For the Cinephile non-competitive section we have chosen works of two iconic figures of world cinema.

Elementary Triptych of Spain | José Val del Omar

Elementary Triptych of Spain is the last film project by José Val del Omar (1904-1982). The idea arose in the last stages of his life and was aimed at creating a trilogy using his three ‘elemental pieces’: Aguaespejo granadino [Water-Mirror of Granada] (1955), Fuego en Castilla [Fire in Castille] (1960) and Acariño galaico [Galician Caress] (1961-1995).

This is a monumental work by Val del Omar, a trilogy that takes us on a trip across Spain from north to south, from Galicia to Castile and Granada, in an exploration of three elements: earth, fire, and water. The poetic and symbolic richness of the films that compose this trilogy is unparalleled – to materialize them and convey the intense atmospheres that became a trademark of his work, Val del Omar designed and developed, all by himself, unique devices that made them possible.

Jose Val del Omar has often been considered an essential figure of Spanish experimental cinema. However, Val del Omar can be seen as a key figure of international experimental cinema. He is part of a global history of images and sounds, connecting his works with some key episodes of the history of cinema. He is the bridge between the 1920s avant-garde and the new underground filmmaking of the 1960s.

This program is made possible thanks to the collaboration of Gonzalo Sáenz de Buruaga (President of the Val del Omar Archive) and Piluca Baquero (Director of the Val del Omar Archive).

Films:

• ACARIÑO GALAICO | José Val del Omar | Spain |1961 | 24’ | DCP
• FUEGO EN CASTILLA | José Val del Omar | Spain | 1960 | 17’ | DCP
• AGUAESPEJO GRANADINO | José Val del Omar | Spain | 1955 | 23’ |DCP

In the presence of Kamila Żyto, Professor (Assistant), University of Lodz.

Tribute to Sohrab Shahid Saless

The work of Iranian filmmaker Sohrab Shahid Saless (1944–1998) belongs to no single place or canon, it is a continent of its own – a ‘central massif’ of cinema, as one critic notes. His slow-paced films tell simple stories almost without words, in meditative but searing images that register the smallest of details. His close attention to the routines and repetitions of everyday life is mirrored in the rhythmic flow of his films and in the clockwork-precision play of sound and silence. Shahid Saless observes the world with an unflinching eye. His films are alert to cruelty and injustice but they never judge. They are devoid of sentimentality but deeply humanist, stubbornly concrete yet universally resonant, austere but poetic – they make us see anew.

A visionary and truly transnational artist, Shahid Saless remained a solitary figure throughout his life. Still his films have left an indelible mark – among his contemporary cinematic descendants are the likes of Abbas Kiarostami and Romuald Karmakar.

Films:

• Far from home | Sohrab Shahid Saless | Iran, Germany | 1975 | 91’
• Time of maturity | Sohrab Shahid Saless | Germany | 1976 | 108’ | European Premiere of the restored version

In the presence of Vivien Buchhorn, Shahid Saless Archive.