The 26th edition of ¡Viva! opened on Friday! And in addition to our opening night introduction from guest director, Belén Funes, we welcome five other filmmakers from Spain and Latin America to host Q&A’s after screenings of their incredible premieres and debuts.
Explore our highlights below and enjoy our special Viva podcast (in both English and Spanish).
La Hija de un ladrón (A Thief’s Daughter) + Q&A
Sat 7 Mar, 17:50
Our opening weekend set the bar high with a powerful first feature from Catalan writer/director Belén Funes who joined us for a Q&A. The film will screen again on Tue 24 Mar.
This debut stars Greta Fernández as a painfully lonely young woman navigating a toxic family situation, with her errant parent played by her real life father Eduard Fernández.
UK Premiere/ Zaniki + Q&A
Sun 15 Mar, 18:00
This delightful film, a sort of magical realist or mythical documentary set in the rural Salamanca region of north western Spain, follows shaman, Eusebio Mayalde, as he passes down his knowledge to Zaniki, his eight-year-old grandson.
After the success of Sud Express way back in ¡Viva! 2006, we are pleased to welcome back Gabriel Velázquez for a Q&A following the screening on Sun 15 Mar.
UK Premiere/ El Despertar de las hormigas (The Awakening of the Ants) + Q&A
Tue 24 Mar, 18:10
A beautifully shot and expertly acted domestic drama about female empowerment, this film follows 28-year-old Isa as she slowly but defiantly takes back control over her domineering husband.
We are pleased to welcome Antonella Sudasassi for a Q&A following the screening on Tue 24 Mar.
Tiempo de lluvia (In Times of Rain) + Q&A
Thu 19 Mar, 19:00
A traditional healer and village elder, Soledad, is dismayed when her daughter calls for her grandson to move to Mexico City. His contentious move links to themes of urban migration and crisis of identity.
We are pleased to welcome director Itandehui Jansen and writer/producer Armando Bautista for a Q&A following the screening on Thu 19 Mar.
UK Premiere/ El Sitio de Otto (Otto’s Place) + Q&A
Sun 22 Mar, 18:15
Filmed in the picturesque Ebro Valley, this is a subtle and well-crafted coming-of-age story that celebrates having the confidence to strike an alternative path on the journey into adult identity.
We are pleased to welcome director Oriol Puig and producer Xavier Toll for a Q&A following the screening on Sun 22 Mar.
UK Premiere/ Detrás de la montaña (Beyond the Mountain) + Q&A
Thu 12 Mar, 18:10
In this masterful fiction feature debut, a shy boy is hell-bent on revenge against his father, who abandoned him at birth and left his mother forever heartbroken. His revenge plan takes him from Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez, but is complicated by the arrival of his crush, as well as by meeting his father in person.
We are pleased to welcome David Romay for a Q&A following the screening on Thu 12 Mar.
VIVA Festival 2020 runs from Fri 6 Mar until Thu 26 Mar. To view our full programme of films, click here.