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Spanish Anarchist Film Program at the 15th FICM

Marco Antonio Mejía

In the 15th edition of the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), the first four screenings of the Spanish Anarchist Film Program were launched, including the movies: Reportaje del movimiento revolutionario in Barcelona (1936, dir. Mateo Santos), Los Aguiluchos de la FAI por tierras de Aragón- Estampas de la revolución antifascista (1936, dir. Adrien Porchet, Pablo Willy), Los Aguiluchos de la FAI por tierras de Aragón- La toma de Siétamo (1936, dir. Adrién Porchet) and Nosotros somos así (1936, dir. Valentín R. González).

Daniela Michel, general director of FICM, explained the close relationship between the Spanish program and Morelia:

"It's a very interesting topic linked to Morelia because the Spanish Civil War broke out and a lot of children came to Morelia thanks to General Lázaro Cárdenas, that's why there is a very strong connection. It's a program that interests us a lot."

The screening was attended by Édouard Waintrop, director of the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival, who provided the audience with a historical context of the tapes derived from the Spanish army coup and fascist groups against the legal government in June 1936.

"In order to talk about these films, we have to talk about Spain in its Civil War period. They are projects filmed between 1936 and 1937, it's a very short period."

On film and Spanish anarchism, he said: "Along with anarchism, the film is developing in 1910 and 1911 when both are evolving. The Spaniards start filming but have no resources for the productions and are more dedicated to criticism. They are not just propaganda movies, but fun, fiction films that will always have the CNT's mark. Usually, they have a duration of 110 minutes and today you will discover four films that have no relation to each other. They have an anarchist aesthetic and at the same time an aesthetic that is not yet defined".

The Spanish Anarchist Cinema Program will also present Nuestro culpable (1938, dir. Fernando Mignoni), Carne de fieras (1936, dir. Armand Guerra), Barrios bajos (1937, dir. Pedro Puche) and Dawn of Hope (1937, dir. Antonio Sau Olite).