The Spanish Film Festival announced its 15th programme today. Screening a select programme of the best in contemporary cinema from Spain and Latin America, the festival presents 22 acclaimed feature films across a wide range of genres, with a multitude of Australian Premieres.
Salma Hayek shines in the Opening Night film – As Luck Would Have It (La chispa de la vida, Spain 2011) a visually stunning contemporary satire – from the 2012 Berlinale and named the jewel of the Tribeca Film Festival by Indiewire – about an out-of-work renowned advertising executive who suffers an accident and plans to sell the exclusive interview rights to the highest bidder in an attempt to provide for his family. A 15th birthday fiesta with drinks, canapés and a live salsa band will follow the Opening Night screening.
The sharp selection includes films from the recent editions of Spain’s own San Sebastian and Málaga Film Festivals, as well as films from many more of the world’s premier film festivals including the very recent 2012 Berlin, Tribeca, and Sundance Film Festivals. Also confirmed is Spain’s biggest domestic box office opener of all time, Torrente 4, and the biggest Goya Award (Spanish Oscar) winner of 2012, No Rest for the Wicked, which beat Almodovar’s The Skin I Live In to take out awards in 6 major categories.
Closing Night will treat Australia to the insomnia-provoking psychological thriller Sleep Tight (Mientras duermes, Spain 2011) starring a pitch-perfect Luis Tosar (Cell 211, 18 Meals, Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits of Control) as an apartment block concierge in Barcelona who turns on the inhabitants after dark, from Jaume Balaguero, director of the ground-breaking REC.
FESTIVAL DATES:
Sydney 4 – 15 July Palace Norton Street & The Chauvel
Melbourne 5 – 15 July Palace Cinema Como & Kino Cinemas
Brisbane 11 – 22 July Palace Centro
Adelaide 12 – 22 July Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Perth 19 – 26 July Cinema Paradiso
Full festival information available from www.spanishfilmfestival.com very soon.
The Complete List of films includes:
- AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT (La chispa de la vida, Spain 2011)
- CAPTAIN THUNDER AND THE HOLY GRAIL (Capitan Trueno y el Santo Grial, Spain 2011)
- CHINESE TAKE AWAY (Un cuento chino, Argentina/Spain 2011)
- COUSINHOOD (Primos, Spain 2010)
- DARK IMPULSE (Lo major de Eva, Spain 2011)
- EXPIRATION DATE (Fecha de Caducidad, Mexico 2011)
- FISHERMAN (Pescador, Ecuador/Colombia 2011)
- MADRID, 1987 (Spain, 2011)
- MY FIRST WEDDING (Mi Primera Boda, Argentina 2011)
- NO REST FOR THE WICKED (No habra paz para los malvados, Spain 2011)
- SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ (Salvando al Soldado Perez, Mexico 2011)
- SIX POINTS ABOUT EMMA (Seis puntos sobre Emma, Spain 2012)
- SLEEP TIGHT (Mientras duermes, Spain 2011)
- SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA (Copito de Nieve, Spain 2011)
- STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT (Extraños en la noche, Argentina 2012)
- THE BAD INTENTIONS (Las malas intenciones, Perú/Arg./Ger. 2011)
- THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE (Lo contrario al amor, Spain 2011)
- TORRENTE 4 (Spain 2011)
- UNIT 7 (Grupo 7, Spain 2012)
- WIDOWS (Viudas, Argentina, 2011)
- WINNING STREAK (The Pelayos, Spain 2012)
- WRINKLES (Arrugas, Spain 2011)
