During the month of July, Instituto Cervantes’ Vimeo channel will showcase the short-film series Zinegoak, featuring eight LGTBI+ animation stories created by various Basque filmmakers. This film cycle brings to light personal narratives, reflections, and testimonies that explore themes of gender identity, homosexual love, and transsexuality, focusing on a genre that is often underrepresented in cinema.
The series will commence on July 5th and 6th with the screening of the 8-minute animation film “Azaletik azalera” (2021) by Mel Arranz. This award-winning short film captures bodily intimacy through detailed shots, depicting the touching of skins—a representation rarely explored in live-action cinema. The film will be available for 48 hours via the following link: https://vimeo.com/824067226. The series will continue on July 8th and 9th with “La mesa” (Adrian García Gomez, 2019), a short film that challenges the portrayal of men, love, and masculinity. The film can be accessed at https://vimeo.com/827926201.
In the second week of the cycle, on July 12th and 13th, the animated short film “Beti bezperako koplak” (2016), directed by various filmmakers, sheds light on male violence and abuse against women. It can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/824069808. On July 15th and 16th, directors Paco Ramirez and Tanya O’Carroll will present their short film “Thara” (2018), a documentary that depicts the life and challenges of a Honduran transsexual woman. The film can be watched at https://vimeo.com/830183775.
During the third week, on July 19th and 20th, the animated documentary “Dejarse crecer el cuerpo” (2022) by Andrea Gudiño will be showcased. This documentary features six real testimonies from individuals with non-binary gender identities and provides an intriguing exploration of identity, body, and love. It can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/827934522. Following this film is “Ezohikoak” (2022, Alejandra Bueno), which delves into the roles of women in Basque culture. It will be shown on July 22nd and 23rd at https://vimeo.com/824069976.
In the final week of the film cycle, on July 26th and 27th, “Garelako” (2015, Usue Egia) will be presented—an empowering call for freedom to define oneself and live according to one’s desires. It will be accessible at https://vimeo.com/828266180. Lastly, the animated documentary “Makun” (2015, Emilio Martí) exposes the harsh reality of detention centers for foreigners who sought refuge to express their true selves. This film will conclude the cycle on July 29th and 30th, and can be found at https://vimeo.com/827930587.
The movies, presented by Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with Zinegoak Film Festival, will be in Spanish or Basque with English subtitles. Admission is free. For further information and updates on this film series, please visit Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook site (www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila) or the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/222136474040685.
For more information about the cultural program of Instituto Cervantes, please visit Instituto Cervantes’ website (http://manila.cervantes.es) or the Instituto Cervantes Facebook page www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.
