The Tourism Office of Castilla-La Mancha based in the Spanish capital hosted the presentation of the ninth edition of this show of the seventh art to be held in the municipality of Ciudad Real from August 5 to 20.
Calzada de Calatrava, August 4th. The ninth edition of the International Film Festival of Calzada de Calatrava was presented yesterday at the Tourist Office of Castilla-La Mancha in Madrid with a high expectation and an extensive program aimed at all audiences. This spectacle of the seventh art will start tomorrow in the municipality of Ciudad Real with an emotional opening ceremony and will last until August 20 with the awards ceremony and the closing ceremony.
The ninth edition of the Calzada de Calatrava International Film Festival comes with a huge catalog of screenings, specifically six feature films and fifty short films, as well as several documentaries, which are sure to captivate the audience. To this we must add a series of activities and events that have been organized in parallel to the festival, such as two film workshops, one for children and another for young people and adults where participants can create their own short films with a cell phone; a gastronomic route through the local restaurants that bears the name of ‘Al Modo Bar’, which will take place from August 12 to 18; a solidarity event scheduled for August 11 in favor of the Solman project; and a concert of music and film with the interpretation of original soundtracks by the AM Santa Cecilia de Calzada de Calatrava, among other events.
The presentation of this festival in the busy Gran Vía de Madrid was chaired by the mayor of Calzada de Calatrava, Gema García, who was accompanied by the councilman of tourism and director of the Calzada de Calatrava International Film Festival, José Antonio Valencia; the deputy of culture and vice president of the Provincial Council, David Triguero; and the delegate of the Ministry of Economy, Business and Employment in Ciudad Real, Agustín Espinosa. Dozens of people who did not want to miss any detail of the launch of the festival were also present.
The mayor stressed that the expectations for the IX International Film Festival of Calzada de Calatrava are “very good with an extensive program designed and aimed at all audiences”. In addition, Garcia said that “we intend that in our festival there is a direct connection between the viewer and the producer or director”. It is in these Calatrava scenarios where both parties can exchange ideas and talk about aspects of the film industry and “we give them that space for expression”. With this preamble, the mayor encouraged all residents and tourists to “do not miss any of the programming because, as always, everything has been organized with great affection and desire to share it with everyone”.
In addition, the mayor of Calzada de Calatrava recalled the complexity of the last two years for the film industry and wanted to thank “the great efforts made by the production teams to continue working in the sector,” so “we help them so that the cinema does not decline and can recover from these two difficult years they have suffered,” he said.
The director of the Calzada de Calatrava International Film Festival praised the work of directors and producers and thanked all of them for their participation so that the ninth edition arrives “with a lot of strength and an exquisite level”. In addition, Valencia encouraged the public to participate in all the activities and to attend all the screenings of the new producers, since this festival “is committed to young directors or those who have only published a maximum of two works”.
In addition, José Antonio Valencia announced that this edition has created a new section called “La mancha vaciada” with which it is intended “to accommodate people to show us both the critical and negative side of what is the exodus of the population, but also the positive side of living in the rural world,” he argued.
The IX International Film Festival of Calzada de Calatrava has everything to be a success again. After a thorough organization, it is time to “enjoy the summer cinema with short and feature films that will like a lot,” said Valencia. This experience “will be further enriched by visiting the terraces of our establishments where the participants of the gastronomic route will be able to taste dishes based on Spanish films, but not only by Pedro Almodóvar, but from all times of the film industry,” explained the director. “The tapas they propose are a real delight,” he concluded.
David Triguero stressed the importance of having “film festivals that have international projection as is the case of Calzada de Calatrava”. That makes from the Provincial Council “bet on the culture of our people, as it is clear that it is also possible in the rural world and calzadeños are just one example,” remarked the vice president. Triguero also valued the work of the organization of the festival and thanked the “tireless work to carry out such initiatives where from the provincial institution we do not stop supporting.”
Finally, Agustin Espinosa praised that “when you do some kind of innovative activity such as a film festival with international character that brings a cultural value to the whole province and also provides an attraction for those people who are looking for an excuse to visit Calzada de Calatrava and our province”. In addition, Espinosa congratulated the organization for the work done and wished that “it has a great impact as has been happening year after year and that attendees love the festival because that will continue to grow.
The presentation ceremony concluded with a wine of honor in charge of the Salvador del Mundo Cooperative and a snack of gourmet nuts from La Finca La Rosada. Both companies from Calzada de Calatrava, which collaborate with the festival, enlivened the event with their exquisite products that sweetened the palates of the attendees.
Thus, the IX Calzada de Calatrava International Film Festival expects to welcome a large number of visitors during the more than two weeks that it is underway, with the added value of a municipality that contains a great tourist treasure through its heritage elements, landscapes, castles and gastronomic products. Undoubtedly, a town of cinema for a festival that wants to break records in an unbeatable atmosphere.
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