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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2002
Contact: Marta Sanchez
shortmetraje@earthlink.net

SHORTMETRAJE: SHORT FILMS BY NEW SPANISH MAKERS
AT LINCOLN CENTER & ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES

DECEMBER 5th-15th(November 25, 2002) SHORTMETRAJE presents a program of short films and videos by Spain’s next wave of independent filmmakers. The first series in New York to bring over 28 films from Spain’s burgeoning community, SHORTMETRAJE was organized in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Anthology Film Archive. Screenings will take place at the Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center, December 13th –15th,and the Anthology Film Archives, December 5th-8th. (For complete program information, visit www.shortmetraje.com.)
Contemporary Spanish cinema has captivated international audiences for its unique combination of entertaining melodrama, dry wit and sumptuous aesthetics. Continuing in this tradition, a new generation of filmmakers has emerged with a unique take on modern Spain and its changing cultural landscape. SHORTMETRAJE takes us into this world by highlighting the diversity and artistic innovations of Spain's emerging makers - a group set apart by their willingness to take risks and push the limits of their country's cinematic traditions.
Independently curated by Marta Sanchez, SHORTMETRAJE includes a variety of genres and styles through five diverse programs. Highlighting the series is First Shorts Make Large Names, a program of early works by Spain’s most prestigious and internationally acclaimed filmmakers, including Carlos Saura (Blood Wedding), Alejandro Amenabar (The Others), Alex de la Iglesia (Day of the Beast) and Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque). Representing the latest generation of filmmakers, Spanish Cinema Now presents for the first time in New York the 2002 Goya award-winner (Spain’s equivalent to the Oscar’s), DESALINADA (Salad Days) by Gustavo Salmerón, the dark and quirky love story between a salad and a fish, and ABNORMALS (Abnormals) by Joan Pueyo, a piece by former member of the Spanish avant-garde performance group Fura dels Baus. Performing the Present, a savvy collection of stylized fictional stories and documentaries, features BAMBOLEHO by Luis Prieto, which was awarded the Best Narrative Short at the first Tribeca Film Festival. Meanwhile, Delirium in Frame, a program that challenges perceptions of space, time and the idiosyncrasies of the human nature, will screen CAROL NO TE DISPARES (Carol, Off) by Lourdes Iglesias, an award-winning short by one of Spain’s most talked emerging woman filmmakers. Also featured is Frederic Amat’s, the internationally renowned Catalonian artist, first foray into film, FOC AL CANTIR.
SHORTMETRAJE aims to promote Spain’s creativity outside of the country’s borders and will travel to the UK in upcoming months. For further information on SHORTMETRAJE and other upcoming screenings, please visit our website at www.shortmetraje.com. Special thanks are extended to Freixenet, ICAA, Anthology Film Archives and the Film Society of Lincoln Center for their support and collaboration on SHORTMETRAJE.
SHORTMETRAJE: A SERIES OF SHORT FILMS BY EMERGING SPANISH MAKERS
December 5-15, 2002
SHORTMETRAJE celebrates the art of the short film by Spain's next wave of independent filmmakers. Contemporary Spanish cinema has captivated international audiences for its unique combination of entertaining melodrama, dry wit and sumptuous aesthetics. Continuing in this tradition, a new generation of filmmakers has emerged with a unique take on modern Spain pushing the limits of their country's cinematic traditions by taking boldly risks and achieving artistic innovations. The series will screen at The Film Society of Lincoln Center (www.filmlinc.com) December 13 and 15, 2002 and The Anthology Film Archives (www.anthologyfilmarchives.org) from December 5 to 8, 2002. For further details please visit www.shortmetraje.comSPANISH CINEMA NOW The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theatre. December 13, 2002 21:00 and December 15, 2002 18:00
A diverse selection of the most controversial still creative short films produced recently. Total Running Time: 93 minutes
ANORMALS (Abnormals) JOAN PUEYO 2001 4MIN | VIDEO DIGITAL
A family of abnormal creatures journey together through the twists and turns of an underground netherworld.
