10/04/2009

The border between film and contemporary art will once again be the focus of the International Meetings, to be held for the third consecutive year in Madrid, from April 16-25. A total of 150 artists will attend the event, which will present 200 works from over 60 countries.

The presence of so many artists makes the Meetings more than just a series of screenings: it is a true intercultural forum, a place for exchange between audiences, artists, directors, actors and other professionals in the cultural sector.

The programme of screenings is divided into two parts. The first is made up of three sections: Carte Blanche, in which three directors – Belgium’s Chantal Akerman, Portugal’s Pedro Costa and Armenia’s Artavazd Pelechian – will present a highly personal selection of their works; four Special Avant-premieres, including French director Philippe Grandrieux’s phenomenal film A Lake; and Key Moments, an innovative mix of videos, recent narrative works and documentaries.

The second part includes 23 screenings, featuring a varied selection of works, of different genres and audiovisual forms, but structured around a specific character or theme.

The Meetings will also host exhibitions, conferences, performances, master classes and workshops. The activities will take place in various locations in the Spanish capital, including the Reina Sofía National Museum of Contemporary Art and the Spanish Cinematheque.

The first edition of the Meetings was held in 1997, but Madrid only started taking part in 2007. Past participants have included eminent artists such as Jean-Luc Godard, Alexandre Sokourov, Carola Spadoni, Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub.

(Translated from Spanish)