Cruce de caminos: Filmmakers from the Canaries

Since it first began, the Muestra has always lent its wholehearted support to film productions made in the Canary Islands. From its very inception, all of the festival’s successive artistic directors have been fully convinced of the importance, and indeed the necessity, of providing filmmakers from or working in the Canaries with a special section at the festival where they could present their productions. With the passing of the years, this section, which has showcased many young film directors who went on to become mainstays of Spanish cinema today, has only grown in importance. Cruce de Caminos was not a competitive section until 2020, when, for the first time, a monetary prize was awarded, which was increased each year since then. Similarly, following a request from the film directors themselves, the section was moved to the Sala Buñuel theatre at El Almacén, a venue with great historical and cultural prestige thanks to the legacy of César Manrique.

Filmmaking in the Canaries has grown significantly over the last ten years. Over this time a number of associations and organisations such as Clúster Audiovisual de Canarias, Asociación de Cineastas de Canarias Microclima and CIMA Canarias, among others, have been set up and accrued increasing relevance. Likewise, several independent film production companies have earned widespread recognition, garnering awards and accolades for their projects at some of the most important international film festivals. As such, we can talk about an audiovisual ecosystem that, thanks to the tireless efforts of many different agents, has consolidated its position and is now playing a significant role in Spanish and international film production.

The five short films selected this year embody different views on the world and where it is heading. In some cases, they engage with the memory of peoples and war; others focus on how progress has transformed the environment; and others look at possibilities of inhabiting the world away from the overpowering modern cacophony of the media. These varied films are living proof of the emergence of a rich and diverse filmmaking in the Canaries that needs to be nourished and supported.

Date: Friday, 02/12/2022
Hora: 19:00
Venue: El Almacén
Runtime of the session: 92’

Screenings presented by the directors: Omar Al Abdul Razzak, Omaira Díaz, Rafael Montezuma, Shira Ukrainitz, Alois Sandner Díaz and Nayra Sanz Fuentes