DOCUMENTARY SERIES CHRONICLE POLITICS AND HISTORY AT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES AND PLACES
The Spanish La Guerra Filmada focuses on the Civil War in Spain, while Women in Islamic Countries evidences the current reality of women in the Middle EastLa Guerra Filmada is an eight-chapter documentary series, each being 55 minutes long. The series features an unpublished account of the Civil War that devastated Spain from 1936 to 1939. The series uses documentaries filmed at that time by both warring sides: the Republicans and the group of Spanish army officers that supported future dictator Francisco Franco. It also includes introductions by the Professor of Contemporary History, Julián Casanova, from the University of Zaragoza. These images were never presented to the public, and show events from the overthrow of the monarchy to Franco’s victory, including the Republican years. The insurgent military groups, the cities where the uprisings failed, Franco’s conquest of the capital Madrid, the international repercussion of the conflict and the final triumph of the insurgent army are all included in these epic documentaries.
José Maria Prado, director of the Cinema Library of Spain and member of the 30th Mostra’s jury pointed out Luís Buñuel`s involvement in the documentary España, 1936, that is a part of the first thematic block of the series La República en Guerra: “Buñuel’s participation in this movie has attracted many comments. Luis Buñuel, on numerous occasions, had kept his participation strictly to coordinating, selecting material and writing screenplays. Some researchers, such as J. Francisco Aranda, have found many characteristics of Buñuel`s cinematography in the montage of this film. In any case, there is no proof to endorse the contradicting information that surrounds the production of this great documentary that was entirely made in a mixing studio.”
The documentary series Women in Islamic Countries has five episodes, of 60 minutes each, which show the situation of women in these societies. It takes place at another point in time; there are many countries and a political and warlike climate that weighed heavily on the communities. The prevailing image is prejudiced, according to which Muslim women have no rights and are not even allowed to leave the house without a veil or burka. However, director Enes Hakan Tokyay reveals that the women of that region can pursue a career, have a social life and are active in the fields of arts, literature, politics and economics. The countries portrayed are Algeria, Iran, Jordan, Palestine and Pakistan.
In an exclusive statement for the Jornal da Mostra, Tokyay declared: “The series aims to destroy the walls which have been built with the prejudices against the women in Islamic countries in the minds of the audience. It tries to examine visible or non-visible "walls" that exist in front of women in Islamic countries, as well as surprise the audience and suggest them to go behind their own walls-prejudices and watch successful women stories from the Islamic world. The film gives an opportunity to women to speak for themselves and represent their problems in the Islamic region. The series highlights the differences between the Islamic countries and tries to change the manner towards stereotyping muslim women around the world. Women in Islamic Countries asks some questions to many different women in many countries, and highlights the diversity in Islamic region.”
Service: La Guerra Filmada: Chapters1 and 2 – October 25, 3:00 p.m., Cine Olido; October 31, 2:00 p.m., Sala Cinemateca. Chapters 3 and 4 – October 25, 5:00 p.m., Cine Olido; October 31, 4:10 p.m., Sala Cinemateca. Chapters 5 and 6 – October 25, 7:00 p.m., Cine Olido; October 31, 6:10 p.m., Sala Cinemateca. Chapters 7 and 8 – October 26, 5:00 p.m., Cine Olido; October 31, 8:20 p.m., Sala Cinemateca.
Women in Islamic Countries: Algeria and Iran – October 26, 4:20 p.m., Unibanco Arteplex 4; October 29, 3:50 p.m., Cine Bombril theater 2; November 2nd, 1:30 p.m., Cinesesc. Jordan and Palestine – October 25, 4:00 p.m., Cine Bombril theater 2; October 26, 6:40 p.m., Unibanco Arteplex 4; November 2nd, 7:20 p.m., Unibanco Arteplex 4. Pakistan – October 26, 2:00 p.m., Unibanco Arteplex 4; November 2nd, 8:10 p.m., Espaço Unibanco de Cinema 1.