05/12/2024 - The head of the Canary Islands gathering takes stock, talks about the need for calm and praises the fact that its jury deliberates in front of the public

(© Bruto)

The 14th Lanzarote Film Festival took place between 21 November and 1 December. The festival is committed to restraint, debate and quality, without neglecting risk, and whose characteristics its director, Javier Fuentes Feo, describes in this interview.

Cineuropa: This edition has now finished, how has it been?
Javier Fuentes Feo: It has been extraordinary. All sections were at a very high level. The debate has been extensive, rigorous and at the same time entertaining. We have had a greater attendance and impact than in previous editions. And more national and international press has come to the island than ever before. I believe that the Lanzarote Film Festival is starting to see how its unique approach to cinema is becoming a benchmark.

Looking ahead, what does the future look like for the event?
Our future lies in further deepening the cinematic experience and its connection to the feeling of our times. We want to be a benchmark for film festivals by supporting issues such as concentration, reflection, dialogue and debate. All of this through a rigorous connection between cinema and reality, be it global or especially local. The island is always the main focus of each edition.

It seems to be growing, are new horizons opening up?
The growth we’ve had in recent editions is related to an attempt to create new audiences in places where cinema does not reach throughout the year. This year we set up a kind of travelling screen in each of the seven municipalities of Lanzarote and on the neighbouring island of La Graciosa. The idea was that places where cinemas disappeared decades ago would once again have that community experience.

You give a prize of 6,500 euros for the best feature film, which is rare. Is this intended to help promote the winning title?
A couple of years ago we made the decision that it was important to show strong support for the winning films, both in the Official Section and the Canarian films. It means a great financial effort for the non-profit cultural association that carries out the project.

The prize is awarded by a jury that deliberates in public.
As far as we are aware, this is unique in the world. We set it up seven years ago with a rigorous deliberation system and many people told us it was crazy. But it has been a huge success. More and more people are coming to listen to the jury's considerations. And the experience ends up becoming a rigorous, well-argued, thoughtful and reflective debate. The fact that the public can participate and share their opinion at one point during the deliberation is very special. It is something that on several occasions has been important in determining the jury's final criteria. This form of deliberation is an important aspect of the identity of the Lanzarote Film Festival.

What will continue to be the editorial line of the event?
As I said before, the Lanzarote Film Festival is committed to supporting films that best connect with the feeling of our times. This is what is presented in the two sections that are eligible for an award, such as the Official Section and Crossroads: Filmmakers from the Canary Islands. As well as this approach, the project is above all a firm commitment to its ability to help us better understand our local environment: the island of Lanzarote. This is why the Trasfoco Section, which each year deals with a theme connected to the island but with a global scope, has been gaining so much prominence. We have reviewed the history of cinema through local and universal themes as volcanoes, salt, wind, fishing and emigration.

How is local talent supported at the festival?
Since 2011 we have always supported Canarian cinema with a specific section that is presented at a time that we know is often attended by many. As we mentioned before, we have also been improving the prize for the winning film in each edition. We also work closely with the Pancho Lasso art school, so that students can access our activities and we organise high level workshops so that young people can learn from professionals.

What institutional support do you have?
This year the main collaborations have been with the Cabildo de Lanzarote, with the Centres of Art, Culture and Tourism and with the Society for the Foreign Promotion of Lanzarote. We are very happy that over the years and as the project has gained recognition, collaboration with public institutions has increased and expanded, both with the Canary Islands Government - through the Canary Islands Institute for Cultural Development and Promotur- and with the Ministry of Culture, through the ICAA.

In today's fast-paced world, don't people look at you funny if you choose calm and slow?
I'd like to think they look at you more intently. As if what we advocate could be a possibility to be considered. I think everyone is running around a lot, myself included, and constantly looking for a bit of peace and quiet.

How do you create new audiences from the festival?
We work with a number of schools on the island to come and watch films and discuss them with someone who has a connection to the chosen production. We offer training activities. We bring children's cinema to all municipalities. We offer a children's toy library in order to reconcile access to culture with family life and, above all, we are launching the Trasfoco Section. Each year deals with a theme closely connected to the island of Lanzarote and its people, and the venues receive a lot of interest. Recently a great poet who lives here told me that he was amazed to go to a fishermen's bar, where he has breakfast every day, and to hear how these men, who spend ninety percent of their time together talking about the sea and fishing, were talking about the film we had shown the day before. A fishing film, admittedly, but that morning they were seeing their world through cinema. 

Do you know the dates and what’s new for the next edition?
Although we do have some ideas for the next edition, we’re now trying to gather all the knowledge we’ve gained from the one that has just finished. Although everyone congratulates us, we know internally that some aspects can always be improved. The important thing is to receive the praise with gratitude, but also to think about what can be refined for the following year.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)