los muertos [trailer] (lit. "John of the dead") by Alejandro Burgués and Intruders [trailer, film focus] by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo with an all-star European cast including Clive Owen, Carice van Houten, Daniel Brühl, and Pilar López de Ayala.

Also in the programme will be a Town and Cinema selection with, among others, Five Meters Square [trailer, film focus] by Max Lemcke, Futures Market by Mercedes Álvarez and Medianeras [trailer] (lit. "Sidewalls") by Gustavo Taretto. Finally, the festival will close with the very worrying Sleep Tight [trailer] by Jaume Balagueró.

(Translated from French)