03/11/2022 - This year, the event has once again become an exquisite showcase for the most select, bold and avant-garde continental audiovisual production of the moment

The Seville Film Festival celebrates its 19th edition between 4 and 12 November with 222 films, 139 premieres, six competitive sections and a full programme of activities, opening with the screening of the French production Other People’s Children [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rebecca Zlotowski
film profile], by Rebecca Zlotowski. 

Universal figures such as the Russian Alexandr Sokurov, who will bring his co-production with Belgium Fairytale [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]; the American Frederick Wiseman, who will screen his co-production with France A Couple [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]; the Italian Paolo Taviani with Leonora Addio [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Paolo Taviani
film profile]; and the French Michel Ocelot with his animated film Black Pharaon, the Savage and the Princess [+see also:
trailer
film profile]; as well as key auteurs to understand the richness of contemporary filmmaking, such as the Filipino Lav Diaz with his first co-production with Europe When the Waves Are Gone [+see also:
film review
interview: Lav Diaz
film profile], the Italian Pietro Marcello with his French production Scarlet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pietro Marcello
film profile], the Italian-French Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi with Forever Young [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
film profile], the Portuguese João Pedro Rodrigues and his passionate Will-o’-the-Wisp [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: João Pedro Rodrigues
film profile], the Danish-based Iranian Ali Abbasi with Holy Spider [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ali Abbasi
interview: Ali Abbasi
interview: Zar Amir Ebrahimi
film profile] (after his impressive Border [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ali Abbasi
film profile]); the Italian-Austrian duo Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel with Vera [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel
film profile], and the Latvian Signe Baumane with her animated film My Love Affair with Marriage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Signe Baumane
film profile], will compete for the Golden Giraldillo.

Alongside them, true to its mission of reflecting the vitality of young talent, the festival will also screen new projects from the Belgian Lukas Dhont, such as the award-winning Close [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eden Dambrine
interview: Lukas Dhont
interview: Lukas Dhont
film profile]; the French Lola Quivoron and her Rodéo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lola Quivoron and Julie Ledru
film profile]; the acclaimed Saint Omer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alice Diop
interview: Kayije Kagame
film profile], by her compatriot Alice Diop; and the Iraqi based in Austria Kurdwin Ayub, who will present the award-winning Sonne [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kurdwin Ayub
film profile].

These are joined by the British Joanna Hogg, with The Eternal Daughter [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], starring a double Tilda Swinton; and the French Léonor Serraille, presenting Mother and Son [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Léonor Serraille
film profile] after her Caméra d'Or Montparnasse Bienvenüe [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Léonor Serraille
film profile]. The Spanish presence in this official section is provided by the co-production between the host country, together with Argentina and France Matadero [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], by Santiago Fillol, and Siete Jereles, the latest film from the unstoppable Gonzalo García Pelayo, together with Pedro G. Romero.

The New Waves section will screen a variety of films from emerging talents in European cinema, including the Scottish Charlotte Wells (Aftersun [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), the German Helena Wittmann (Human Flowers of Flesh [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Helena Wittmann
film profile]), the Portuguese Carlos Conceição (Tommy Guns [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Conceição
film profile]), the Croatian Juraj Lerotić (Safe Place [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juraj Lerotić
film profile]) and the Spanish Julián Génisson (Inmotep [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

During the presentation of the programme, which took place at the Filmoteca Española a few days ago, the Mayor of Seville Antonio Muñoz announced that the City Council, through the Institute for Culture and Arts of Seville (ICAS) and thanks to funding from the Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute (ICAA) with Next Generation funds, will launch the Seville Cinema Lab project, "whose aim is to promote high-level training for film professionals, as well as developing film projects in international co-productions".

New this year for the Seville Festival is Essential Voices, a cycle that will bring together filmmakers who have made a key contribution to contemporary cinema, with the collaboration of the European Film Academy and the University of Seville. The Spanish Juan Antonio Bayona and Álex de la Iglesia will take part, along with Alexandr Sokurov, Michel Ocelot and Signe Baumane, as well as the emerging talents Elena López Riera and Charlotte Wells, in addition to a round table on Carlos Saura.

The Seville Festival has also established itself as a meeting point under the title SEFF Industria. The Association of Independent Film Distributors (ADICINE) and the event are once again organising the Independent Film Market (MERCI) from 9 to 11 November, which includes the screening for exhibitors, television channels and platforms of 20 titles that will reach Spanish commercial cinemas by the end of 2023.

The entire programme and activities of the 19th Seville European Film Festival can be viewed here.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)