Seminci has been restored, but retains the author’s cinematography as a feature

Fluent dialogue, commitment and provocation are some of the keys he referred to this Wednesday Jose Luis Cienfuegos during the presentation as the new director International Film Week in Valladolid (Seminca), a festival which, in his opinion, is “more alive than ever”. “It is a good time to justify that history and the importance of Seminci for the auteur film during these decades”, thought Cienfuegos (Avilés, Asturias, 1964) this Wednesday, after receiving the baton from his predecessor, Javier Angulowho presented him with two books with the history of the festival.

After a period of fifteen years starring Angulo (2008-2023), the new director will in less than six months refine most of the program that is already ready for the next edition (from October 21 to 28), based on « fluid dialogue ” between viewers, industry and creators. And all this without harming one of the main features of the festival, which is author’s filmthrough an “organic and articulated program where each viewer marks his own roadmap”, he specified.

Festivals in Gijon and Seville

Cienfuegos, who directed the Gijón (1995-2011) and Seville (2012-2023) festivals, expressed interest in “resuming momentum from such a solid foundation” to create “meeting and learning, that connection between filmmakers and “Times have changed, and that’s why festivals are more necessary than ever for the survival, knowledge and connection of original cinematography, and we want Semins to be the protagonists in the first place,” he added in his address to the mayor, Óscar Puente. According to him, it will be in words, a “participatory and provocative” festival that will adapt to “new documentary trends” and where we will “propose a fluid dialogue between the cinematography of the past and the present”.

He did not want to specify decisions such as the recovery of nine days of celebration before the economic crisis, nor about the minimum budget required for an event of this level: “These are my first hours, we will optimize resources and now we will start at the market (du Film) in Cannes”, he explained after which he called for possible changes to the 2024 edition. José Luis Cienfuegos, on the other hand, praised the “exemplary exercise of resistance” applied by the Semins during the past years of economic and health crisis, which led to a competition “more alive than ever”.

Angul’s heritage

“We leave you in very good hands after fifteen years with an impressive internal and external team, an enthusiastic City Council, a media that will support you and a treasure that the public of Valladolid is grateful for and knows how to appreciate,” he said. Angulo told her to his successor ahead of the 68th edition, whose Toni Pontí promotional poster was unveiled at the same event. Fifteen years of management have passed that the mayor, for his part, thanked Javier Angulo, who announced his retirement last December and temporarily remained in charge of the event and its organization until the decision last April on the competition for the election of a new director.

“It strengthened its prestige, consolidated its position and increased its projection with new cycles and complementary activities that increased the number of spectators,” Puente said of Angulo, before calling Cienfuegos a director “at the peak of prestige and prestige of the festival: Semins are lucky and the city supports you”