Seville European Film Festival - SEFF'09

Different than conventional Screens

In a six years time, this festival has consolidated as one of the most important opportunities for new and young directors. In his last edition, it has gathered more than a hundred movies under the same umbrella: being European


By ISABEL BENITEZ (isabel.benitez@wavemagazine.net)
from Seville, SPAIN


Lourdes, Nothing Personal, 44 Inch Chest, A Prophet, Transmission, Tears of April, Garbo, The man who saved the world, and Pepperminta. These are the titles of the winners of Seville European Film Festival 2009 (SEFF'09). These are the most acclaimed films of the year; titles which audience shouldn't forget. They are all European, made in the East Side of the Atlantic Ocean, the original cradle of the Seventh Art. Stories of miracles, failed couples, chased lovers and life in prison; Hungarian productions, Finish documentaries on war, and Swiss cinematographic experiments.

From November 6th to 14th, the Spanish city of Seville hosted an award which is called to become one of the most relevant in Europe. Even though it is young (there have been only six editions), directors, producers and actors recognize it as an essential opportunity for their creations. That rised the number of films looking for Spanish audience's support and applauses. The manager of the Festival, Javier Martín-Domínguez, affirms that it gives European films its right place, thanks to chosen movies and folowing activities.

In fact, SEFF'09 is not only formed by showings but also by conversations, discussion groups and workshops, looking for new experiences, new ways of reading and enjoying full-length or short movies, searching the giants of cinema or incredible productions. It is, definitely, an opportunity for European works and permits them to fight against industrial and commercial limitations, as the problems to introduce themselves in conventional cinema screens. Martín-Domínguez insists:

- Most of them are nationally produced. What we promote is co-production, collaborations between different countries in order to be stronger than, in this case, North-American movies. The neighbouring continent has much money and better marketing campaigns. For instance: they translate their stories to access to Spanish audiences, while our audiovisual productions are showed in original version with subtitles, shortening our market share. However, our movies are a faithful reflection of our life.

According to him, Europe works harder on the script - there are impressive stories - and usually find newer models and structures, which really decide on the future of this art. "Innovations and technical adventures are often born in Britain, France, Italy...", remembers the manager of SEFF'09.

Winners Award'09: Films in feminine

SEFF'09 is divided into various sections. The Official Section, the European Film Academy (EFA) one, Euroimages and Eurodoc. Also, this 6th edition has been devoted to movie industry in Great Britain and Ireland, with honourable mentions to actors as John Hurt (Alien or The Oxford Murders) and Ben Kingsley (Ghandi), or directors as Jeremy Thomas and Nicolas Roeg. But, apart from British presence, the remarkable point of SEFF'09 has been the leading role that women have played in. The winners list is a proof.

Lourdes, by the Austrian director Jessica Hausner, won the Gold Giraldillo for Best Film. It deals with a young girl who, after spending all her life in a wheelchair, gets cured after a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the same name, Lourdes. Meanwhile, Urszula Antoniak was awarded with the Silver Giraldillo for Nothing Personal. It tells the story of two lonely people, a woman and a man, who decide to share a house with just one condition: there will be nothing personal between them.

Javier Martín-Domínguez, manager of the Festival, emphasizes women contribution to European movie industry. He considers they add original points of view, fresher and deeper images of society.

- Look - Andrea Arnold has won the Oscar and two prizes in Cannes, and she offers a special eye for shooting. Women are closer to private and family themes and these are sometimes the hardest stories. So, there isn't a feminine sight, there are many feminine sights, and they are all risky.

Nevertheless, the great winner of this festival has been A Prophet. On the one hand, the French film triumphed at the SEFF Award. Jacques Audiard's movie got the Audience Choice Price. Its scriptwriter Thomas Bidegain says: "We didn't expect this reaction... We have been writing for five years and shooting and editing for two more. We finish one Thursday and the movie opened on Saturday. We knew the film was special, because we have worked a lot, but we didn't know how critics and public would receive it". On the other hand, A Prophet got six nominations at the EFA.

EFA's nominations and Award

Seville Festival has also been the place the European Film Academy has chosen for announcing the nominations for its award. One month later, the 12th December, Jacques Audiard's production has got two of its six nominations: Best European Actor for Tahar Rahim and the EFA Award for Excellence. All this, thanks to a production talking about the world and immigration, avoiding stereotypes, running away from an image of Arabians 'black or white', finding shades of meanings. "Malik (Tahar Rahim) is not a terrorist, as it is usual for Arabian characters, he just wants to live and survive in our society", assures Thomas Bidegain.

The White Ribbon, by Michael Haneke, has also been successful. The story of a small German village whose quiet life is suddenly eroded by a series of inexplicable events didn't obtain any acknowledgement in SEFF'09 but has been awarded with Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter Prizes in EFA.

Challenges and goals

Eight days of good films, eight days to get through the challenges of European movies. Opened by a film which announced its success, Triage (by the Bosnian Danis Tanovic), Seville European Film Festival 2009 has reached the number of 69,000 spectators and 170 films.

- Our cinematographic industry should improve from the beginning to the end. It should improve promotion and distribution. European plots should conquer market. Then they need happiness and love, just what we offer in Seville - explains its manager. A recipe for making Serbian, Romanian, German or Danish creations interesting and powerful, for letting people learn from Seventh Art.


(Published: 18.12.2009.)