The prestigious Swiss documentary festival Visions du Réel will pay tribute to the Argentine director Lucretia Martellbestowing it with an award of honor during its 54th edition, which will take place from 21 to 30 April.
Prominent figure of contemporary cinema and reference of the so-called New Argentine Cinema, Martel will hold a masterclass during the event, where he will explore his work and his relationship with reality.
A retrospective of his films will also be presented during the edition.
The official statement
“Visions du Réel is particularly proud and honored to welcome to the Festival such a vital, rare and extraordinary figure in contemporary cinema, a filmmaker who, with each of her films, manages to boldly translate universes, composing an adventurous, disturbing and unique story that constantly challenges global cinema,” reads the festival statement.
More Argentinian presence
In the International Competition there will also be an Argentinian presence with The Bilbaos, by the national director Pedro Speroni (‘Ranch‘). The film centers on the story of former boxer Iván Bilbao, who is released after a 5-year prison sentence and reunites with his wife and daughter in his native Chascomús to return to boxing and social life as he tries to establish himself.
Similarly, films from countries such as France, Burkina Faso, Benin, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, South Korea, Thailand, Poland, Lebanon, Tunisia, Qatar, Venezuela, Italy and Sweden will be presented in the International Competition.
In the Burning Lights Competition, however, films from Spain, Iran, France, Portugal, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Armenia and China will be presented.
The 54th edition will open on Friday 21 April with the world premiere of night watchmenby Juliette de Marcillac.
Martel, among the 20 most influential directors
In the year 2021, the prestigious site specialized in cinema SlashFilm has included Lucrecia Martel among the twenty most influential directors in historyin a list that also includes Kathryn Bigelow, Chloe Zhao, the Wachowski sisters, the French Agnés Varda and the New Zealander Jane Campion.
“Lucrecia Martel is considered by the vast majority as one of the best directors active in world cinema, and has a singular voice as an artist and director”, indicates the article signed by Leah Marilla Thomas.
And the site adds, “Many books have been written about the way he captured social issues, indigenous cultures, female identity, sexuality, colonialism and nationalism, and oppression in both narrative films and documentaries.”
Completing the list: French Alice Guy-Blaché, Penny Marshall, Nancy Meyers, Indian Mira Nair, Julie Dash, Cheryl Dunye, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Patty Jenkins, Ava DuVernay, Sofia Coppola, Karyn Kusama, Colombian Patricia Cardoso , Nora Ephron and Isabel Sandoval from the Philippines.
Source: Clarin
