ESCAC talent once again has a prominent place at the Barcelona-Sant Jordi International Film Festival (BCN FILM FEST), which once again this year is focusing its programme on Catalan films or films featuring outstanding Catalan talent. In its third edition, the festival will present new films by renowned directors, choral works, a selection of the best short films from the school’s 25 years of existence and the first short film festival, Festival Cinebase.
La filla d’algú, long collective film
The most talented Escac production is La filla d’algú, produced by ESCAC Films and starring the Catalan actress Aina Clotet, who has a long career in both Catalan productions (Els nens salvatges, Gran Nord) and national projects (Durante la tormenta, Velvet Colección). La filla d’algú is a feature film made by 4th year ESCAC students, who have faced the challenge of making a film with 11 directors, 17 screenwriters, 6 production managers, 10 directors of cinematography, 10 art directors, 9 editors and 7 sound engineers, taking on a project of great artistic and creative risk.
The film, which represents the challenge for different directors to make a film with the same style and thematic unity, tells the story of a lawyer who, on the day of an important media trial, discovers that her partner has disappeared, who is none other than her own father. The film is produced by the school’s production company, ESCAC FILMS, responsible for films such as Mi Querida Cofradía and The Girl from the Song.
Litus, by Dani de la Orden
Litus, by graduate Dani de la Orden, will have its Catalan premiere at the festival, in the Cinema amb Gràcia section. Dani de la Orden (El pregón, Barcelona, noche de invierno), one of the most sought-after Catalan directors of the moment after the box-office success of El mejor verano de mi vida , presents his new work to the Catalan public once again this year at the BCN FILM FEST. On this occasion, Dani de la Orden takes the play by Marta Buchaca, a teacher at the school, to the big screen. The graduate Alberto Gutiérrez, de la Orden’s regular editor, accompanies him in this new film.
Litus is a dramatic comedy with a cast of real luxury starring Quim Gutiérrez (Primos, La gran familia española), Belén Cuesta (La llamada, Ocho apellidos catalanes) Adrián Lastra (Toc toc toc, Velvet Colección), Álex García (Gente que viene y ba, Kiki, el amor se hace), Miquel Fernández (Durante la tormenta, El Guardián Invisible) and Marta Nieto (Vis a vis, El ministerio del tiempo).
Selection of short films – 25 years
On 26 April, the festival will screen a selection of some of the best ESCAC short films of the last 25 years, including Mis vacaciones by Juan Antonio Bayona, Treitum by Javier Ruiz Caldera, La ruta Natural by Àlex Pastor, La última Polaroid by Mar Coll, Los Perros de Pavlov by Kike Maíllo and Café para Llevar by Patricia Font. At the end of the screening, there will be a discussion with the directors.
Cinebase Festival, a short film festival
ESCAC’s collaboration with the BCN Film Fest also includes the organisation of the Cinebase Festival, a short film festival aimed at young people in secondary school, intermediate vocational training and baccalaureate. The aim of the festival is to encourage the creation and talent of young people motivated by audiovisuals, promoting the interest of new spectators and audiences loyal to filmmaking. In this context, the aim is to encourage young people to enjoy the experience of watching, sharing and living cinema, participating in an event of recognised prestige within the film industry, such as the BCN Film Festival. The awards ceremony of the Cine Base Festival will take place on 25 April.