Arts & Media:

More than 1800 attend Disability Film Festival in Spain

Two short features and nine full-length feature films were presented at the spring Festival sponsored by the local government, the Asociación de Minusválidos Verdiblanca (Verdiblanca Disabilities Association) and the University Film-Club.

For a month, the Almería province welcomed the first film festival ever featured in Spain on the subject of disabilities. From April 25 through May 26, more than 1800 people, including high-school students and film buffs viwed the 35 mm presentations, featuring charcaters with disabilities either in the main or supporting roles.

Organized by the Almería local government, the Asociación de Minusválidos Verdiblanca (Verdiblanca Disabilities Association) and the University Film-Club, the Film and Disabilities Film Festival has also included round table discussions and a writing competition. These activities are based on the principles of inclusion and framed by a perspective reflecting this novel initiative's motto: "A whole lot more than you imagine."

Screenings
Film showings have been divided into two blocks: One, designed for students of 15 high-school schools --five from Almeria's capital city and 10 from neighboring municipalities, and another for general public that has gone to five sessions organized by the University Film Club. More than 350 people attended the showings that started at 11:00 PM on Thursdays and Fridays at the Provincial Capital's Maestro Padilla Municipal Auditorium for five weeks. The feature films shown were Escrito bajo el sol, Passion Fish, City Lights and, to commemorate Luis Buñuels's centennial, Viridiana and Tristana were shown. Added were two free showings of the documentary El país de los sordos, a French production. Since all actors were hearing impaired, the film was picked to be the last to be shown in all presentations.

In terms of showings designed for students, all viewers were from 10 towns of less than 20 thousand and from the Capital. Before all feature films they watched Sobre Ruedas, filmed to show the city's lack of sensibility towards people with disabilities as a result of barriers. Close to 1500 students watched 23 Steps from Baker St., Marx Brothers in the West, Treasure Island, City Lights, Escrito bajo el sol, and Conspiración de silencio. Films were shown in the Maestro Padilla Auditorium of the Municipal Capital. Films were also shown in the municipalities at Teatro Villaespesa, in Fiñana; Teatro Municipal, in Serón; Casa de la Cultura, in Pulpí; the Instituto Mar Serena's Gimnasium, in Cantoria; Saavedra Theatre, in Macael; Municipal Theater, in Olula del Río; Instituto Rosa Navarro, in Dalías; Casa de la Cultura, in Vélez-Rubio; Fernando Palánquez Library and, Casa de la Juventud, in Berja.

Participants
The participating institutes were those who responded to the organizers' invitation to all those centres in municipalities that had no architectural barriers to prohibit entrance. Prospective participants also made a selection of films from a list. Teachers lectured students that attended showings in each institute. They later participated in a forum that highlighted the positive aspects of each film and discussed the producer's approach to directing.

Around 200 film buffs and members of the public participated in two round tables alongside film critics, film directors and an actress. Individuals invited were Juan Cobos and Miguel Ángel Blanco, film critics; José Antonio Salgot, Juan Manuel Campos and Chus Gil, film directors and Gema Hassen-Bey, a many faceted woman who has won Paralympic medals and also a rock singer.

The students who organized the festival also participated in the projection of films and had written papers in competition for an award in disabilities writing. This award will be announced soon and prizes consist of books, learning materials and a still photo camera.

Traditionally, people with disabilities have only been used in supporting roles and always from a negative point of view that result in their isolation and discrimination. Script content and form are changing. Knowing this tendency, the "Ciclo de Cine y Discapacidad (Film and Disabilities Film Festival) organizers have tried to contribute to show the opposite side to that stereotyped and stigmatized point of view. This activity's goal was, therefore, to contribute to raise awareness and change attitudes among Almerían society and especially among the young who are involved in learning the value of all people that are part of society, with or without disabilities, so as not to look down on anybody.

For more information:
Asociación de Minusválidos Verdiblanca
Phone: 950 22 10 00.