Secuencias. Magazine on the History of Film and the Filmmakers Union Association will participate in various round tables at Punto de Vista 2015

The ninth edition of the Punto de Vista festival will host two round tables with the aim of reflecting how technological and industrial changes have affected film production in Spain and the role of film festivals, now that film distribution and screening enjoys numerous windows. 

To mark the launch of Number 39 of Secuencias. Magazine on the History of Film, in which the publication focuses exclusively on film festivals, Punto de Vista will host a round table that will look into the purpose of these events on Thursday 12th February at 8pm in the Baluarte Bulevar Hall. Moderated by professor at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and coordinator of the number, Aida Vallejo, the round table approaches the less well known aspects of festivals: selection methods, functioning and challenges they face as a result of the changes in the way of watching films that the cinematographic sector has undergone in recent years. Elena Fortes (director of the Ambulante Documentary Film Festival, Mexico) and Noureddine Ben Driss (director of the documentary section at the Tetouan International Mediterranean Film Festival, Morrocco) will participate in the meeting. With this number, Secuencias raises a pioneering proposal in the Spanish speaking framework, with articles that study the economic, political and social role of international festivals, such as Venice, Cannes or San Sebastian; as well as other parallel circuits devoted to documentaries, short films or classic cinema.  

The second round table, entitled A new generation of producers take the floor: making films is still possible (in spite of everything), will be held on Saturday 14th at 6pm in the Baluarte Bulevar Hall. The meeting, organised in conjunction with the Filmmakers Union, will bring together diverse producers to analyse the new production models that are being applied in order to ensure the viability of independent cinematographic projects. Producers, José Alayón (El Viaje Films, with titles such as Slimane and Nueva isla), Maider Idiazabal (Doxa Producciones, with feature films, such as Asier ETA biok and Who is Ingrid Bergman?), Sergi Moreno (Lastor Media, with films like 10.000km and Bajarí); and Amaia Remírez (Kanaki Films, with projects such as Another day of life and the short film, Minerita) will participate in the talk. The meeting, moderated by Josetxo Cerdán (member of the Coordination Committee of the Filmmakers Union), will pay special attention to the new factors in the equation: from the role of training centres to that of festivals. Although the current times do not invite much optimism, the experiences of the participants can draw new routes for the production and funding of Spanish film.  

The Filmmakers Union came about in 2014 in response to the concern of a group of film, culture and teaching professionals about the critical moment that film in Spain is facing and with the objective of reclaiming and repositioning it as an essential cultural element in the society of the 21st century. The main points in its programme are education, exhibition and proportionality.