‘Zinemaldia – Concert & Screening 2024’ – Summary

The 72nd edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival – Donostia Zinemaldia offered its traditional annual concert and screening event, which this year celebrated its 11th edition, on Saturday, September 21st, 2024, at the Anoeta Velodrome in San Sebastian, Spain (read more).

 

Our colleague & collaborator Felipe Múgica attended the concert and leaves us a great summary of it exclusively for SoundTrackFest.

 

ZINEMALDIA: CONCERT & SCREENING IN SAN SEBASTIAN - SSIFF 2024

It is a tradition that is maintained at the San Sebastian International Film Festival year after year: the concert of film music by Spanish composers, held on the first Saturday of the festival, although in this edition they have changed the time from the usual 12:00 in the morning to 18:00 in the afternoon.

 

Let’s recall that the format consists of a selection of pieces by national authors with the accompaniment on the big screen of scenes from the films to which the music belongs. The stage, as usual, is also the Anoeta Velodrome, which, even at less than half its capacity, allows the attendance of some 2700-3000 people, according to estimates.

 

The organization was in charge of the SGAE Foundation, Euskadiko Orkestra, and the San Sebastian International Film Festival / Donostia Zinemaldia and the interpretation was the responsibility of the Euskadiko Orkestra – Basque National Orchestra, under the baton of Juanjo Ocón. The Andra Mari Abesbatza choir and the singer Ainara Ortega took part in the vocal part. Cibrán Seixo was present as a special violin interpreter.

 

It should be stressed and emphasized that the proposal should not be seen simply as a concert + images, within the activities of the festival, but as a recognition of a group of musicians who work within the Spanish film industry and whose work is not usually perceived or recognized. A tribute to the work of a group of artists who express their art through music, in the form of a symphonic concert.

 

After clarifying this, it should be mentioned that the event was attended by the authors of the works themselves in full, and the late Antón García Abril with his work El hombre y la tierra received a tribute. The authors greeted and introduced themselves to the audience before the concert began and gave a brief presentation of their work.

 

The program of the concert, which was performed without a intermission, was as follows (link to PDF):

 

To begin with came La librería, a film by Isabel Coixet, with music by Alfonso de Vilallonga. An attractive musical selection that alternated instrumental pieces with a couple of songs interpreted by Ainara Ortega, with a very 1950’s aroma of the period in which the film was set. Vilallonga himself took the stage to play the piano during the suite.

 

This was followed by Kantauri, an imminent release documentary based on the Cantabrian Sea, with musical accompaniment by Joseba Beristain. The sequences that were projected in the velodrome showed a very powerful visual production with very careful and spectacular images, ideal for the composer to show off. And what was heard in the concert sounded great, very grandiose, showing a great work by the musician.

 

Next, El hombre y la tierra, from the famous documentary series by Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, with soundtrack by Antón García Abril, of which they performed the main theme. Without detracting from the rest of the pieces in the concert, this music is a living history of Spanish television, a true classic in which García Abril evoked and captured to perfection through his notes what nature is, its wild fauna, animals, predators, and prey.

 

After this, Soy Nevenka, a film by Icíar Bollaín, in competition at the festival and with soundtrack by Xavier Font. The author himself played the electric guitar with the orchestra, accompanied by Cibrán Seixo on violin. An interesting selection, a composition of minimal but very suggestive melodies, creating a very attractive musical atmosphere.

 

Then came Emilia, directed by Miguel Ángel Calvo Buttini and with music by Alicia Morote, about the Spanish writer Emilia Pardo Bazán. An extensive orchestral musical suite that gave ample coverage to the different moments of the production through a wide range of musical colors.

 

It was followed not by a specific film, but by a selection of pieces by Paula Olaz from different productions, which was a fortunate choice as it ensured that the suite offered a large and varied number of styles and rhythms, all of them remarkable and giving the musical selection a great dynamism. The pieces corresponded to Alguien que cuide de mí, by Elvira Lindo and Daniela Fejerman, Verano en rojo, by Belén Macías, Calladita, by Miguel Faus and Bajo terapia, directed by Gerardo Herrero.

 

To close the concert, Manel Gil-Inglada with D’Artacán y los tres Mosqueperros (2021) or, in its Basque title: D’Ortagnan eta hiru mosketxakurrak. Undoubtedly, an excellent choice to end the event, an adventurous composition in the old style, fast-paced, varied in leit-motifs and very spectacular. The encore included a performance by the choir of the popular song composed by the De Angelis brothers originally interpreted by Popitos, and arranged by Manel Gil-Inglada for the occasion, which surprised me for being interpreted in Basque, accustomed as one is to hearing it in Spanish.

 

In conclusion, including presentations, almost 100 minutes of concert (as opposed to the 1h15 announced in the program) with an excellent and very balanced musical selection, resulting in perhaps one of the best concerts offered in the velodrome in recent years. Congratulations to all the organizers of the initiative – Fundación SGAE, Euskadiko Orkestra and the San Sebastian International Film Festival / Donostia Zinemaldia – for this great success and we hope that it will be celebrated for many more years to come.

Article by Felipe Múgica

Pictures by Gorka Oteiza