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Eloy Enciso • Programme director, IBAFF

“It's been a good year for international arthouse movies”

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- Cineuropa spoke to Eloy Enciso, programme director of the IBAFF 2015, about this year's gathering

Eloy Enciso  • Programme director, IBAFF

Filmmaker Eloy Enciso (best known for his Arraianos [+see also:
trailer
interview: Eloy Enciso and Carlos Esbert
film profile
]
) is in charge of programming the sixth edition of the Murcia International Film Festival (IBAFF), which is taking place until 8 March. Cineuropa spoke to him about this year's gathering.

Cineuropa: How did you end up getting involved with this festival?
Eloy Enciso:
Three years ago, I came here as a member of the jury, and I was presenting a film as well; as a result, I got to know the festival team and we got talking, and that's how I got involved.

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What kind of energy motivates you when it comes to selecting the titles?
Basically, it's innovation: films, suggestions, authors and points of view that position themselves outside of the authorial comfort zone, and into another, more fragile one that is searching for something; it's that type of movie that has nothing to do with specific subject areas.

What's special about the programme for this edition?
The official section is especially strong this year: it's been a good year for international arthouse movies. Also, Ópera Prima is a section that the festival holds particularly dear because that's where you can get a feel for all the joy that this type of cinema will generate in the future.

How heavily does Europe feature in the programme?
There is a considerable Spanish presence, including films from all around the country. In fact, I don't think there are any Basque-language movies in this edition – there have been in previous editions – but the rest of the languages that are spoken in Spain are represented here. Then there are features from a lot of European countries, which have quite a considerable presence, and these, together with the titles from Latin America and the Caribbean, are the two most important groups under the spotlight at this festival.

What activities would you like to highlight for the 2015 edition?
First of all, the seminar that will be given by Pedro Costa, which will be a real privilege for the people of Murcia who are interested not only in making films, but also simply studying and thinking about film. And then there is the talk that is being organised for Saturday, where it will be very interesting to watch the brainstorming session – involving authors, programmers, critics and people who work in the field of cultural management for film – about the dangers and risks posed by the fact that movies are increasingly finding themselves relegated to being screened in specific spaces, galleries and festivals… To what extent is this “prestige” closing doors?

The programme is rounded off by documentaries, fiction and short films... In which of these fields do you see the most risk-taking and experimentation?
Each offering tackles areas of cinematic exploration in a different way. Although in general, it's easier to experiment in a short film, but in a feature film this risk has a higher value and deserves more credit, especially when a director with a considerable career behind him or her runs a risk and decides that the way to go on with the relationship that he or she has with film is through experimentation and risk-taking. It's “leaping with no safety net” – you have to take the plunge in each film, and I think there are some acclaimed actors and directors who never cease in their efforts to break new cinematic ground using a code or a language that has never been seen before.

What had to remain as mere intention and didn't come to pass in this edition?
The IBAFF has to improve, as it is a young festival and as such can get a great deal better. There are things that couldn't be done owing to the budget: I would have liked to have been able to bring over directors from countries in Asia, America and Africa: these film industries have a lot of potential and find themselves somewhat marginalised for geographical reasons.

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(Translated from Spanish)

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