Tourism

Eurocine 2013 gives Colombia a taste of Europe (VIDEO)

by Johnny Crisp

Eurocine 2013 is set to bring a taste of European cinema to Colombia’s capital of Bogota next week, before travelling to Cali, Medellin and several other destinations.

The festival will bring a wide variety of more than 60 feature and short films from Europe, ranging from Fernando Fernan’s portrayal of Spain under Franco, Voyage to Nowhere, to Mika Kaurismaki’s 2012 Finnish road trip comedy, Road North.

The selection is intended to present Colombians with a taste of what European cinema has to offer, with European producers, directors, actors, screenwriters and European subjects to take over Colombia’s cinemas for a two month period.

The Netherlands is to be the honored guest country at this year’s festival which will feature seven of Monic Hendrickx’s feature films, including “Lotus”, “Nadine” and “Live!” in an homage to one of the most iconic actors in the history of Dutch cinema.

In keeping with the festival’s choice of “journeys” as a theme, which will serve as a running connection throughout the selection of films set to be shown across Colombia, the organizers released the following statement:

“Every journey is a discovery, through which we can explore the deepest paths within ourselves.”

Festival organizer Theresa Hoppe told Colombia Reports that the Eurocine festival was born with the idea of offering a “different cultural cinematographic panorama to what usually comes here.”

“The majority of films arriving [in Colombia] are from America or if they are from Europe they are usually very commercial” said Hoppe, declaring that the festival’s aim is to provide a contrast to the current content, and “to open the public’s eyes to the fact that there are other panoramas as well.”

According to Hoppe, the festival is also about “creating bridges between different cultures” using film as a medium to bring Colombia closer to Europe.

“We want to help people see that everything over there doesn’t have to be so different…it’s a cultural exchange” she said.

Eurocine schedule

  • Bogota – April 17 to April 28
  • Medellin – May 3 to May 10
  • Cali – May 10 to May 15

An assortment of the finest offerings in the festival’s catalogue will also be taken to Armenia (April 17, 24,29), Cartago (April 17, 18, 24 and 25), Pereira (April 18, 19, 25 and 26), Barranquilla (May 9 to 12 and 17 to 19), Bucaramanga (May 14 to 17), Manizales (May 14 to 18), Neiva (May 14 to 31), Rionegro and Guatapé (May 8 to 12).

Sources