25/01/2007

Though the definitive programme is yet to be announced, some of the films and events of the 10th Malaga Spanish Film Festival (March 9-17) have already been disclosed: Lola [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the latest film by Miguel Hermoso, will officially open an edition that will also feature a retrospective on Bigas Lunas and pay homage to actress Carmen Maura and producer Emiliano Otegui.

Produced by Prodigius Audiovisual and Ensueño Films, with a script by Antonio Onetti, Lola depicts the rise to stardom of Lola Flores, one of Spain's most prestigious Flamenco singers and dancers, who died in 1995. For Hermoso, who directed Lola Flores in Truhanes (1983), it was "risky to tell the story of such a charismatic personality in a film that, logically, should have several musical numbers and show scenes, besides action and a bit of humour".

Singer-turned-actress Gala Évora leads a cast that also includes other renowned Spanish actors, such as Ana Fernández and Jose Luis García Pérez. The film will be distributed by DeAPlaneta and is expected to have a great impact on local audiences, just like another flamenco biopic, Jaime Chávarri's Camaron.

Focused exclusively on national production, Malaga has become – together with San Sebastian and Sitges – one of Spain’s most important film showcases, helping to discover talented young directors such as Daniel Sánchez Arévalo (see interview), whose internationally praised debut DarkBlueAlmostBlack [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] had an awarded premiere in Malaga's previous edition.

The festival's growing reputation is also due to the markets organised in parallel (Málaga Screenings, Mercadoc, TV Market and TV Art), aimed at increasing the sales of local films, documentaries and television product.