Frame of Once upon a time…’, the only feature film signed by the cartoonist Josep Escobar
Film Festival 2022
The Festival’s Klasikoak cycle recovers the only animated film by Josep Escobar
The films ‘Tampopo’, ‘Nine letters to Berta’, ‘Pirveli mertskhali’ and ‘Dans la nuit’ complete the program of restored copies
Klasikoak, the section that rescues old and modern classics from the history of universal cinema, will include a heterogeneous offer of five titles at the 70th edition of the San Sebastian Festival, which will be held from September 16 to 24. On this occasion, the cast of filmmakers whose works can be reviewed in restored editions is made up of Josep Escobar and Alexandre Cirici Pellicer, Juzo Itami, Nana Mchedlidze, Basilio Martín Patino and Charles Vanel, according to the event.
For the first time since its creation in 2018, Klasikoak will host the screening of an animated film, ‘Once upon a time…’ (1950), the only feature film signed by cartoonist Josep Escobar (1908-1994), which had the collaboration of directed by Alexandre Cirici Pellicer (1914-1983). The creator of characters like Zipi and Zape or Carpanta made this adaptation of Cinderella, of which only a black and white copy was preserved. Thanks to the reconstruction work carried out by the Filmoteca de Catalunya, with the participation of Luciano Berriatua and the collaboration of Estela Films, the film can be enjoyed in its original color.
In addition, the section will recover ‘Tampopo’ (1985), a success of Japanese cinema directed by Juzo Itami (1933-1997) whose restored version in 4K will have its world premiere in San Sebastian. In this western-inspired culinary comedy, the filmmaker follows the adventures of two truck drivers (Tsutomu Yamazaki and Ken Watanabe) as they help a restaurant owner (Nobuko Miyamoto) prepare the perfect bowl of ramen.
The debut of one of the indispensable names in Spanish cinema, Basilio Martín Patino (1930-2017), will also be screened, who with ‘Nine letters to Berta’ (1966) won the Silver Shell for the first work at the San Sebastian Festival . Restored by Filmoteca Española in the laboratories of the Cineteca de Portugal and Cineric, the film tells the story of a man (Emilio Gutiérrez Caba) who returns from England in love with the daughter of a Spanish exile.
Another of the classics in this edition is ‘Pirveli mertskhali / The First Swallow’ (The First Swallow, 1975), the work of Nana Mchedlidze (1926-2016). The Georgian director, actress and screenwriter recounts the adventures of Jason, a talented and enthusiastic sportsman who creates the first Georgian football club in the seaport of Poti.
The classic films in the 2022 Film Festival
In the night / Into the night
Charles Vanel, France. 90m. After a successful wedding and a happy start with his wife, a man who works in a quarry is the victim of an accident caused by an explosion in the mine where he works. Disfigured, he will be forced to wear a mask…
Once upon a time…
Josep Escobar and Alexandre Cirici Pellicer, Spain. 79 m. A count and his daughter live in the beautiful castle of Aubanel. The young countess, because of her beauty and kindness, is loved by all her vassals but mistreated by her stepmother and stepsister. One of her pages will free her from such slavery with the help of a magician and her cat Ulysses.
Nine letters to Berta
Basil Martin Patino, Spain. 90 m. The 1950s. Lorenzo is a student from Salamanca who has just spent a summer in England, where he has discovered other horizons and has met Berta, the daughter of a Spanish exile. Upon his return, he feels oppressed by the traditional environment of his family, his friends and his girlfriend, and describes his concerns in letters addressed to Berta.
The first swallow / La primera golondrina
Nana Mchedlidze, Georgia. 75 m. Jason, an enthusiastic and highly talented sportsman, founds the first Georgian football club in history in the seaport of Poti. Despite poverty and lack of sports equipment, they defeat numerous foreign and local teams until they come up against a famous English club.
Tampopo / Dandelion
Juzo Itami, Japan. 114m A chance visit from truck drivers Goro and Gun inspires a ramen shop owner to go on a quest for the perfect ramen. Restored version in 4K.
Klasikoak will include the silent film ‘Dans la nuit’ (1930), which will feature piano music performed live during the screening by Joserra Senperena. This is the only feature film directed by the prolific actor Charles Vanel (1892-1989), who also played the main character, a miner whose life changes after suffering an accident at work that disfigures his face. The screening will be presented by Thierry Frémaux, director of the Festival de Cannes and the Festival Lumière de Lyon.