Spain vs China – A short film contest

It was said about La Grande Illusion that it was the most peaceful war movie ever made. That is exactly the spirit we seek to capture when we use the term ‘battle’. As we did with Italy a couple of years ago, CinemaAttic has challenged a group of Chinese curation students from the University of Edinburgh – Yitong Wang, Yanjun Shen, Xinye Liu, Zhixin Li, Xiao Han – to a short film battle: SPAIN vs. CHINA.

Each country will present three films on the theme of Diversity to defend its own colours. The audience votes for their favourite films by giving each film 1 to 5 points. After the screenings, two winners – Best Country and Best Film – will be crowned.

So, CinemaAttic, once more, calls for its loyal supporters to join us for this duel and vote for your winner.

 
EDINBURGH:
? Where: Old St Paul’s Church (63 Jeffrey St, Edinburgh)
? When: Friday 21st January, doors open at 19:30, screening starts at 20:00
? Safety regulations apply

From CinemaAttic’s side, our three weapons of choice are:

Farrucas by Ian de la Rosa

Year: 2021
Running time: 19 min
Language(s): Spanish, Arabic

Synopsis: Hadoum, Fátima, Sheima, and Sokayna are four teenagers from El Puche, a suburb in the Spanish city of Almería, who are proud of their Moroccan and Spanish roots. Together they navigate their first experiences in out-of-the-neighborhood schools that evidence their underprivileged environment. However, this does not affect the intensity of their desires and dreams. On Fatima’s eighteenth birthday, the strength of their self-confidence will be put to the test.

Festivals & awards:
Festival de Malaga
Festival de Cine de Elche, Best Short Movie, Winner

CW: Contains strong language.

Trailer:

Singing from the Rooftops (Cantando en las azoteas) by Enric Ribes

Year: 2017
Running time: 5:54 min
Language(s): Spanish

Synopsis: This is a tribute to an artist – considered the last drag queen in the final days of Barcelona’s “Barrio Chino” red light district – who continues to take to the stage every night at the age of 90. As his beloved poet Federico García Lorca wrote in verse: The ladybirds of the South sing on the roofs! Gilda Love will also continue to do so.

CW: Contains flashing lights and imagery. Discussion of gun violence, stillbirth, strangulation.

Trailer:

Mad in Xpain by Coke Rioboo

Year: 2020
Running time: 13 min
No dialogue

Synopsis: In the acidic satire Mad in Xpain, Coke Riobóo spills out every stereotypical cultural signifier you can associate with Spain – bullfighters, Catholicism, and flamenco – onto the screen and radically reconfigures them to absurd ends. Riobóo’s post-apocalyptic claymation world, populated with expansive orange deserts and stiff figurines that murmur and wriggle around, is clearly indebted to George Miller’s Mad Max films. Yet, while Immortan Joe rode with the war boys in Fury Road, here the Pope rides in souped-up mega cars with priests in tow, catching nuns with nets, and operating a gigantic robot statue of Jesus.

Festivals & awards:
Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival

CW: Contains flashing lights, sudden loud noises. Depiction of cannibalism, blood, nudity, car accident, gun violence, explosion, bodily excretion.

Trailer:

From China, we will get to see the following shorts:

Powder, Powder, Powder by Xingyu Zhao

Year: 2019
Running time: 15 min
Language(s): Chinese

Synopsis: Po, a nineteen-year-old international student in Australia, meets a girl who brings him numerous beautiful fantasies. But unbeknownst to him, Youqi’s purpose is to trick him into buying milk powder that is in short supply. A ridiculous story unfolds due to the ‘milk powder robbery’.

CW: Contains flashing lights, strong language. Depiction of vomiting.

Trailer:

I Only Have You by Yiru Zha

Year: 2020
Running time: 18 min
Language(s): Chinese, English

Synopsis:

Lili is a 17-year-old girl. Her grandmother passes away, and her father remarries. She comes to England to live with her mother. However, Lili’s mother marries a British man and has a new family. Lili has to integrate into a new family and adapt to her new life. Gradually, through Lili’s relationship with her mother and stepfather, she finds that these two “strangers” give her a warmth she has never felt before, and she also discovers the secret of her mother’s “abandonment” of her. This belated affection is slowly healing Lili’s wounds.

This film combines different themes of intimacy, domestic violence, and cultural differences. It is a warm and healing story that gives the audience a glimpse of warmth, hope, and the courage to climb out of the mire. The grief of the film’s main character, Lili, is like London on a rainy day, dreary and foggy.

