A new edition of “The Night of the Spanish Short Film” was held this Sunday 24th October at the Fundos Hall, in Fuente Dorada. This selection includes Está Amaneciendo [It’s Dawning], by Guillermo Benet; Etxean, by Mikel Rueda; Las Infantas [The Princesses], by Andrea H. Catalá; Intentando [Trying], by Juan Manuel Montilla “El Langui”; Romance, by Álvaro de Miguel; Somni, by Carme Galmés.
The short film that started the presentation was Las Infantas. It’s carnival in Barcelona and the owner of a hairdresser’s wants to offer her daughter the chance to shine on a Dominican float. However, the girl refuses, and the plot culminates in a confrontation. “We are trying to open a window to the Caribbean world in Catalonia,” explained its director, Andrea H. Catalá.
Somni is set in a Mallorcan countryside in which two girls tell each other confidences while their brother sleeps. The ruined building of a school becomes the film’s main stage. “After editing it I realised that it was a symphony, something magical. This short film is part of me, it has my environment, my family and my past,” said Carme Galmés, director and screenwriter.
In Intentando, Santiago, a father with cerebral palsy that hinders his movements, appears on the scene. He is on his way to school to pick up his teenage son Diego, and on the way home they have an emotional discussion. Juan Manuel Montilla “El Langui”, who is making his directorial debut, as well as being the screenwriter and performer of the short film: “Intentando, in the end, is a concept; it’s what human beings do all the time, everywhere. Trying to make ends meet, trying to find a job, trying to keep it, trying to find love, trying to overcome grief, a pandemic… whatever it is, but you’re trying.”
Romance, shot in Madrid, tells the story of a difficult and unforgettable night for Laura, a young woman who meets a guy at a party. Director, Álvaro Miguel, expressed his gratitude at the presentation: “Thanks to the people who have come to accompany us and to the people who come to watch the film without knowing us,” he concluded.
The second last short film was Etxean, where director Mikel Rueda tells “the story between a mother and a daughter who haven’t looked at each other for a long time, who have lost their relationship.”
Está amaneciendo closed the presentation of The Night of the Spanish Short Film, the first time that it was screened publicly. Guillermo Benet, director and screenwriter of the film, admitted that it is the most personal short film he has made so far. “It’s about a conversation I’ve had for a long time with myself, and I think the short film tries to give voice to that conversation. It talks about a vital moment and the need to take control of our life.”
The Night of the Spanish Short Film will be screened again tomorrow, Tuesday 26th October 2021 at 22.30h at Broadway Cinemas.
