FESTIVAL OF FILMS IN LANGUAGES OF LIMITED DIFFUSION (EREMUAK'96) WE ARE SEEKING SOME INFORMATION ABOUT FEATURE FILMS WITH DIALOGUES IN ANY LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD CONSIDERED TO BE OF LIMITED DIFFUSION (lesser used languages) to take part in the FESTIVAL OF FILMS IN LANGUAGES OF LIMITED DIFFUSION (EREMUAK'96), whose 3rd edition is going to be held the first week on July 1996 in the Basque Country. Please send the information to: [log in to unmask] We send this message to several listserv lists about cinema, lesser used languages, or language teachers, etc. We'd appreciate it if you could spread the word. We will be also very grateful, if you could also tell us who we could send that information to. Thank you very much. THE FESTIVAL In order to try and strengthen the production of films in languages of limited diffusion, the most important professional associations of the Basque Country - writers, translators, producers, actors,... - and associations of linguistic normalization have joined together to found the Festival of Films in Languages of Limited Diffusion. The Festival is supported by the European Union and the local Basque government institutions. The Festival is held annually and starts on the first week of July. It has two sections, competitive and information. Amongst its immediate goals are the creation of an International Review which would serve as the data base and vehicle for information and debate on films in languages of limited diffusion, and the strengthening, together with the Festival, of a Film and Video Market for films of limited diffusion. Why sould there be a Film Festival for lesser used languages? It could be argued that we are running behind, as if we had a hundred years to catch up on. To pretend that the culture manifested in languages of lesser demographic, territorial, literary and cinematographical scope can compete with the products of languages with much greater clout might seem to be a tall order. Nevertheless it is no less true that differences in volume not are concerned with cultural matters nor with ones of proportion but rather it is a question of macroeconomics. On this point, a movie filmed in a minority language can be, and, in fact, quite often is, more stunning and amusing than the fare the big distributors usually have on offer. Since the lag in the cinema produced in the lesser used languages is not a time lag but a commercial one, bringing them up to date is something that is feasible and foreseeable if only those of us who are affected are able to pool our resources. To that end we have set up EREMUAK Film Festival, with humble beginnings but looking forward to the future: We are bringing together mature cinema producers who are trying to break into the market and budding cinema producers in search of their identity, and we award the films by judging only ther inherent qualities. EREMUAK wishes to be a gathering point for exchanging and broadcasting ideas, and more than just a mere gesture of mutual solidarity. THE BASQUE COUNTRY The Basque Country is located in Europe, nestled among the foothills of the Pyrenees, on the Bay of Biscay. It has always served as a point of transit crossing between France and Spain and has always surprised the traveller, as far back as the early Middle Ages, due to its landscape, its customs and its language: Basque, a pre-Indo-European language, the origin of which has given rise to a great many different and often controversial hypotheses. BASQUE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY The present territory of the Basque language is comprised of seven provinces, three under French administration and four under Spanish administration, which are run by two autonomous governments: the Navarre Provincial Governments and the Basque Autonomous Community. Over the last few years, the latter has actively promoting cinematography, creating schools, subsidising and promoting the production of full-length feature films. LINGUISTIC NORMALIZATION The status of Basque has been turning for the better towards the end of this century. It has been adapting itself to the demands of modern education and administration, and a general model of spelling and morphology has been established. This has given it access to areas which have long been beyond its reach, especially audiovisual communications. It has a public television channel (Euskal Telebista) which an important producer of programmes and broadcasts. BASQUE CINEMA Although modest, Basque cinema is a reality. The cinematographic work over the last few years has created an important infrastructure of technicians and directors who are highly esteemed and reputed throughout the Spanish state. The range of film actors is gradually increasing, since some are also being hired from outside the country. "La muerte de Mikel" (The Death of Mikel), "Tasio" (Tasio), "Alas de Mariposa" (Butterfly Wings), "Vacas" (Cows), "El cura Santa Cruz" (Father Santa Cruz) and "Dias de Humo" (Days of Smoke).... are some of the most representative titles. ZARAUTZ This festival is based in Zarautz, on the coast of Guipuzcoa, in the Basque Autonomous Community. A unique venue, the tourist trade activity has hardly altered its character. In providing services for modern and cosmopolitan times, Zarautz could well be a shining example of how Basque can adapt long standing tradition to modern times and of the old Basque language to current demands. RULES 1. OBJECTIVE The Festival of Films in Languages of Limited Diffusion aims at gaining recognition for films with dialogues in languages of limited diffusion. 