17th of January 2020 – Lauriston Hall Edinburgh – Tickets here
17th of January 2020 – CCA Glasgow – Tickets here
The Mediterranean Sea, a paradise for cheap holidays and guaranteed sun. It is also Europe’s edge where thousands of refugees and migrants risk their lives fleeing from war or hoping to start a new life.
Join us for an evening of short films rethinking how we see and imagine the Mediterranean Sea.
As Scotland celebrates the Year of Coasts & Waters, we join the celebrations and bring our particular critical vision to a much-needed debate. The outcome of the last UK general elections seems to make obvious that Scotland wants to be part of the European project, hence sharing some of the European challenges as well. And for us, this is one of the biggest of them all. The migrant crisis. How long are we going to look away from it? Is this an issue that only concerns countries facing the Mediterranean sea or is a challenge for us all? How have different filmmakers portrayed this issue?
We bring a programme of films that span from acid comedy to human rights short documentaries. From raw perspectives to witty ones. As usual, we keep it rollercoasting, entertaining and at times comfortably uncomfortable. Do expect big massive cruises, human perspectives, refugee stories and Brits on holidays, all in the same cocktail. Fun and food for thought both in the same programme.
As usual, we watch brilliant films in our famous open, warm and social atmosphere with proper Mediterranean beer (Estrella Damm) and Mediterranean food.
We are Mediterranean creatures living near the North Sea. We look at the beauty and power of a particular sea – the Mediterranean – Spain, like Italy or Greece are countries with shores facing the Mediterranean being at the forefront of the migration crisis. Filmmakers from those countries are portraying the drama that is lived by hundreds every day trying to cross the sea from very different perspectives.
The films:
All Inclusive
Director: Corina Schwingruber Ilić
Info: Switzerland, 2018 – 10 min. no dialogue
Synopsis: While back in the old days the destinations and the luxury of a floating hotel room were the main attractions, today’s shipping companies surpass each other with entertainment offers and fancy interior design features. Cruises have become available to the masses.
Awards & Festivals:
Venice International Film Festival – Orizzonti;
Toronto International Film Festival – Short Cuts;
Philadelphia Film Festival – Official Selection, Honourable Mention for Best Documentary Short;
Riga International Film Festival – Short Riga, Special Mention;
DOK Leipzig – International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film – International Competition Short Documentary And Animated Film, Golden Dove for Best Short Documentary.
Donde Nos Lleve el Viento
(Where the Wind Takes Us)
Director: Juan Antonio Moreno Amador
Info: Spain, 2018 – 20 min. No dialogues, English/Spanish/French subtitles
Synopsis: Mariam fled her country, she is pregnant, and she is looking for a safe home for his baby. This travel led them to cross the sea in a small boat that carried only women until they arrived at the border city of Melilla. Due to the hazards along the way, women prefer to keep their stories secret. Nevertheless, Mariam has decided to tell her story to her child Treasure before giving birth in Christmas.
Awards & Festivals:
2020 Goya Awards – Nominee, Best Best Documentary Short Film;
Semana de Cine de Medina del Campo – Best Documentary Short Film;
Semana de Cine de Medina del Campo – Special Award Senior Jury.
El Nadador
(The Swimmer)
Director: Pablo Barce
Info: Spain, 2018 – 18 min. Arabic with English subtitles
Synopsis: A boy throws himself into the sea without looking back. Each breath is a memory; every stroke, some more hope.
Awards & Festivals:
2020 Goya Awards – Nominee, Best Fictional Short Film;
Cannes Film Festival – Short Film Corner;
Seattle International Film Festival – Official Selection;
Rome Independent Film Festival – Official Selection.
It has won 9 awards in 5 small festivals
Nuestra Vida Como Niños Refugiados en Europa
(Our Lives as Refugee Kids in Europe)
Director: Silvia Venegas
Info: Spain, 2018 – 15 min. Different languages with English subtitles
Synopsis: The story of a generation of children and young refugees trying to find their place in Europe and those who never found it. More than a million children have sought refuge in Europe, many of them completely alone. A whole generation that has fled the war and now, instead of being children, have to face bureaucracy, distrust, waiting, frustration, incomprehension and fear.
Awards & Festivals:
2020 Goya Awards – Nominee, Best Documentary Short Film;
Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva – Official Selection;
Rosso: La Vera Storia Falsa del Pescatore Clemente
(Rosso: The True Fake Story of Clemente, the Fisherman)
Director: Antonio Messana
Info: Italy/France, 2018 – 28 min. Italian with English subtitles
Synopsis: Clemente is a Sicilian fisherman who goes on working in spite of his late age. His life is disrupted the day he finds a young refugee’s dead body stuck in the fishnets.
Awards & Festivals:
Cannes Film Festival – Short Film Official Selection.
Enjoy your Christmas folks, and see you in 2020.
17th of January 2020 – Lauriston Hall Edinburgh – Tickets here
17th of January 2020 – CCA Glasgow – Tickets here
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