Festival of Francoist-era Spanish Films Launches at Rio’s Caixa Cultural

By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Tuesday, October 30th, to Sunday, November 11th, Caixa Cultural in central Rio will be screening the film festival ‘Os filmes que driblaram a censura de Franco’ (The films that dribbled around the censorship of Franco). The project is supported by the ‘Ministério da Cultura da Espanha’ (Spanish Ministry of Culture) the ‘Embaixada da Espanha’ (Spanish Embassy), and the ‘Instituto Cervantes’ (Cervantes Institute).

The film festival, curated by Marta Sánchez, will show twelve Spanish films that have rarely been seen in Brazil, as well as one masterclass and two debates on the historical and aesthetic importance of the films of this period.

Little is known in Brazil about Spanish cinema produced during the long period when Francisco Franco was in power (1939-1975). Between the early surrealist works of Luis Buñuel and the contemporary, exuberant cinema of Pedro Almodóvar, there is an important body of work, often produced in adverse conditions.

The festival will be celebrating filmmakers such as Juan Antonio Bardem, Luis García Berlanga, Carlos Saura, and others, who fought against censorship to produce films of lasting importance, both for Spanish society and beyond.

The show brings together some of the most significant films from that period, with the vast majority to be shown in digital Blu-ray format. Starting on Tuesday, October 30th, there will be a 5PM showing of 1975’s ‘Furtivos’ (Furtives) by José Luis Borau, followed by 1952’s ‘Bem-vindo, Mr Marshall!’ (Welcome, Mr Marshall!) by Luis García Berlenga, showing at 7PM.

Other films to be shown throughout the festival include: 1963’s ‘O Carrasco’ by Luis García Berlenga; 1955’s ‘Morte de um ciclista’ (Death of a Cyclist) by Juan Antonio Bardem; ‘o espírito da colmeia’ (The Spirit of the Hive) by Victor Erice; and ‘Viridiana,’ by Luis Buñuel, among others.

As part of the program, there will be a masterclass held at 5PM on Friday, November 2nd, with the festival’s curator Marta Sánchez, on the topic ‘Calar dizendo, dizer calando, cinema sob censura.’ (to silence by speaking, to speak by silencing, cinema under censorship), as well as two debates.

The first debate will be held at 5PM on Wednesday, November 7th, and is on the topic ‘O nuevo cine espanhol e outras estéticas de resistências’ (the new Spanish cinema and other aesthetics of resistance) and is with the professors of cinema Ángel Diez (Escola Darcy Ribeiro) and Patrícia Rebello (UERJ).

The second debate will be held at 5PM on Saturday, November 10th, on the topic ‘censura e memória ontem e hoje’ (Censorship and memory yesterday and today) and is hosted by the philosopher Alexandre Costa (UFF) and the historian Samantha Quadrat (UFF).

What: ‘Os filmes que driblaram a censura de Franco’
When: Tuesday, October 30th, to Sunday, November 11th; see program for showtimes
Where: Caixa Cultural – Avenida Almirante Barroso, 25 – Centro
Entrance: R$6 (full) and R$3 (half) and by law, CAIXA customers pay half.