2. FILMS This Festival is held annually in Zarautz (Basque Country), starting in the last week of June or first of July. Any feature film with dialogues in any language in the world considered to be of limited diffusion and made in 35mm or 16mm can be selected for participation. 3. SCOPE In order to comply with the aim of the Festival, press conferences, other kinds of conferences and round tables will be held on the subject of cinematography in languages of limited diffusion. 4. SECTIONS This Festival has two sections: an Official Section and an Information Section. 5. COMPETITION The Official Section of this Festival is competitive, in which full-length feature films considered as languages of limited diffusion can compete. 6. OFFICIAL SECTION To be able to compete in the Official Section, a film cannot have been commercially released in the Basque Country, and its date of production cannot date from more than five years previously. 7. VERSION Films are not accepted in dubbed versions. Due to its specific objective, this Festival only accepts films in their original version. 8. SELECTION COMMITTEE Films competing in the Official Section will be selected by a Committee specifically chosen for the purpose. 9. SCREENING Both films in competition as well as those taking part in the informative section will be screened with autonomous and simultaneous subtitling in Euskara (Basque), meaning that the copy sent to the Festival will suffer no alterations whatsoever. 10. SELECTION Competing films must be sent to the Festival's Headquarters on video-cassette (Vhs, Beta, Ntsc, Umatic, Betacam), with the duly completed Registration form and the film's dialogues in one of the following languages: Basque, English, French, Spanish or Portuguese. 11. SHIPMENT Copies of the selected films and their corresponding documentation must have been received before 1st June at the Festival's Headquarters: EREMUAK - Eremu Urriko Hizkuntzen Zinemaldia Zarauzko Turismo Bulegoa Nafarroa Kalea z/g E-20800-Zarautz Basque Country EUROPE Tel.: 34-43-132629 Fax.: 34-43-832658 e-mail: [log in to unmask] Details of shipment (Company, date, number, etc.) must be previously forwarded to the Festival's Headquarters by mail, fax, telegram or e-mail. 12. DOCUMENTATION Required documentation is as follows: a) A synopsis of the film (in Basque, English, French, Spanish or Portuguese). b) Press excerpts, press-book, leaflets. c) A biography of the Director with his/her filmography and photographs. d) Photographs of the film: * 10 press photographs, 13 x 18 cm. * 8 advertising photographs, 24 x 30 cm. * 10 posters of the film. e) A trailer from the film, or sequences from it taken from material for television. 13. TRANSPORT AND INSURANCE Transport expenses and insurance costs from the place of departure to Festival Headquarters are the responsibility of the competitor. During the competition, the Festival will be in charge of insurance against fire, damage and loss. 14. SUBTITLES Films will be projected with subtitles in Euskara (Basque) by means of a laser system, meaning that the copy itself will be left untouched. 15. PROGRAMME The Organising Committee will decide on the order and dates of screening, and guarantees that all the technical characteristics of the film will be respected. 16. JURY The Jury of the Official Section is comprised of personalities who are well-known and reputed for their intellectual, literary and cinematographic work in the fields of languages of limited diffusion. Reasons will be given publicly for their choice. 17. INFORMATION SECTION The Information Section is not competitive, and is programmed by the Organising Committee. 18. PRIZES The following prizes will be awarded within the Official Section: - Prize to the best film - An Audience Choice Prize 19. LANGUAGES The official language of the Festival is Basque. When dealing with outsider, the Festival also works in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. 20. RULES Participation in this Festival means that its rules have been accepted. Interpretation of its rules will be made according to criteria of the Organising Committee, as will any doubts which might arise from them. -- --------------------------------------------------------------- EREMUAK Eremu Urriko Hizkuntzen Zinemaldia Festival of Films in Languages of Limited Diffusion Festival du Cinema des Langues a Diffusion Restreinte Festival del Cine de las Lenguas de Reducida Difusion Festival do Cinema das Linguas de Reduzida Difusao Turismo bulegoa /Nafarroa kalea z.g. 20800-Zarautz Tel.: + 34 43 132629 Faxa: + 34 43 835628 e-mail: [log in to unmask] EUSKAL HERRIA (Basque Country - EUROPE) --------------------------------------------------------------- ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]