BAILONGAS (Disco Biscuits) CHIQUI CARABANTE 2001 8 MIN | 35 MM
Keko is desperately looking for Toni, the neighborhood drug dealer, to request a special order. What ensues is an unexpected and humorous dialogue that turns a mirror on Spain’s youth culture.
EL ESPANTAPAJAROS (The Scarecrow) LUIS COLLAR 2001 7 MIN | 35 MM
Set along the dry Castillian landscape, a lonely scarecrow suddenly finds himself accompanied by a curious, tight-lipped neighbor.
EL DERECHO DE LAS PATATAS (The Right of the Potatoes) MERCEDES GASPAR 2001 16 MIN 35 MM
Obsessed by the mysterious murder of a young, unconventional filmmaker, local television reporter, Luis Gomez, sets out to investigate her disappearance with the aid of her film journal, El derecho de las patatas.
INOCENCIA (Innocence) SERGIO GARCIA 2001 17 MIN | 35 MM
Young urban couple unsuspectingly become the next victims of the Spanish Basque terrorists, ETA.
MUJERES EN UN TREN (Women in a Train) JORGE TORREGROSA 2001 17 MIN | 36 MM
While sharing a train cabin, three strangers find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. Their chance encounter and shared anonymity, lead them to candidly reveal coveted secrets that curiously intersect.
DESALIÑADA (Salad Days) GUSTAVO SALMERON 2001 23 MIN | 35 MM
A salad and a fish fall in love on the threshold of death: a restaurant refrigerator. Awaiting their imminent death, they decide to become part of the same dish and face their imminent passing together.
FIRST SHORTS MAKE LARGE NAMES. Anthology Film Archives. December 5, 2002 19:00 and December 7, 2002 21:00.
A collection rarely seen short films by Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers, this program presents the early works of directors who would later go on to create the hallmarks of contemporary Spanish Cinema. This program has no subtitles in English. Total Running Time: 62 minutes
EL LEON ENAMORADO (Lion in Love) FERNANDO TRUEBA 1979 6 MIN| 35 MM
A Hindu Sikh finds parallels to his own life in an Aesop’s fable about a lion in love with a young woman.
MIRINDAS ASESINAS (Soda Killers) ALEX DE LA IGLESIA 1990 12 MIN | 35 MM
A man enters a bar to quench his thirst with a Mirinda soda, but ends up with more than what he has ordered
LUNA (Moon) ALEJANDRO AMENABAR 1994 12 MIN | 35 MM
On the night of a full moon, Alberto unexpectedly crashes his motorcycle and is picked up by a young cheerful woman named Luna. During their car ride they enter into a heated discussion that escalates into expected consequences.
LA TARDE DEL DOMINGO (Sunday Afternoon) CARLOS SAURA 1956-57 33 MIN | 35 MM
Sunday afternoon has finally arrived for an overworked and underpaid housekeeper. Expecting a relaxing day off, she soon finds herself mixed up in a frenzy of chaotic events.
LOVE, PASSION & OTHER STORIES. Anthology Film Archives. December 6, 2002 21:00 and December 7, 2002 19:00
Love and passion are not taken lightly in Spain. In this frenetic journey of desire and devotion, a mosaic of unrequited longings and fiery encounters are pieced together to illustrate the difficulties and demands of love in Spain. Total Running Time: 74 minutes.
HASTA QUE LA MUERTE NOS SEPARE (Until Death Do us Apart) EVA VAZQUEZ 2000 4 MIN | 16 MM
An animation featuring a young woman trapped in the tedious rutine of the housewife
LA PRIMERA VEZ (The First Time) BORJA COBEAGA 2001 11 MIN | 35 MM
Begoña, an elderly virgin, pays Daniel, a prostitute, to satisfy her sexual curiosity
NUESTRO PEQUEÑO SECRETO (Our Little Secret) ANA MARTINEZ 5 MIN | 35 MM
A young boy is surprised when he finds his mother in a compromising situation. His lucky days are about to start.
