FRONTEiRAS Film Festival is back but in online mode

After the October edition was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FRONTEiRAS International Film Festival is now back, this time in online mode. Running from tomorrow, the 7th, until Saturday, April 10th, it will feature the screening of short and feature films, as well as a lecture, an online photography exhibition and a virtual meeting.

Taking place since 2016, the exhibition aims to promote European filmmakers and their work as an alternative to the so-called more commercial cinema, intending to strengthen the ties between Portugal and Spain through culture and cinema. This year, the presential moves to digital, in an attempt to "disclose cinematographic productions that have as their theme borders: physical, emotional, material, geographic, sexual, religious, mental, among others", says the organization.

At the festival's presentation, yesterday, April 5, at the headquarters of CCDR Algarve, Abraham López Feria, director of FRONTEiRAS, made known the program of the film exhibition and how everything will work this year. The selection of several short films made by young Europeans and 11 films will be available on the platform free of charge and without an appointment, so that all viewers can watch them.

Among the 11 films selected for the show, there is Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa, which will be broadcast at the opening session and which belongs to the public catalog of awards Luxury, still being voted on to win the award Lux Audience Award.

From animated shorts to fictional feature films, there are several styles that will be present in the cinematic products to be exhibited. There will also be short film sessions dedicated and adapted to young people of various age groups (+3, +6 and +12 years). These sessions are already available on the project's website, being chosen by Glória Botello, responsible for the FRONTEiRAS programming.

In this film show, it is promised to address issues that are on the agenda, such as unemployment or gender issues, in an attempt to transmit values to society, especially to young audiences, thus contributing to the development of human values , cultural and social. "We consider it necessary to form a critical and conscious public to discover, share and transform the world through their stories and build together a more empathetic, open and committed society", can be read in the FRONTEIRAS website.

The event, this year, will also feature a free online lecture, where Benito Zambrano will share «Errors and successes of an Andalusian filmmaker», a collaboration with the International University of Andalusia.

The virtual photography exhibition, entitled MANINKANAN – La Callada Malinké, is already available on the exhibition platform, by Adolfo Olmedo Villarejo.

There will also be a virtual meeting, Andalusian Creative Documentary, which will have the presence of several film directors and producers, where the objective is to provide space for dialogue with the public.

The exhibition's presentation session was attended by Abraham López Feria, director of the exhibition, Maria de Lurdes Carvalho, director of CCDR Algarve Services, Filomena Sintra, vice president of the Castro Marim City Council, representing the Eurocity of Guadiana, and Jorge Machado, president of the Contextos cooperative. These are some of the support and collaborators of FRONTEiRAS.

Promised for this year, there is also a face-to-face edition of FRONTEiRAS, to be held after the summer if conditions so permit.

Photos: Rúben Bento | Sul Informação and CCDR Algarve