For the 18th edition of our annual fiesta we’ve handpicked the very best in comedy, drama and documentary filmmaking from across Spain and Spanish speaking Latin America. We’re also pleased to bring a flavour of ¡Viva! to Cornerhouse’s Gallery 1 with Landings, our solo exhibition by Mexican artist Minerva Cuevas, which will be on show throughout the festival.
In putting together this year’s line-up, the festival team have selected a variety of new films from some of our favourite ¡Viva! directors such as Alex de la Iglesia and Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, as well as showcasing an array of impressive debut features from first time directors. Film highlights for 2012 include: Arrugas, a sensitive, comical animation that was a run-away hit with audiences at the 2011 San Sebastian Film Festival; laugh- out-loud comedy Primos; and Pa negre, the first Catalan-language film to win the Best Film Goya. And unlike our normal film prgramme ¡Viva! screenings start at the advertised times without adverts and trailers – so do bare this in mind, we don’t want you missing the start of anything.
And the fiesta feeling doesn’t end with our screenings, we have a range of talks and debates for film fans and language learners alike, and the Cornerhouse café bar will celebrate ¡Viva! with a range of delicious Spanish specialities. To end the festival in style, don’t miss the Closing Party hosted by our festival partners Instituto Cervantes.
Also throughout the festival keep your eyes peeled for reviews and recommendations as well as our special podcasts in both Spanish and English.
¡Viva! Festival Pass
With so much going on throughout the festival it might be worth purchasing a ¡Viva! Festival Pass to save a few pounds. Festival Pass holders can see a total of eight films for just £50 full / £36 concs or £42 full £28 concs for Cornerhouse Members. To book your Festival Pass, download the pdf booking form here or collect a copy from Box Office and return it with your payment. Please note that your Festival Pass can only be booked in person or over the telephone and the pass excludes events and special priced screenings. Make sure you buy your pass well in advance, as passes will not be sold during the 30 minutes before any screening.
Have a great festival! ¡Disfrutad el festival!
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In this festival
Previously in this Festival
Exhibition
Minerva Cuevas: Landings
For her new Gallery 1 show, Mexican artist Minerva Cuevas presents a selection of work including installations, film and wall paintings that use social and…
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Café Cervantes 2012
Our firm festival favourite, Café Cervantes, returns for another year of lively discussion and debate led by Iñaki Abad and Kepa González. This informal session…
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Cafè ‘Els Quatre Gats’ 2012
Veniu! Passeu! Que casa nostra és casa vostra... Our annual Catalan Café is back by popular demand. To complement the screenings of Pa negre and…
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One Hour Intro/ The Exploitation Cinemas of Latin America
Taking its inspiration from the ¡Viva! films Juan de los muertos and La Hora cero, this One Hour Intro will explore the (almost) unbelievable world…
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One Hour Intro/ Spanish Comedies
This lively and informative One Hour Intro will provide insight into the box office hits and hidden gems of contemporary Spanish comedy. Using a variety…
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Closing Party! ¡Fiesta clausura! (at Instituto Cervantes)
Our festival partner Instituto Cervantes invites you to celebrate the 18th edition of ¡Viva! at the ¡Fiesta de clausura! held at the Institute’s Deansgate premises.…
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¡VIVA! 2012 Opening Gala
We are pleased to welcome director Emilio Aragón to ¡Viva! for our Opening Gala screening of Pájaros de papel. Alongside this do come along early…
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Director Q&A / Open 24H
The young Catalan filmmaker Carles Torras, born Barcelona 1974, honed his cinematographic skills at film school and a series of master classes with such international…
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Director Q&A/ Pájaros de papel
To celebrate the opening weekend of ¡Viva! Spanish and Latin American Film Festival, we are pleased to welcome Emilio Aragón to Manchester for a Q&A…
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Preview/ Minerva Cuevas: Landings
Join us for the launch of ¡Viva! 2012 as we begin the night with a complimentary drink in Gallery 1 to inaugurate the new exhibition…
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Artist’s Tour/ Minerva Cuevas: Landings
Minerva Cuevas will lead this guided tour in person, introducing you to her work in Gallery 1 as part of ¡Viva! 2012. Using second-hand materials…
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Spanish Language Gallery Discussion/ Landings
This gallery discussion, led by James Scorer, Lecturer in Latin American Cultural Studies at The University of Manchester, will give Spanish speakers and learners the…
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Adult Study Morning/ También la lluvia (12A)
Using Icíar Bollaín’s award-winning drama También la lluvia (2010) as a focus film, Carmen Herrero and Ana Valbuena present an interactive study session designed for…
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Post-screening discussion/ The Hunt
A post-screening discussion led by a member of the ¡Viva! festival team, following the Wed 14 March screening of The Hunt.
Cinema
Pájaros de papel
Set during the Spanish Civil War, Pájaros de papel is an emotional and tender story of friendship and survival in desperate times. Musician Jorge del…
Cinema
El Gran Vázquez
Based around the life of Manuel Vázquez, Spain's greatest comic book artist, Óscar Aibar’s fast-paced comedy focuses on Vázquez’ outrageous exploits in 1960s Barcelona. Vázquez…
Cinema
Balada triste de trompeta
Set during the advanced stages of the Franco regime, Álex de la Iglesia’s Balada triste de trompeta is a blistering onslaught of vengeful violence coupled…
Cinema
La Mirada invisible
Buenos Aires, March 1982. A zealous young teaching assistant trains an ever-vigilant watchful eye over her pupils as she endeavours to uphold the strict code…
Cinema
Las Malas intenciones
Las Malas intenciones is an imaginative coming-of-age story with a powerful central performance from Fátima Buntinx as Cayetana, a privileged but lonely nine-year-old living in…
Cinema
La Hora cero
When outlaw Parca takes a bleeding and pregnant girl to the local public hospital he finds it closed due to a strike. His solution is…
Cinema
Pequeñas voces
UK premiere of an enchanting and deeply moving animated documentary based on interviews with children displaced by the violence in rural Colombia. Using their original…