UNO MAS UNO MENOS (One More, One Less) ALVARO PASTOR Y ANTONIO NAHARRO 2002 21 MIN | 35 MM
Ana finds herself progressively drawn into the world of Lourdes, an eighteen year old with Down Syndrome girl, while working on a documentary about her life.
DOS MAS (Two More) LEON SIMIANI 2000 19 MIN | 35 MM
Explores a young couple's flight from Spain to New York City, as they search for the ultimate haven for escape and reinvention.
AMOR DINERO Y SALUD (Love, Money and Health, in that Order) MARC VIGIL 2001 14 MIN | 35 MM
Amelia is obsessed with the future and the destiny of true love. Leaving her fate in the hands of fortune-tellers, she challenges the natural order of things and sets out to make her dreams reality.
DELIRIUM IN FRAME Anthology Film Archives. December 6, 2002 19:00 and December 8, 2002 21:00
Unconventional characters and stylistic innovation reign in this frenetic selection of shorts. Challenging perceptions of space, time and the idiosyncrasies of human nature, this highly entertaining mix of genres offers a glimpse into the odds of the mind. Total Running Time: 75 minutes.
LIBERTAD PROVISIONAL (Liberation on Bail) IGNACIO NACHO 7 MIN | 35 MM
For some freedom is the worst possible jails
CAROL NO TE DISPARES (Carol, Off) OURDES IGLESIAS 2001 12 MIN | 35 MM
Challenging notions of time and space, this psychological drama unfolds the criminal investigation into two women who seemingly swap opposite personalities
LEY 4512/98 (Law 4512/98) MARCO BESAS 2001 5.30 MIN | 35 MM
Paco Merinero is a criminal, but he will never go to jail. Miriam Blanco is a victim, but she will never see justice. Why has the law 4512/98 taken so long to appear?
MALA ESPINA (Unease) BELEN MACIAS 2001 20 MIN | 35 MM
Sarah, a 16 year old teen on summer holiday, is hiding a terrible secret that no one believes except her father, Ramón.
FOC AL CANTIR (Foc al Cantir) FREDERIC AMAT 2000 18 MIN. | 35 MM
Letters, poetry and senuous imagery allude to a love story and the ironies linked to sentimentalism.
FRASQUITO (Frasquito) MARTIN COSTA 2000 12 MIN | 35 MM
Set in small Castillian town in the 1940s, a middle aged woman named Ángela is tormented by a terrible secret she has been hiding for years.
PERFORMING THE PRESENT Anthology Film Archives. December 5, 2002 21:00 and December 8, 2002 19:00
What challenges do Spaniards face after 27 years of democracy? How will the Spanish minds adjust to the new European order? An immersion on modern Spain through savvy fictional stories, documentaries and exploratory exercises of style.Total Running Time: 79 minutes.
POR FAVOR (Please) RODRIGO CORTES 2 MIN | VIDEO DIGITAL
Please, please, please, please…
TODA CLASE DE PIELES (All Types of Skins) MANU MAYO 2001 17 MIN | 35 MM
Lucia recalls the painful memories of childhood incest and is engulfed by these fears as she faces motherhood
BAMBOLEHO (Bamboleho)LUIS PRIETO 2001 14 MIN | 35 MM
Miguel, a runaway squatting on a rooftop in Barcelona, finds his life spiraling out of control as he becomes mixed himself up with the criminal underworld.
SIN LIBERTAD (Without Freedom) IñAKI ARTETA 2001 30 MIN | 35 MM
Several people share memories and feelings that their experiences as victims of terrorism have produced.
CUENTO DE NAVIDAD PARA INDIGENTES (A Christmas Carol for the Homeless) CHUMILLA CARBAJOSA 2002 16 MIN |35 MM
Still believing in the magic of Christmas, a homeless person asks Santa for a pair of sports shoes and the love a beautiful woman who sings in the subways for change.
Sponsored by Freixenet, Ministerio de Cultura, Anthology Film Archives and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.