19/11/2015 - On 20 November the Asturian competition opens with the Spanish-Mexican Bleak Street by Arturo Ripstein, an enticing starter to a rich menu

As in previous editions, crowds are expected to fill the theatres during the much-awaited and flavoursome 53^rd edition of the Gijón International Film Festival, from 20 to 28 November. A lot is expected of acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Arturo Ripstein, whose Bleak Street [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], co-produced by Mexico and Spain, proved a resounding success at the last Venice Film Festival (more here).

Big names are to set foot in the beautiful town of Gijón. José Sacristán and agent Katrina Bayonas will be receiving the Nacho Martínez and Mujer de Cine prizes respectively; film-maker Víctor Erice will be holding a workshop to find out “What is cinema?”, while a retrospective is dedicated to Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

Lluis Miñarro, the Spanish producer of Uncle Boonmee…is one of the judges alongside Assumpta Serna, Álvaro Brechner, Klaus Eder, Tom Davia, Vanesa Montfort and Giona A. Nazzaro who will be called to choose among works by Brillante Mendoza (Trap), Sacha Polak (Zurich [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Laurent Larivière (I Am A Soldier [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Larivière
film profile]), Robin Pront (The Ardennes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robin Pront
film profile]) and Nabil Ayouch with French-Maroccon co-produced Much Loved [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], in which he tackles the issue of prostitution in Morocco, where the film has been banned.

The competition will close with the German thriller One Breath [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Christian Zübert, and will be passing on the torch to the Asturian towns of Langreo, Oviedo, Avilés, Cangas de Onís, Colunga, Villaviciosa and Siero. Meanwhile the International Co-production Forum with Mexico and the Meeting with women filmmakers will be taking place and will be looking at the role of women on both sides of the camera in Women and cinema: interpreting context.

(Translated from Spanish)