Any film lovers looking for some pre-Easter sun may want to head over to
First Choice and book themselves a bargain flight to the glorious Spanish island of Lanzarote, deep in the heart of the Canary Islands, where the Festival Internacional de Cine de Lanzarote – a.k.a. the Lanzarote International Film Festival – is currently in full swing.
According to the
official site for the festival, the focus of this year’s programme of films is on storytelling - the need to tell a story and talk about our memories, fears and dreams, in addition to answering questions such as: What is happening all around us? What is our perception of life? And how should we describe it?
Over the years, the Lanzarote International Film Festival has screened over 2400 short films from more than 100 different countries, offering a true taste of the very best that world cinema has to offer, and the 2014 line-up is no different, with 13 feature films showing as part of the official programme, as well as 95 short films which are battling it out in competition for first prize in the categories of documentary, animation, national fiction and international films.
Among the feature films set to be screened at the Lanzarote International Film Festival this year is
Wounded (Spanish:
La herida), the acclaimed directorial debut of editor Fernando Franco, which screened at several festivals last year including the San Sebastian International Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, London Film Festival and Stockholm International Film Festival. Here's the official synopsis:
"Ana, 30, is an ambulance driver. Though good at her job, she has problems relating in her personal life. She doesn't know it, but she suffers from a condition known by psychiatrists as Borderline Personality Disorder. The situation pushes her to outbreaks of self-destructive behaviour, alcohol abuse and self-harm. Ana is incapable of getting what she wants most: to be happy."
Joining Wounded as the second closing night film is
Living is Easy with Eyes Closed (Spanish:
Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados), which picked up six honours at the Goya Awards (the most prestigious awards of the Spanish film industry), including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (David Trueba), Best Actor (Javier Camara), Best Actress (Natalia Molina) and Best Original Score (Pat Metheny). Here's the official synopsis:
"A teacher who uses the Beatles songs to teach English in the Spain of 1966 hears that John Lennon is in Almería shooting a film. Deciding to meet him, he sets out on the journey. On the way, he meets a 16-year-old boy who has run away from home and a young 21 year old who seems to be escaping from something of her own. The three strike up an unforgettable friendship."
Having commenced on March 24th, the 14th edition of the Lanzarote International Film Festival runs through until April 5th. Tickets for the feature films are priced at just €3, while admission to the four short film sessions will run you back just €2, leaving you plenty of spending money to enjoy everything else that the island of Lanzarote has to offer.
