The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for a fifth edition

The annual festival will screen 15 Spanish language feature films and seven shorts throughout October

Article by Jamie Dunn | 11 Sep 2018

The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival is back for its fifth edition this October offering a snapshot of Spanish cinema in 2018. Proceedings kick off with Jon Garano and Aitor Arreg’s Giant (4 Oct, Filmhouse; 20 Oct, GFT), which walked off with ten awards at last year’s Goyas (basically the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars). This Basque-language film is a true-life historical drama with the sensibility of a fable and follows two brothers, the younger of whom suffered from gigantism, as they struggle to get by in 1830s Spain. Garano will be in attendance for this festival opener!

Other highlights include the Scottish premiere of Hopelessly Devout (11 & 13, Filmhouse), Marta Díaz de López’s screwball comedy following the underhand tactics one woman goes to win a position on her local religious guild’s board, and Paco Plaza's horror Verónica (7 Oct, Filmhouse; 15 Oct, GFT), in which some teens get themselves into trouble by mucking about with an Ouija board during a solar eclipse; Plaza directed REC and REC 2, so he has form in scaring audiences witless. As well as Spanish cinema you’ll also find several Latin American titles in the lineup, including Mexican black comedy Help Me Make It Through the Night (director José Ramón Chávez will give a Q&A following the screening on 8 Oct, Filmhouse; additional screening on 13 Oct, Filmhouse) and Chilean film A Fantastic Woman from Sebastián Lelio (6 Oct, Filmhouse).

Lovers of Spanish gastronomy can also rejoice, as the festival includes a day dedicated to Andalusian cuisine, highlighted with a selection of high-quality wines, sherry and delicacies from the region, accompanied by a show, The Art of Believing, performed live by the Daniel Martinez Flamenco company (5 Oct, Potterrow Dome, Edinburgh University). If you’re in Edinburgh, you can also take in Bravo!, an exhibition of illustrations by Pilar García de Leaniz, which you’ll find at Filmhouse’s Café Bar throughout the festival.

“The main objective of the festival is to support Spanish cinema, and to use film as a vehicle to promote the Spanish language and culture beyond our borders,” says Marian A Aréchaga, curator/director of the festival.

Contrary to the festival's name, you’ll find Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival screenings in Glasgow Film Theatre and Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling as well as various venues in Edinburgh.

For full details, head to www.edinburghspanishfilmfestival.com