Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF)

Just when Autumn will be making its presence felt in increasingly dark evenings, the Filmhouse and The University of Edinburgh play host to the inaugural Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival.

Its programme, supported inter alios by University of Edinburgh and the Spanish Government, comprises 13 contemporary Spanish films with Spanish film directors who will introduce some of the screenings including the 2014 Goya winner Fernando Franco, director of Wounded who will discuss his film following the first screening on Saturday the 11th October. Other film screenings over the festival include The Wishful Thinkers, A Gun in Each Hand and Chinese Take-Away.

The opening film is In a Foreign Land, the British premiere of a documentary about Spanish immigrants in Edinburgh that had its world première film at the Saint Sebastian Film Festival. The three screenings will be presented by Edinburgh based Icíar Bollaín.

The festival includes a programme for schools on with Tad the Lost Explorer for Primary on Wednesday 8th, and of the fiction film 15 Years and a Day on Thursday and Friday mornings 9th and 10th for Secondary that is followed by a talk Teenagers in Spanish by Dr Sarah Wright from Royal Holloway University of London which encourages student participation. The event on Friday 10th will be also followed by a screening of In a Foreign Land.

ESFF is also delighted to welcome the world renowned chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, who is chef and patron of the restaurant Mugaritz, claimed to be the 6th best in the world. Aduriz will introduce the film Mugaritz BSO and hold a Q & A session after the screening that will be followed by a Brugal Rum Cocktail Tasting! Tickets for this event will be ONLY available online at http://edinburghspanishfilmfestival.com/events-2/

Friday 11th sees a double bill of feminist films, the documentary I Decide, The Train of Freedom and romantic comedy Born to Suffer followed by a talk and open discussion on Women and Sexuality in Society by Dr Bernard Bentley from The University of St. Andrews.

ESFF Curator Marian A. Aréchaga, says:

“This is a festival for everybody interested in cinema and Spanish and Latin American culture. Our programme comprises thirteen contemporary Spanish films with an emphasis on young and talented directors such as Fernando Franco and Jonás Trueba, without forgetting the well-established directors Icíar Bollaín, Cesc Gay and Gracia Querejeta. Our aim in selecting these films has been to include something for everyone, from children and young people to the most seasoned cinema buffs. I hope this year’s ESFF will be a perfect start to the autumn season and a reason for lots of people to meet up, make new friends and see some memorable Spanish films.”
Instead of shutting the curtains against the night, check out the Autumn fare in this new film festival.

8th to the 12th of October 2014
For further details please contact: [email protected]
www.edinburghspanishfilmfestival.com