2016 Spanish Film Festival

The 2016 Spanish Film Festival will welcome exciting Spanish director Daniel Guzmán as a special guest. Guzmán began his career as an actor at just 14 years of age - after diverse roles in movies, theatre and TV, he began his writing, producing and directing career.  

At this year's Spanish Film Festival, he will present his first long feature, the autobiographical project NOTHING IN RETURN (A CAMBIO DE NADA). The film has deservedly won him and his cast a slate of awards at the recent and Málaga Film Festival (Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Critics' Award) and Goya Awards (Best New Director, Best New Actor) among others, proving it an unforgettable, un-missable coming-of-age journey. Guzmán will visit Sydney and Melbourne for the festival opening nights and special Q&A events.

The diverse and entertaining lineup is now on sale and contains more award-winners, lots of laughs, dramatic features, thrillers and documentaries.  The program of 32 films and a session of shorts will screen exclusively at Palace Cinemas nationally.

After indulging in almost three weeks of films from Spain, Argentina, Chile and Mexico, experience Colombian filmmaking at its very best with the closing night selection EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (EL ABRAZO DE LA SERPIENTE). Surrender to a breathtaking cinematic odyssey through the Amazon with director Ciro Guerra's multi award-winning, Oscar-nominated masterpiece. 

Soccer fans will be all over our special event screening of BARÇA DREAMS (SUEÑOS DE BARÇA) which details the amazing history of one of the most popular and admired football clubs on Earth, FC Barcelona. Featuring interviews with arguably the world's best player of all time Lionel Messi, the famous coach Pep Guardiola and the man that revolutionized this sport with his innovative vision, Johan Cruyff. Special events with introductions for this screening will take place in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

In SHORT FILMS FROM THE HEART (INSPIRACIÓN DEL CORAZÓN), eight new short films from Spain, and one from Mexico, showcase a spectrum of romance and heartbreak in the modern age. From lovers scorned to lovers imagined, from emotional manipulation to emotional enlightenment, each offer a glimpse into the definitive moments and unforeseen emotions that alter our lives forever. Curated in the vein of Paris Je T'aime and New York, I Love You, special events in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide for this session will be accompanied with sweet treats and Spanish Cava.

The program's just announced feature selection includes Mexican award-winning film THE THIN YELLOW LINE (LA DELGADA LINEA AMARILLA), about the journey of five men who become unlikely friends; and straight from the Sundance and Berlinale Film Festivals comes the Chilean drama MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (AQUÍ NO HA PASADO NADA) from award winning director Alejandro Fernández Almendras.

Other dramas include EVA DOESN'T SLEEP (EVA NO DUERME) starring Gael García Bernal an Argentinian film which tells the tale of Eva Perón and the political revolution; MA MA, in which Penélope Cruz gives one of her finest-ever performances, as the beloved actress powerfully depicts a woman experiencing major life challenges with an indefatigable dignity, persevering in the only way she knows how; and 2015 festival guest Elena Anaya leads a heartbreaking story of a couple's emotional journey after the loss of their son in THE MEMORY OF WATER (LA MEMORIA DEL AGUA).

Start your festival with a dose of hilarity and join us for opening night film, SPANISH AFFAIR 2 (OCHO APELLIDOS CATALANES), which is the sequel to last year's opening night smash hit SPANISH AFFAIR. Continue laughing with the humourous Argentinian comedy NO KIDS (SIN HIJOS) in which hapless charmer Diego Peretti (known as Argentina's Hugh Grant) and the fiery Maribel Verdú (SFF13 Festival Guest) sizzle on screen as a mismatched couple with very, very different views on parenthood;  or catch Santiago Segura directing and acting in the most recent instalment of tour-de-force series TORRENTE 5: OPERATION EUROVEGAS - featuring a Spanish-speaking Alec Baldwin no less!;  or if you prefer your comedy a little darker, don't miss HAPPY 140 (FELICES 140) in which director Gracia Querejeta recruits a prestigious, multi-Goya award-winning cast to bring her gripping black comedy to life; and MY BIG NIGHT (MI GRAN NOCHE) an audaciously inventive ensemble from Álex de la Iglesia (Witching & Bitching, Closing Night SFF14) which brings chaos and snappy dialogue together for a wicked ride.

Tickets for all films and special events are now on sale.

For all ticketing and information, visit www.spanishfilmfestival.com.au

Sydney: Tues 12 April – Sun 1 May, PALACE NORTON ST & PALACE VERONA

Melbourne: Wed 13 April – Sun 1 May, THE ASTOR THEATRE, PALACE CINEMA COMO, KINO CINEMAS & PALACE WESTGARTH

Canberra: Tues 19 April – Sun 8 May, PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Brisbane: Tues 19 April – Sun 8 May, PALACE BARRACKS & PALACE CENTRO

Perth: Thurs 21 April – Wed 11 May, CINEMA PARADISO & LUNA ON SX

Adelaide: Wed 4 May – Sun 22 May, PALACE NOVA EASTEND

Hobart: Wed 4 May – Sun 15 May, STATE CINEMA