The Cineteca Madrid returns this Wednesday, September 4, with a special program that explores memory and history through cinema through retrospectives and tributes that connect past and present, addressing topics as diverse as war from a humanist perspective, flamenco culture or the ‘counter-stories’ told by women filmmakers.
Between September 4 and 29, the complex relationship between cinema and memory will be explored through six films that address themes such as forgetting and traumawith classics like “Rashomon” and “Amarcord” intersecting with contemporary works like “No Home Movie” and “Aftersun.” The other two films in this cycle, “Muriel or the Time of a Return” and “Mulholland Drive,” present fragmented narratives that invite the viewer to reflect on the nature of memory and identity.
From September 10 to 26, Four non-fiction films will present the work of the directors who, through cinema, have attempted to rewrite history from a female perspective. They make up the cycles “Daguerreotypes”, “History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige”, “Beautiful Andrea” and “The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter”, which not only document lived experiences; they also challenge dominant narratives, offering a critical and poetic perspective on topics such as identity, migration and memory. The series, in collaboration with researcher Sibley Labandeira, identifies cinematic images as powerful tools of resistance and creativity, challenging conventional stories and proposing new ways of understanding the world.
Pedro G. Romero, a filmmaker who has dedicated much of his career to exploring cultural memory through flamenco, will be the protagonist between September 26 and 29 with a retrospective of his works, including the premieres of ‘Horses and Guitars’ and ‘Lo que va debajo’, which continues his vision of flamenco as an art that possesses the essence of Spanish popular culture.
In addition to the screenings, meetings with Romero himself are included, where the public will be able to discuss directly with the artist his creative process and his interest in flamenco. Through his cinematographic work, Romero offers an in-depth look at art as a living archive of cultural traditions. The cycle is completed by “The Film”, “Nueve Sevillas” and “Siete Jereles”, the latter two under the direction of Gonzalo García Pelayo and Romero himself.
The Viennese director Leopold Lindberga key figure in Swiss cinema, will be honored from September 11 to 15 with a cycle revisiting some of his most emblematic works, such as “Marie-Louise” and “La Dernière Chance”, which deal with the traumas of war and the post-war period, offering a humanist vision that contrasts with the horror and dehumanization of war conflict, and the cycle ends with “Four in a Jeep” and “The Village”.
Other highly anticipated releases for September include “The Leaf,” “The Legacy,” and “The Tara,” which explore memory from different perspectives. “La Hojarasca” combines elements of documentary and fiction to tell a personal and captivating story. “The Legacy,” on the other hand, offers an introspective reflection on fatherhood and art, while “The Tara” examines Argentina’s historical heritage from a unique perspective.
Cineteca Madrid also becomes seat of various festivals in September, such as Directed By Women Spain, which celebrates cinema directed by women, offering a diverse selection of films spanning multiple genres and styles. Likewise, the Madrid Film Festival – PNR will present innovative proposals that seek to challenge audience expectations and open new paths in contemporary filmmaking.
