The film Benito Pérez Buñuel, directed by Luis Roca and produced by Marta de Santa Ana, will premiere in Venezuela at the 30th Festival of Spanish Cinema in Caracas, starting on Friday, 16 October. This news was shared by El Nacional following a press conference for the festival. The film will screen alongside notable Spanish films, including La bola negra, Spain’s Oscar contender this year, as well as El ser querido, Los domingos, Cerrar los ojos, and Mi amiga Eva.
Organised by Queirós Publicidad and the Spanish Embassy in Venezuela, the festival was presented last week in Caracas, attended by Spanish Ambassador Álvaro Albacete and festival director José Pisano.
Benito Pérez Buñuel will kick off the festival on 16 October, with a second screening on 19 October. It is the only Canarian production selected for the festival and marks the first time a Canarian documentary has been included. The venue for the festival is the Trasnocho Cultural hall, a key hub for cinema in Caracas.
Following the festival, the film will continue its Caracas run with screenings on 20 October at the National Film School and on 21 October at the Canarian Home of Venezuela, an institution that highlights the ties between the Canary Islands and Venezuela. Dayana Morales, the Canarian Government’s representative in Venezuela, will attend these screenings. Special presentations and discussions with Luis Roca and Marta de Santa Ana will accompany all screenings of the film in Venezuela, the only place outside Spain to feature a sculpture of Galdós.
Marta de Santa Ana expressed her pride in the film’s Venezuelan premiere, stating, “It’s a country so important to us, showcasing a film produced entirely in the Canary Islands.” She emphasised the film’s focus on the intersection between two significant figures in Spanish culture, highlighting its visual richness and emotional depth. She also thanked the support from the Spanish Embassy, the Canarian Government’s delegation in Venezuela, Fundación Mapfre, and the Port Authority of Las Palmas.
Luis Roca noted, “It’s an honour that the film continues to be showcased at festivals and special screenings. For film schools like this one, it’s significant because the film offers a ‘masterclass’ on contemporary documentary filmmaking.” In June, it became the first Canarian film shown in the European Parliament in Brussels, attended by around 200 people, including MEPs and representatives from various embassies and governmental bodies. Roca remarked, “The film has also sparked discussions and seminars in educational contexts for secondary and university students.”
After their time in Venezuela, Roca and de Santa Ana will present the film at the Gabinete Literario on Thursday, 29 October, coinciding with the Galdosian International Congress, where Roca will speak at a seminar. Guests from various sectors of business, politics, and culture from the island are expected to attend.
Benito Pérez Buñuel merges classic documentary with autofiction, mockumentary, and animation, having won three awards at international festivals. It has been screened outside Spain in countries including Argentina, the USA, Uruguay, Colombia, Peru, China, the Philippines, Belgium, Italy, and Ukraine, and has shown across all 21 municipalities in Gran Canaria. Its production has received funding from various sources, including Televisión Española, Televisión Canaria, and the Governments of both the Canary Islands and Spain.
