The African Film Festival of Cordoba reaches 13,000 spectators in its tenth edition Annual date of reference in Europe for African cinemas
Cordoba,
4th November 2013. The African Film Festival of
Cordoba-FCAT has reached 13,000 spectators in its tenth edition, celebrated
from the 11th to the 19th of October. In its second year
at Cordoba, after eight editions in Tarifa (Cadiz), the audiences have enjoyed a panoramic view
towards the realities of cinemas in Africa and
the Arab World, through 70 films from 32 different countries, and a series of
round tables, conferences and exhibitions, among other activities.
FCATstaff.
The director of FCAT Cordoba, Mane
Cisneros, has highlighted that the festival “has managed to maintain the number
of spectators despite the very hard times that Spain is going through”. In this
tenth anniversary, the organisation has designed a very modest festival
regarding funding (200,000€), yet “under high standards of quality”.
Cisneros
considers that this piece of data confirms that Cordoba has made a good choice
by consolidating the festival in its city. However, she has pointed out that
“if we want the festival to grow, we will need to find solutions fighting
against the scarcity of means that we have worked with this year”.
In
this way, the festival –organised by the NGOD Al Tarab, supported mainly by the
City Council of Cordoba, and sponsored by Magtel, Halal Institute, El Corte
Inglés, Turkish Airlines, Diputación de Córdoba and Eurostarshotes, among
others – cements its place as the annual date of reference in Europe for African
cinemas. Today, it is the only Spanish event devoted to the film productions in
Africa and one of the most important events in the world.
During
the festival, a total of 13,000 spectators have joined the screens and at
Cordoba to enjoy the wide range of activities offered by the festival. Among
them, 3,000 children and teenagers have participated in the Learning Space of
FCAT Cordoba, an on-growing number thanks to the work carried out by the areas
of Education and Cooperation in the City Council of Cordoba, as well as the
contributions of a large number of teachers.
Under
the aim of bringing African cinemas for all publics, the festival has
integrated in its programme screenings across the province and municipalities
of Cordoba, as well as a storyteller in the squares of the town.
The
director of the festival has also highlighted the importance of the
volunteering team in this tenth edition, “as an indispensible link with the
city” and organising numerous activities of citizen participation during the
weeks prior to the festival. These parallel activities proposes “as festival
open to the citizens, offering it much more than a week of cinema”. Thus, and
always thanks to the volunteering team, “we will try to keep all these
activities for the whole year, so that there is a consolidation of audiences
for the incoming editions”.
Once
again, FCAT Cordoba has organised the FCAT Espacio Profesional, gathering
together a number of international experts on African and Arab cinemas as well
as European and African producers, distributers and filmmakers, seeking to find
new ways of funding these projects and prompting new links between Africa and
Europe, allowing young African filmmakers to develop their film projects.
The
festival has reached around 550 publications in the national media, valued in
over 750,000€. Also, the international media coverage has reached around 300
publications, bringing new countries on board, such as China, India, Madagascar
and Peru. Almost 100 journalists have been accredited to come and cover the
festival for their media.
A city of cinema
The African Film
Festival of Cordoba, celebrating its tenth anniversary, has proposed, between
the 11th and the 19th of October, a panoramic trip across
32 different countries, loyal to its aim to contribute to a better understanding
of the neighbouring continent through its cinemas.
Over 70 films have
been screened during one week, whose subjects revolve around Africa and the
Middle East. Out of these 70 films, 27 were part of the three competitive
sections: The African Dream (feature length films), The Other Side of the
Strait (documentary films) and Africa in Short (documentary and feature short
films).
National Media Office:
María José Martín
Tel.: +34 659 80 88 16
International Media
Office:
Estrella Sendra
Tel.: +34 667 39 26 13
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The USA is still far ahead of any other Country for now and in no danger of being over taken but they will surely be looking over their shoulder as China continues its march forwards world domination.
As with everything about China these days, they have become the world’s second-biggest movie market, taking over from Japan.
Dumped off second spot, Japan must be resigned to the evitable position of playing second fiddle to China from now on in the film industry.
Coming in joint fourth France and the UK’s appetite for films shows no signs of declining, as both still maintain very strong cinema going cultures.
The Indian film industry has been a powerhouse for many years now, making the largest number of films in the world, buying the highest number of tickets and having the second largest screen count. However, they only come in at number 5 in box-office revenues mainly because on average their home market has the amongst the lowest ticket prices in the world.
Despite being in the Euro Zone, 2012 saw Germany generate their highest ever Box office revenues increasing by 7.8%, with 135.1 million Cinema tickets sold representing an increase of 4.2%
With only a fraction of the United State’s screens, Russia is the seventh-largest film market by Box office take and is making steady progress.
Italy is another Country whose film sector is being weighed down in recent times by the impact of the Euro Zone economic crisis.
Plagued by the economic woes of a shrinking market, rampant piracy, subsidy cuts, Spain’s film industry is down on the list.
Brazil is considered to have the most accessible film industry amongst the so-called high-growth emerging BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China).
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