The big race starts
After five editions, (S8) Mostra de Cinema Periférico may be thought of as a long-distance race. It began in 2010 with the unstoppable energy of a sprint, but with strong ideas and determinations, yet without knowing the roads it would cross, (S8) has become, in 2014, and as a result of hard training, a long-distance runner in the heat of the race. With a long way behind, and another even longer ahead.
After having started in southern latitudes last year, the Mostra has reached Japan by making great strides. Many surprises await the proverbial Land of the Rising Sun, from which we look at what happened last year with the joy of that was possible. Claudio Caldini was here: a leading figure of the Argentinian avant-garde, achieving the ineffable from the rigor and through cinema. Caldini’s visit to A Coruña -he showed both his innermost practice and his works in the field of expanded cinema- left a strong impression on everyone who could meet him.
We could see that the Argentinian avant-garde grew, for more than one reason, in the heat of domestic formats. Ghost Anthology reflected this: besides Caldini’s work we could also enjoy the works by Hirsch, Vallerreggio, Honik and Coppola, among others. Pablo Marín, curator of this precarious and fascinating anthology, was the link between the past and the present generation: we could see his work, along with Pablo Mazzolo’s and Sergio Subero’s in Allied Territories. Three allied territories, although disparate, whose map (a narrow passage) was designed by Magdalena Arau for (S8). Arau, meanwhile, also brought (literally) under her arm, an amazing amateur film show compiled by ARCA, Archivo de Cine Regional: from space travels to classic stories, and celluloid daily life from past times. And to close the Special on Argentina, we also got Espacio Filmoteca’s selection from overseas. Fernando Martín Peña and Fabio Manes, presenters of Filmoteca, Temas de Cine, which airs Argentina public television on Channel 7, drew an exquisite journey from Argentinian silent films, through the “western from the Pampa” by Lucas Demare, to the hypnotic modern cinema by Leonardo Favio. A special tribute should be held here to Fabio Manes, who died recently. Manes died closely linked to his passion, the cinema.
Signals was again the weather-vane pointing in the direction of the new Galician filmmakers. Lois Patiño (who has won so many awards this year that it is impossible to keep track of them) was the star of this section, who made room for his powerful work with landscape, his exhibition work and a show with his influences and working methods. Miguel Mariño’s performance completed those Signals, with the enveloping maritime experience Fomos ficando sos. Just a milestone in the seas Mariño goes on sailing non-stop today.
Mariño joined Signals with Overflows, which also made room for Ben Russell and Ben Rivers, whose presence was possible thanks to a program, The Unknown, which linked their work and that of other explorers of new states of perception.
The opera prima of the fourth edition were Jaime Chávarri’s first feature films shot in Super 8 and 8mm. The freshness of the free and casual work by Chávarri could be seen after being deadlocked for years, provided by the cheerful and intelligent director himself.
As if by magic the 2013 programme was completed, which also opened, as if by magic, with Méliès work, with live sound by his descendants. A gala that was the perfect opening for the days to come. Just by looking back we get the strength to keep running forward, strong and secure, awaiting the unknown landscapes, full of undiscovered wonders lurking. Long-distance runners in a race, not a solo race, but in the company of those who make it possible. Organization, filmmakers and all film lovers packing the hall in each edition. Every year we are more. And we boom worldwide.