The London Spanish Film Festival (LSFF) is back for its 16th edition, which will take place between the 22nd of September and the 3rd of October at the Ciné Lumière. The programme offers a unique selection of the finest cinema recently produced in Spain, including two special focuses on Catalan cinema and Basque cinema.
In 2009 the LSFF created the so-called Catalan Window, a section with recent Catalan productions that has become a benchmark event in the presentation of Catalan films and directors, producers and actors to the British public.
This year 2020, due to the sanitary crisis caused by COVID-19, Catalan directors will not travel to London to present their films, but rather the directors will present the films virtually.
Since the 2016 edition, the LSFF became a competitive festival, but an exception is made with films by directors who already have a well-established international recognition. This year the Jury who will award the Best Film prize is formed by Greta Scacchi, Peter Guttridge and Marco Gambino.
The 12th Catalan Window will include the following four films:
Ojos Negros, directed by Iván Alcaron, Ivet Castelo, Marta Lallana and Sandra García (2019, Nanouk Films).
With Julia Lallana, Alba Alcaine, Anna Sabaté.
A coming-of-age tale depicting a life enriched and challenged over a long, stifling summer, this highly emotional film packs a powerful punch and offers several moments of cinema magic.
Screening: wed. 23th September, 6.20pm, Ciné Lumière.
El sitio de Otto (A Place for Otto), directed by Oriol Puig (2019, Xavi Toll).
With Iñaki Mur, Emma Arquillué, Oriol Vila, Nora Navas.
After his father’s death, Otto tries to keep what he perceives as his position in his town and tries to do what is expected from him. The opera prima of Oriol Puig is a moving and nuanced story about the path to become an adult.
Screening: sat. 26th September, 4.45pm, Ciné Lumière.
Josep, directed by Aurel (2020, Imagic, Les Films d’Ici Méditerranée).
With Sergi López, Xavier Serrano, David Marsais, Alain Cauchi.
Josep is the debut of Aurel (Aurélien Froment), known for his illustrations for Le Monde and his graphic novels. This animation film on Catalan artist Josep Bartolí focuses mostly on his stay in a French concentration camp after the Spanish Civil War. An unmissable poetic view on the life of an artist and the forging of a friendship.
Screening: sun. 27th September, 5pm, Ciné Lumière.
L’ofrena (The Offering), directed by Ventura Durall (2020, Nanouk Films, Suica Films, Fasten Films, Bord Cadre Films & Freestudios)
With Verónica Echegui, Alex Brendemühl, Claudia Riera, Pablo Molinero
After directing several critically-acclaimed documentaries, Durall returns to fiction with Alex Brendemühl in a surprising, compulsive film about guilt, shame, and redemption.
Screening: tue. 29th September, 8.30pm, Ciné Lumière.
You can purchase your tickets either from the festival's or the cinema's websites.
LSFF’s Catalan Window has been organised with the support of Institut Ramon Llull.