CW: Contains strong language. Depiction of alcoholism, domestic violence. Discussion of child abuse, gambling.

Trailer:

The Thorn Bird by Qiannan Fang

Year: 2020
Running time: 9 min
No dialogue

Synopsis: According to an ancient legend, there is a kind of bird that sings only once in its whole life. They spend all their life looking for the thorn tree and die singing the only song of their lifetime.

Trailer:

 

Buy your ticket here

Summary
Event
​Spain vs China - A short film contest
Location
​ Old St Paul's, 63 Jeffry Street,-EH1
Starting on
21/01/2022
Ending on
21/01/2022
Description
It was said about La Grande Illusion that it was the most peaceful war movie ever made. That is exactly the spirit we seek to capture when we use the term ‘battle’. As we did with Italy a couple of years ago, CinemaAttic has challenged a group of Chinese curation students from the University of Edinburgh - Yitong Wang, Yanjun Shen, Xinye Liu, Zhixin Li, Xiao Han - to a short film battle: SPAIN vs. CHINA. Each country will present three films on the theme of Diversity to defend its own colours. The audience votes for their favourite films by giving each film 1 to 5 points. After the screenings, two winners - Best Country and Best Film - will be crowned. So CinemaAttic, once more, calls for its loyal supporters to join us for this duel and vote for your winner. From CinemaAttic’s side, our three weapons of choice are: Farrucas by Ian de la Rosa Hadoum, Fátima, Sheima, and Sokayna are four teenagers from El Puche, a suburb in the Spanish city of Almería, who are proud of their Moroccan and Spanish roots. Together they navigate their first experiences in out-of-the-neighborhood schools that evidence their underprivileged environment. However, this does not affect the intensity of their desires and dreams. On Fatima’s eighteenth birthday, the strength of their self-confidence will be put to the test. Trailer: https://youtu.be/qQo-B37Trv8 Singing from the Rooftops by Enric Ribes This is a tribute to an artist – considered the last drag queen in the final days of Barcelona’s “Barrio Chino” red light district – who continues to take to the stage every night at the age of 90. As his beloved poet Federico García Lorca wrote in verse: The ladybirds of the South sing on the roofs! Gilda Love will also continue to do so. Trailer: https://vimeo.com/205021741 Mad in Xpain by Coke Rioboo In the acidic satire Mad in Xpain, Coke Riobóo spills out every stereotypical cultural signifier you can associate with Spain – bullfighters, Catholicism, and flamenco – onto the screen and radically reconfigures them to absurd ends. Riobóo’s post-apocalyptic claymation world, populated with expansive orange deserts and stiff figurines that murmur and wriggle around, is clearly indebted to George Miller’s Mad Max films. Yet, while Immortan Joe rode with the war boys in Fury Road, here the Pope rides in souped-up mega cars with priests in tow, catching nuns with nets, and operating a gigantic robot statue of Jesus. Trailer: https://vimeo.com/439809859 From China, we will get to see the following shorts: Powder, Powder, Powder by Xingyu Zhao Po, a nineteen-year-old international student in Australia, meets a girl who brings him numerous beautiful fantasies. But unbeknownst to him, Youqi’s purpose is to trick him into buying milk powder that is in short supply. A ridiculous story unfolds due to the ‘milk powder robbery’. Trailer: https://youtu.be/tw14kmWR5LQ I Only Have You by Yiru Zha Lili is a 17-year-old girl. Her grandmother passes away, and her father remarries. She comes to England to live with her mother. However, Lili's mother marries a British man and has a new family. Lili has to integrate into a new family and adapt to her new life. Gradually, through Lili's relationship with her mother and stepfather, she finds that these two "strangers" give her a warmth she has never felt before, and she also discovers the secret of her mother's "abandonment" of her. This belated affection is slowly healing Lili's wounds. This film combines different themes of intimacy, domestic violence, and cultural differences. It is a warm and healing story that gives the audience a glimpse of warmth, hope, and the courage to climb out of the mire. The grief of the film’s main character, Lili, is like London on a rainy day, dreary and foggy. The Thorn Bird by Qiannan Fang According to an ancient legend, there is a kind of bird that sings only once in its whole life. They spend all their life looking for the thorn tree and die singing the only song of their lifetime.
Offer Price
GBP 2