11 fiction films, tribute to 2022 Goya Awards with 6 selected short films, two documentaries focusing on the environment and a tribute to the Mexican director Arturo Ripstein make up the festivities of the beloved Spanish-language film festival that the residents of Athens have embraced.
The 6th FeCHA will premiere on June 2 with the film «The Perfect Boss», big winner at this year's Goya Awards with Javier Bardem in the lead role. The film won 6 Goya awards including Best Film, Director, Screenplay, and Male Performance, while making history at the Spanish awards with a total of 20 nominations. The film will close this year's program. «Official Participation» with the Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas.
The Festival's special guest is award-winning director Oscar Aibar, who will present his new film to the public, «The Substitute», a story inspired by real events that conveys its own message about the rise of the far right in Europe. The director's presence is supported by Acción Cultural Española (AC/E).
A musical drama film from Mexico, «The King of the Whole World», by Carlos Saura, the award-winning director at the Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals, the premiere of the film «The Oblivion We Will Become», the big-screen adaptation of the thrilling novel by Colombian author Héctor Abad Faciolince, published by Patakis Publications, as well as the struggles against dictatorship in Uruguay and El Salvador in the films «The Year of Rage» and «The Great Night» respectively, continue FeCHA's cinematic journey to Central and South America.
Special mention to delightful black comedy «Even in the Best Families» by Javier Fuentes León, also known as «Parasites from Peru,» as well as the hilarious Spanish comedy «With Mom or Dad» by Danny de la Orden, adapted from the French comedy of the same name from 2016.
The short film program cortoFeCHA includes a special feature on the 2022 Goya Awards with a selection of six fiction films that were nominated for or won a Goya award for short films. This year's docuFeCHA turns its attention to the environment and the marine wealth of the oceans, hosting award-winning documentaries. «Eirini: Return to the Ocean» and «A Continental Island» from Peru and Mexico, respectively. The screenings as part of cortoFeCHA and docuFeCHA will take place at the Hellenic-American Union with free admission.
The 6th FeCHA is proud to host a mini tribute to award-winning director Arturo Ripstein, the «godfather» of independent Mexican cinema, who has collaborated with Luis Buñuel and Gabriel García Márquez, among others. As part of the tribute, the film will be presented in a warm-up, pre-festival screening on Wednesday, June 1. «The Castle of Innocence». On June 15, and in collaboration with Athens Pride 2022, FeCHA's cinematic summer will conclude with a special screening of the film «Hell Without Limits», with free admission. The screenings will take place at the Trianon Filmcenter cinema in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy in Greece and the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE).
The 6th Athens Spanish Film Festival – FeCHA would like to express its warmest thanks to the Spanish Embassy in Athens, Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), the Instituto Cervantes, the Embassy of Mexico in Greece, the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE), the Honorary Consulate of Colombia, the Embassy of Peru, the Embassy of Argentina in Athens, and the Embassy of Uruguay for their valuable support.
