Fernando Benzo supports Spanish cinema present at the 67th Berlinale in Berlin

The Secretary of State for Culture, accompanied by the ICAA, Oscar Graefenhain, comes to Berlin to support Spanish cinema, which has a wide presence in this edition of the Berlinale.

Fernando Benzo, Secretary of State for Culture, accompanied by the general director of the Institute of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (ICAA), Oscar Graefenhain, visited the exhibition Women of Cinema. Echoes of Hollywood in Spain which is hosted by the Spanish Embassy in Berlin during the days of the Berlinale 2017 film festival. During the subsequent reception at the Embassy, ​​Benzo showed his support for Spanish cinema, which has a wide presence at the Berlin International Film Festival. Among Spanish filmmakers, actors and actresses or producers, Alex de la Iglesia, Blanca Suárez, Carlos Iglesias, Eduardo Casanova, Mario Casas, Secun de la Rosa, Carolina Bang, Mikel Lejarza, José Antonio Blanco, Pedro Hernández, Javier Angulo, Mercedes Gamero and Simón de Santiago were at the diplomatic legation.

Strong Spanish presence

La presencia española en esta 67ª edición de la Berlinale es amplísima, con la proyección de películas de nuestro país en numerosas secciones del festival y repartida en varias secciones. En la Oficial concursará a fantastic woman, coproducción de España, Chile, Alemania y Estados Unidos, dirigida por Sebastián Lelio. Fuera de competición se proyectará El Bar de Álex de la Iglesia; en la gala especial The Queen of Spain, dirigida por Fernando Trueba y en la sección Berlinale Especial, Last days in Havana, de Fernando Pérez. En Panorama se exhibirá Skins, ópera prima de Eduardo Casanova –que opta al ‘Premio al mejor film debut’- y Policy, instruction manual, by Fernando León de Aranoa. In the Culinary Section this year Spain is present with Soul, by Ángel Parra and José Antonio Blanco. the movie Summer 1993, by Carla Simón, will be screened in the Generation and Talent sections. Also in Generation you can see Morning Cowboy by Fernando Pomares.

After the reception at the Berlin embassy, ​​the Cervantes Institute held a reception last night for the Ibero-American cinema present in the city with the assistance of the Secretary of State for Culture and the general director of the ICAA.

Today, Wednesday, both will visit the European Film Market in Berlin, and the stand of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports where companies offer their potential buyers some of the most recent hits of Spanish cinema. They will also meet with the director of the Berlin Film Festival, Dieter Kosslick, to later hold a meeting with the film's team The bar by Alex de la Iglesia and attend the screening of the film.