Gaudí Awards with international flavour
The nominations for the Catalan Film Academy's 4th Gaudí Awards has confirmed the participation of the films with the greatest international scope.12/01/2012
Awards
The official announcement of the nominations for the Catalan Film Academy's 4th Gaudí Awards was released on 4 January and has confirmed the participation of the films with the greatest international scope. Many of these productions have enjoyed the support of Catalan Films & TV in their participation at markets, festivals and other events, as is the case of Eva, which took part at the Venice Biennale, and Los pasos dobles / The Double Steps, a Golden Shell winner at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Both of these films will be competing in the categories for Best Catalan Language Film and Best Non-Catalan Language Film, respectively.
A look at the potential list of award winners also reveals the participation of the animation film Chico & Rita, which already boasts an impressive stream of awards, acknowledgements and selections at festivals, as it looks forward to the upcoming Oscars. In fact, the film by Trueba, Errando and Mariscal is up for Best Animation Picture, obviously; in addition to competing in the categories for Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Artistic Direction and Best Original Score. Also in the animation genre, mention must be made of Arrugas / Wrinkles, a tender story about old age that was very well received at San Sebastian.
Other titles that have journeyed alongside Catalan Films & TV include Al final de la escapade / The Final Escape, La maleta mexicana / The Mexican Suitcase and Barcelona, abans que el temps ho esborri / Barcelona socialites, all of which will be competing for Best Documentary. The last of these films premiered just days ago at the Lincoln Center in New York, thanks to the support of Catalan Films & TV and the Ramon Llull Institute.
A long stream of festivals and sales
Bruc, la leyenda / Legend of the Soldier and Floquet de neu / Snowflake, the White Gorilla are two of the most representative examples as regards international sales. Bruc is distributed by Studio Canal and has been sold in Germany and France, among other regions. For its part, Floquet announced pre-sales in India and different Asian countries.
Alongside the international sales, another great indicator of success is the run at international festivals. Such is the case of two of the films that will be competing in the Best Short Film category at Sundance: El somriure amagat / The Hidden Smile and Odysseus' Gambit. The same section will also be featuring Roser Aguilar's short film, Ahora no puedo / I Can't Right Now, and El barco pirata / The Pirate Ship by Fernando Trullols, both of which form part of the Short Cat 2012 programme.
Below is a brief review of 2011:
- 14 d'abril. Macià contra Companys / 14 April. Macià against Companys, directed by Manuel Huerga (Minoria Absoluta and Televisió de Catalunya): Created for television, this film premiered at the last San Sebastian Film Festival.
- Al final de la escapada / The Final Escape, directed by Albert Solé (Minimal Films, Televisió de Catalunya and TVE): Guadalajara, Nantes, Málaga and Montpellier are just a few of the screens visited by this must-see documentary.
- Arrugas / Wrinkles, directed by Ignacio Ferreras (Cromosoma and Perro Verde): A participant at the San Sebastian Festival, in the Zabaltegi New Directors section.
- Barcelona, abans que el temps ho esborri / Barcelona socialities, directed by Mireia Ros (Promarfi Futuro 2010, with the participation of Televisió de Catalunya): This chronicle of a past era was one of the main features of the Spanish Cinema Now Festival in New York.
- Catalunya, Uber, Alles!, directed by Ramon Térmens (Segarra Films, with the participation of Televisió de Catalunya): A film that made a great impact at Málaga, its huge success culminated with its participation in the Class A Montreal Film Festival.
- Clara Campoamor, la mujer olvidada / Clara Campoamor, the Forgotten Woman, directed by Laura Mañá (Distinto Films, Televisió de Catalunya and TVE): Recently selected to participate in Fipatel.
- Chico & Rita, directed by Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba (Estudio Mariscal, Fernando Trueba PC and Magic Light Pictures): The list of festivals for this film is endless. Its most recent achievement is its positioning among the pre-finalists for an Oscar nomination.
- De gran vull ser soldat / I Want to Be a Solider, directed by Christian Molina (Canónigo Films and Black Flag Cinema): Following a very long run at festivals in 2010, this year the film made its way to Cinesul in Rio de Janeiro.
- Eva, directed by Kike Maíllo (Escándalo Films, Televisió de Catalunya, Instituto Buñuel-Iberautor, Ran Entertainment and Wild Bunch): This production was selected by the Venice Biennale and kicked off the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia.
- La maleta Mexicana / The Mexican Suitcase, directed by Trisha Ziff (Mallerich Films Paco Poch, 212 Berlin, Televisió de Catalunya and TVE): This documentary on Capa and the historical memory premiered at the Class A Karlovy Vary Film Festival, and went on to participate in other events, including Los Angeles, Toulouse and Dubai, among others.
- Mientras duermes / Sleep Tight, directed by Jaume Balagueró (Castelao Productions): This film premiered at the last Sitges Film Festival and was later presented at Busan and Torino.
- Mil cretins / A Thousand Fools, directed by Ventura Pons (Els Films de la Rambla): Premiering at the Class A Moscow Film Festival, this production was later selected at Galway, London, Bogotá and Montpellier, among others.
- Open 24h, directed by Carles Torras (Zabriskie Films): Screened at Sitges, Toulouse and Málaga, the third film by Torras has been widely acclaimed by critics.
- No habrá paz para los malvados / No Rest for the Wicked, directed by Enrique Urbizu (Manto Films, Lazonafilms and Telecinco Cinema): The Gaudí Awards have positioned this production in the Best European Film category, yet it made its festival debut in the official competition at the San Sebastian Film Festival.