A movie in the evening: this could be a perfect description of the experience offered every summer, in José Ignacio, the International Film Festival (JIIFF). since 15 yearsthis event showcases a luxury program on the sand, with free access and only two requirements: bring a lounge chair and blanket and the best disposition to immerse yourself in some of the best films of the moment.
This year it celebrates a special anniversary, that is why the Festival will run between January 18 and 26 and will have 3 venues, two outdoors (the Bajada de los Pescadores and the Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio) and one indoor, the Pavilion VIK , the only location that requires a reservation because it has limited seats.
movies like “Anora”, “A real pain” and “Emilia”not yet released in Argentina or Uruguay, will be part of the programming; with the surprise, in the case of “Emilia”, that its director (Jacques Audiard) and the main actress (Karla Sofía Gascón) will attend the presentation.
A history of the festival
“The festival was born from the concern of thinking about a summer activity, in a space in which such an experience seemed impossible. “Imagine 1,500 people coming to the beach and opening the lounge chairs to watch movies,” he explains. Pablo Mazzola, programmer in Buenos Aires at Cine Arte Cacodelphia and one of the organizers of the event along with Fiona Pittaluga, Mariana Rubio Pittaluga and Martín Cuinat.
According to Mazzola, “Anora” (Palm d’Or in Cannes, directed by Sean Baker) will be in charge of opening the functions of the Festival which this year, anniversary through, will have an extended program. The curation of the event is a fundamental aspect for the programmers, who seek to show high-quality cinema, but that does not expel the viewer. “A cinema that represents an artistic challenge, but that has an encounter character. We are not going for extreme works or for ‘pochoclero’ entertainment. “We want to give the viewer new tools to broaden their vision.”
The films in competition are voted on by the public, which is the only jury. And one day after being exhibited, they are subjected to a debate in which everyone who saw it can participate.
In addition to the films already mentioned, this year the French film “Le Royaume” will be shown, directed by Julien Colonna; the animated film “Flow” (“Straume”) which just won a Golden Globe and “Vermiglio”, an Italian, French and Belgian co-production directed by Maura Delpero.
“Bird”, nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes and the audience award at the San Sebastián Festival; It is one of the most interesting films in the show. The big surprise will be the Chinese film “Black Dog” of great beauty and originality. The only representative from Latin America is director Pablo Stoll Ward with “The Summer Theme.” “It’s a zombie movie,” explains Mazzola. “But it also has a look at art, politics, gender and what Uruguayan cinema is like.”
Why are there no Argentine films in the show this year? “What we saw of recent Argentine cinema did not fit with the rest of the curatorship,” explains Mazzolla, who clarifies that Stoll’s film is a co-production of Uruguay and Argentina.
Other objectives
Although this Festival is a private activity, which does not have official subsidies and is supported exclusively by the contributions of sponsors and benefactors, the intention of the organizers is also to contribute to the growth of local cinema.
For this reason, in addition to the exhibition of feature films, the event showcases a short film competition by Uruguayan authors, whose prize is a training trip to the Cannes Festival. Furthermore, a very positive fact about the contest is that it legitimizes the winning piece to be viewed in the Oscar selection and thus becomes the first festival in Uruguay to be part of the list of the Academy Award Qualifying Festivals. On Friday, January 24, at Pavilion VIK, the 8 selected short films will be shown. The winner will be selected by a jury of notables but will also receive the public prize based on a vote by viewers.
In parallel to the development of the Festival, training activities for filmmakers also take place. On the one hand, a clinic for ongoing projects with very high-level tutoring. The best among the proposals presented receives a prize of US$50,000 to contribute to its realization. On the other hand, the Generation J space, for screenwriters and directors under 32 years of age, is proposed as a workshop to imagine projects and ideas guided by national and international experts. The two activities take place during the days when the festival takes place.
Finally, the “Corte” workshop for children and adolescents helps them create a film in a week, which is then exhibited along with the short films in competition. For more details about the programming and activities parallel to the exhibition, you can consult the event website: joseignaciofilmfestival.com.
“This is a unique festival because of the place where it takes place,” explains Mazzola, alluding to two factors, the natural environment of the small coastal city and the public that lives there, with a very high cultural level. “We program good cinema, cinema that dignifies us, nourishes us, gives us elements, allows us to entertain ourselves but also offers us interesting readings. Without leaving aside the fact that cinema on the big screen gives us different perceptions than those we have on a platform,” he concludes.
The experience is worth it, from the movies scheduled to the conditions to watch them: under the moon, in front of the sea and with all the calm in the world to treasure the moment.
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