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FESTIVALS Spain

DocumentaMadrid lifts the lid on its 16th edition

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- The doc festival kicks off on 9 May, boasting a unique spirit of discovery and an eagerness to explore other worlds that have made it an unmissable rendezvous for non-fiction fans

DocumentaMadrid lifts the lid on its 16th edition
The Hidden City by Víctor Moreno

Between 9 and 19 May, the Spanish capital will play host to the 16th edition of DocumentaMadrid. The prestigious festival sponsored by the Madrid City Council will offer an array of activities and screenings at cultural centres in seven neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city, as well as in its usual venues: the Madrid Cineteca, the Spanish Film Library, the Casa de América, the Reina Sofía Museum, the Institut français in Madrid, the Círculo de Bellas Artes, Warehouse 0 at Matadero Madrid, the Sala Equis and the Complutense University of Madrid.

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The prizes up for grabs in the various sections – the value of which comes to a grand total of €52,500 – will be fought over by such titles as The Hidden City [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Víctor Moreno
film profile
]
 (Spain/France/Germany), a descent into the urban underworld helmed by Canary Islander Víctor MorenoTo War [+see also:
film review
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]
(Cuba/Argentina/Spain) by Argentina’s Francisco MariseThe Fourth Kingdom [+see also:
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]
, a film shot in New York by Adán Aliaga and Àlex LoraBy the Name of Tania [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mary Jimenez, Bénédicte Lié…
film profile
]
 (Netherlands/Belgium) by Bénédicte Liénard and Mary JiménezCharleroi, the Land of 60 Mountains (Belgium) by Guy-Marc Hinant; the world premiere of Eric Pauwels’ Belgian movie Journal de septembre; Madame [+see also:
film review
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film profile
]
(Switzerland) by Stéphane RiethauserMidnight Traveler [+see also:
film review
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]
 (Canada/USA/Qatar/UK), shot with mobile phones by Hassan FaziliThe Border Fence [+see also:
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]
 (Austria) by Nikolaus GeyrhalterTheatre of War [+see also:
film review
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]
 (Argentina/Spain/Germany) by artist Lola Arias; and Selfie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (an Italian-French co-production), helmed by Agostino Ferrente, among other movies.

Some of the most high-profile special guests due to visit the gathering are feminist filmmaker Sarah Maldoror; Austria’s Ruth Beckermann, who scooped the Best Documentary Award at the 2018 Berlinale with the striking The Waldheim Waltz [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ruth Beckermann
film profile
]
 and who will give an overview of how her films explore historical memory; and Carlos Casas, together with his incomparable experimental movies. In addition to free morning sessions for primary and secondary schools, a range of topics will be broached in myriad parallel activities, such as the relationship between artificial intelligence and art, the importance of sound in documentary production, the editorial policy of the ARTE channel and the future of independent production. Indeed, as the directors of the gathering, Andrea Guzmán and David Varela, pointed out, “DocumentaMadrid aims to establish a channel enabling dialogue between filmmakers and industry experts, in order to spark a constant and free-flowing debate. This will provide a raison d’être for this idea of creating a community of movie buffs, which we want to be part of the very definition of this festival.”

Likewise, it should be noted that DocumentaMadrid is, for the second year running, hosting the Corte Final Professional Documentary Film Forum, where auteurs will get the opportunity to share their works in progress with experts and consultants. The projects selected for this edition are: In a Whisper [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Patricia Pérez and Heidi Ha…
film profile
]
(by Patricia Pérez and Heidi Hassan, produced by Cuba’s Producciones de la 5ta avenida and Spain’s Matriuska Producciones), La educación sentimental (directed and produced by Spaniard Jorge Juárez), La Mami [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Herrero Garvín
film profile
]
(by Laura Herrero Garvín, staged by Mexico’s Cacerola Films and Spain’s Gadea Films) and Pedra Pàtria (by Macià Florit Campins, a production by Spanish outfits Elsabeth produccions and La Perifèrica). The above works will also be competing for a prize that is intended to aid the creators during the final phases of production, as they put the finishing touches to their film, and which will also give a boost to its promotion. Said award will be handed out by a clutch of companies and institutions, including Aracne DC, DRAX audio, NUMAX, DOCMA, Festhome and 36 caracteres.

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(Translated from Spanish)

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