06/04/2018 - The two filmmakers stand out in the competitive official section of the 21st Festival of Spanish-language Film with The Laws of Thermodynamics and Casi 40, respectively

Yesterday, 5 April, the Spanish Film Academy in Madrid played host to the unveiling of the programme of the 21st Malaga Festival of Spanish-language Film, in the presence of its director, Juan Antonio Vigar, and a handful of filmmakers who will partake in said gathering, such as Mateo Gil, who will open proceedings on the 13^th of this month with The Laws of Thermodynamics [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mateo Gil
film profile], a comedy starring Vito Sanz, Berta Vázquez, Chino Darín and Vicky Luengo. Another heavyweight name in the official section will be David Trueba, who is competing with Casi 40 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Trueba
film profile], a nod to his first feature, The Good Life, which starred the same lead actors: Lucía Jiménez and Fernando Ramallo.

The festival will come to a close on 21 April with El mejor verano de mi vida [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Dani de la Orden (out of competition), but until then, audiences will be able to see Spanish titles such as Formentera Lady [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Pau Durá, starring José Sacristán in the lead role; The Distances [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elena Trapé
film profile] by Elena Trapé; Sin fin [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by brothers César and José Esteban Alenda; Ana by Day [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Andrea Jaurrieta; El mundo es suyo [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Alfonso Sánchez; Mi querida cofradía [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the feature debut by ESCAC student Marta Díaz de Lope; and Memorias de un hombre en pijama [+see also:
trailer
interview: Carlos Fernández de Vigo
film profile], an animated film (with brief live-action scenes starring Raúl Arévalo) helmed by Carlos Fernández de Vigo, all of which are screening in its official section. 

Standing out among the Latin American movies selected in competition are several European co-productions: Invisible [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Argentina/Uruguay/Brazil/Germany/France) by Pablo Giorgelli; Sergio & Sergei [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Cuba/Spain) by Ernesto Daranas Serrano; The Queen of Fear [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Argentina/Denmark), jointly directed by actress Valeria Bertucelli and so-far assistant director Fabiana Tiscornia; and You Shall Not Sleep [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Argentina/Spain/Uruguay) by Gustavo Hernández. 

The official section is topped off by The Voice of Silence (Brazil/Argentina) by André Ristum, Loveling (Brazil/Uruguay) by Gustavo Pizzi, Los adioses (Mexico) by Natalia Beristain, Los buenos demonios (Cuba) by Gerardo Chijona, Wood Eyes (Uruguay/Venezuela/Argentina) by duo Roberto Suárez and Germán Tejeira, and Violeta al fin (Costa Rica/Mexico) by Hilda Hidalgo. 

A total of 2,286 titles were submitted for this edition, or 46% more than last year, 166 of which ended up being selected and will be on show in the various sections of the festival (documentary, short films, Zonazine, Malaga Premiere and so on). The 21^st edition of the gathering is bolstering its industry platform, which was reinstated last year and which has now been baptised MAFIZ (Malaga Festival Industry Zone): it encompasses six events designed to boost Spanish and Latin American film productions, with the ultimate aim of promoting the funding, co-production, distribution and sales of Spanish-language cinema. Thus, the Spanish Screenings – Málaga de Cine, dedicated to Spanish cinema, is now joined by the MAFF (Málaga Festival Fund & Coproduction Event), LatinAmerican Focus (a bilateral co-production forum, with Brazil as the guest country), Málaga Docs, Málaga Work in Progress and Málaga Talent.

The full programme, a rundown of activities and general information about the 21st Malaga Film Festival can be found here.

(Translated from Spanish)