The Tarazona and El Moncayo Comedy Film Festival ‘Paco Martínez Soria’ has reached the halfway point of its twenty-third edition this Wednesday with a day starring live cinema and humor. The Teatro Bellas Artes has hosted the screening of ‘No translations required’, directed by Rafael Altamira, while tonight David Puerto inaugurates the Off Festival in La Siesta with his show ‘Bien’.
The film, the fifth proposal of the I Official Section of Ibero-American Comedy Feature Films, stars Cristo Fernández, Kelsie McDonald, Michelle Rodríguez, Daniel Sosa, David Elsendoorn, Kike Vázquez and Alexis Arroyo, and tells the story of Paco, a young taquero from Guadalajara whose life changes when he meets Gabby, an assistant at a fashion brand in Los Angeles. The meeting between the two gives rise to a bilingual romantic comedy marked by distance, ambition and cultural and migratory differences.
The screening is attended by Paloma Cinco, actress and producer of ‘No Translations Required’, who accompanies the Turiasonense audience in the presentation of the film. Cinco explains that this is the first time that the film has been screened in España and highlights the team’s excitement to be able to present it in Tarazona. «It’s a dream to be here and show it in Spain,» he says. The actress and producer has also acknowledged her curiosity to see the public’s reaction to a film that contains numerous jokes and local references: «I’m also excited by the reactions. There are a lot of local jokes and I want to see what the audience is saying.»
For Cinco, the film also has a marked personal component and is a tribute to Guadalajara (Mexico). «This film is a love letter to my city,» he says, while highlighting the work done and the local talent that participates in the production because «we work very hard and there is a lot of local talent.»
The film is the fifth film to be screened in this new section, which in its first edition is bringing together productions from Spain, Mexico and Puerto Rico. After ‘No translations required’, the competition will be completed with ‘El Taser’, by Borja Echeverría, and ‘Nuda propiedad’, by Alberto Utrera.
DAVID PUERTO INAUGURATES THE OFF FESTIVAL
The humour continues beyond the cinemas with David Puerto, who takes to the stage of La Siesta tonight with his show ‘Bien’, starting at 00.30 am.
The comedian from Madrid, who is also participating in this year’s Short Film Making Workshop at the festival, faces this performance with «a lot of responsibility», but also with a lot of enthusiasm after having experienced the atmosphere and dimension of the event during these days. «I’ve been seeing the festival for a few days, the size it has and how beautiful it is and how it welcomes people,» he says.
Puerto explained that his proposal combines stand-up, improvisation, music and crowdwork, in a format in which the audience also has a leading role. «I’m the chorizo minced meat of comedians,I have like a little bit of everything,» jokes the comedian, who assures that his intention is to offer a varied show in which each spectator can find their moment.
Its presence in Tarazona also has a double aspect. While preparing her performance, Puerto participates in the Short Film Making Workshop, an experience that allows her to get closer to her other professional aspiration: audiovisual. «I’m trying to enter the audiovisual and the world of cinema, it’s completely impossible, but we’re there at work,» he explains.
The artist had known about the festival for years, but decided to participate in this edition after discovering the workshop, in which participants create a short film from scratch during the week of the event.
As a spectator, Puerto has also been able to follow part of the film program and has highlighted the level of the works he has seen. «I think there is a great level. They are super funny, super funny, they have a lot of background,» he says. Among the feature films, ‘Café Chairel’, by Fernando Barreda Luna, stands out, which he found «super beautiful».
Puerto shares the bill at the Off Festival with Bianca Kovacs and Salva Reina, a program that, according to him, makes him feel «very happy» to be part of the cast of comedians of this edition.
THE SHORT FILM REACHES THE HALFWAY POINT OF ITS COMPETITION
The Teatro Bellas Artes has hosted this afternoon the fourth session of the Official Short Film Section, with seven new proposals selected from the 361 works received this year by the contest.
The session included ‘In process’, by Víctor Izquierdo; ‘Kronoshock’, by Ignasi López Fábregas; ‘Mouse!’, by Yaël Belicha and Diana Rojo; ‘Interferences‘, by Liteo Pedregal; ‘You have to see it’, by Nacho Solana; ‘Antes de las seis’, by Aline López, Gemma Morcillo and Kike Maíllo, and ‘Desgraciado’, by Aitor de Kintana.
Víctor Izquierdo Alcaraz, director of ‘En tramit’, together with Laura Arnaiz Mayo, executive producer; Camino Ivars, head of production, and Elena Pérez, art assistant; Ignasi López Fàbregas, director of ‘Kronoshock’, accompanied byAnna López, responsible for the design and manufacture of the costumes; Diana Rojo Martín, director of ‘¡Ratón!’, and Yaël Belicha, director, screenwriter and actress of the short film; Nico Verona, actor of ‘Interferences’; Aline López, director and screenwriter of ‘Antes de las seis’, and Gemma Morcillo Pidevall, director; Nacho Solana, director and producer of ‘You have to see it’; and César Cárcamo Fernández and Eduardo Cárcamo Fernández, actors of ‘Unthankful’, together with Aitor de Kintana Moraza, producer and co-director.
The session also highlighted the presence of Aragonese talent in the Official Section, especially through ‘In process’, directed by the Aragonese Víctor Izquierdo and with a team also linked to the community. The short film shares a selection with ‘Sopitas’, by Luis Larrodera, the two Aragonese proposals present this year in a competition that brings together works from different parts of Spain.
With this fourth session, 28 of the 44 selected short films have already passed through the festival’s screen. The competition will continue tomorrow Thursday with the fifth session and will end on Friday 21 with the sixth and final round of work.
CINEMA ALSO REACHES CHILDREN
The day began this morning in Añón de Moncayo, which has hosted a new session of the festival’s Children’s Morning Program. The initiative is taking between August 17 and 21 a selection of short films made by Primary students of the CEIP Serrerías de Valencia to different locations in the region of Tarazona and El Moncayo.
Through these stories, children approach the cinema while reflecting on issues such as equality, coexistence, interculturality, emotional health, the environment, healthy eating or the protection of heritage.
After the sessions held in Vierlas, Litago and Trasmoz, and today’s in Añón de Moncayo, the program will arrive tomorrow Thursday in Tarazona and will conclude on Friday in Grisel.
CINEMA, PODCAST AND A NEW NIGHT OF COMEDY
The festival will face tomorrow Thursday a new day that will combine cinema, conversations with professionals and live humor.
At 11:00 a.m., the Children’s Morning Program will arrive in Tarazona and, at 12:00 p.m., the Teatro Bellas Artes will host the live recording of El Podcast de Pelocas, a space for conversations hosted by Marta Tai with professionals from film, television, theater and advertising. The recording will be open to the public, although places will be limited.
In the afternoon, at 6.30 p.m., the fifth session of the Official Short Film Section will take place, with ‘Sequidivú’, by Paula Román; ‘003’, byDaniel Chamorro; ‘Quinto primera’, by Fran Menchón; ‘Por las tetas de Lucía!’, by Paloma Mozo and Anna Carbonell; ‘Pinchu es así’, by Carmen Córdoba; ‘Como te ve una amiga’, by Jelen García and Andrea Hoyos, and ‘Glory Hole’, by Andoni Fernández.
At 10:00 p.m., it will be the turn of ‘El Taser‘, directed by Borja Echeverría, while the day will conclude again at La Siesta, at 00:30 a.m., with Bianca Kovacs and her show ‘A very legal Romanian’.
The event is also one of the qualifying festivals for theGoya Awards and the José María Forqué Awards for Best Cinematographic Short Film, and is also part of the qualifying festivals for the Fugaz Awards.
