The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival announced its 2022 programme, for what will be the 11th Edition of the independent, international event – the longest-running physical film festival in the region.
The entire 2022 programme will feature a total of 127 projects across all categories. This year sees a new section dedicated to Debut Feature Films with 6 titles in competition and significantly, the 2022 line-up will showcase 30 ‘Made in Baleares’ projects, all of which were produced locally. Screenings will take place across 10 venues in Palma, including the Teatro Principal (Opening Night) and the Palau de Congresos de Palma (Closing Night).
Also announced today, Nastassja Kinski will receive the inaugural Mallorca Film Award by the Mallorca Film Commission during EMIFF’s Opening Night ceremony on October 26th in Palma. She will be joined by filmmaker Lone Scherfig and actress Laia Costa, who will receive the festival’s Evolution Vision and Evolutionary New Talent awards respectively.
2022 sees some further major new additions to the usual EMIFF programme, including an inaugural Cinematography Focus, supported by media partners British Cinematographer and Camera & Light Magazine, whereby Directors of Photography from across the world will be invited to participate in panels and networking events at EMIFF. Acclaimed DoP Ed Lachman (Far from Heaven, Carol, The Virgin Suicides, A Prairie Home Companion) will receive the festival’s inaugural Evolution Cinematography Icon Award.
EMIFF runs for seven days and six nights annually, showcasing a culturally diverse, inclusive and provocative mix of international and home-grown feature films, documentaries and short-form content.
Now in its 11th year, Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival is recognised as one of the fastest-growing film festivals in Europe and the longest-running physical film festival in Palma de Mallorca. Founded by filmmaker, actress and Mallorca-raised Sandra Seeling, EMIFF has been proudly supported by the Fundació Mallorca Turisme and the Mallorca Film Commission since its inception in 2012.
Previous guests of the festival and awards honourees at EMIFF over the last decade have included acclaimed international filmmakers Asif Kapadia, Fernando Trueba, Marjane Satrapi, Tobias Lindholm and Wim Wenders; as well as actors Mads Mikkelsen, Danny Devito, Ana de Armas, Angela Molina, Melissa Leo and Lena Heady. The Opening Night ceremony this year, on October 26th, is expected to be attended by over 300 filmmakers – a record number for the festival – alongside industry guests and residents of the island.
–
The full 2022 line-up selections are as follows:
International Feature Films (5)
Triangle of Sadness, Sweden, 147min, English with Spanish subtitles
Mallorca premiere / Cannes Palm d’Or Winner 2022, Director: Ruben Östlund
A couple of influencers are invited on a luxury cruise. When the yacht sinks, they find themselves marooned on a desert island with a group of billionaires and one of the ship’s cleaners. In the struggle for survival, the old hierarchies are suddenly flipped upside down as the housekeeper is the only one who knows how to fish.
Call Jane, USA, 120min, English with Spanish subtitles
European Premiere, Director: Phyllis Nagy
A married woman with an unwanted pregnancy lives in a time in America when she can’t get a legal abortion and works with a group of suburban women to find help.
La Maternal, Spain, 120min, Spanish with English subtitles
Balearic Island Premier (World Premiere at San Sebastian, Winner Best Actress in a Feature Film Carla Quilez). Director: Pilar Palomero
Carla is 14 years old and a defiant and rebellious young woman. When a social worker realizes that she is five months pregnant, she enters ‘La Maternal’, a center for underage mothers where she shares her daily life with other young girls like her.
There’s Always Hope, UK, 90min, English with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premier. Director: Tim Lewiston
A successful author (Colm Meaney) has been so obsessed with trying to pen his magnum opus that he let his marriage to Samantha, who is also his agent and editor, break down. While hiding out in the family villa in Portugal, Sam informs their 21-year-old-daughter of the split, giving her no real information as to what has happened.
Corsage, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, France, 113min, German, French, English, Hungarian with Spanish Subtitles, Director Marie Kreutzer
On Christmas 1877, the Empress Sissi celebrates her 40th birthday and there is no hint of happiness around her. She is constantly judged by her own children and lives submissive to her declining beauty. Suffocated by the rules, and with a voracious appetite for knowledge and life, she rebels more and more against impositions, in search of the emotion of youth.
Debut Feature Films (6)
Take The Night, USA, 92min, English with Spanish subtitles
European Premiere, Director: Seth McTigue
When a resentful brother organizes a prank kidnapping, he unwittingly hires career criminals with their own plans.
Labyrinth, Japan, 120min, Japanese with Spanish subtitles
World Premiere, Director: Xue MA
Wan’an is a surf paradise little known to the rest of the world. Only surfers and the world-weary wanting to escape from reality linger by its seemingly serene shore.
Sweet Disaster, Germany, 90min, German with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere (Over 40 International Film Festival selections), Director: Laura Lehmus
Frida unexpectedly falls pregnant and Felix, the father, breaks up with her to reunite with his ex. Although some severe health problems caused by the late pregnancy force Frida to rest, she still tries to get Felix back, using methods that are absurd, exaggerated, and sometimes hilarious.
In Her Name, USA, 100min, English with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere (Audience Award at Tribeca Film Festival 2022), Director: Sarah Carter
Estranged sisters are forced to confront their differences while dealing with family bankruptcy and their formerly-important-artist father’s terminal illness. Immersed in the absurdity of the Los Angeles art world they fall through the spiritual rabbit hole that is their childhood home. However tragic their lives remain, they will find love again.
Magdalena, Poland, 100min, Polish with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere, Director: Filip Gieldon
Communicating with the world around her through music, Magdalena dreams of becoming a DJ and moving abroad. All while trying to raise her daughter, whom she cares for with her mother. When her dreams have a chance of coming true, old traumas return to haunt her and she has to choose – her daughter or her career.
Charly, Germany, 60min, German with Spanish subtitles
Spanish premier, Director: Alisa Kolosova
On the way back to her fiancé, Charly experiences an unexpected journey and meets exceptional characters who instead lead her on the path to herself.
Made in Baleares Feature Film Competition
Ghost Island, Germany, 80min, English/Spanish/German with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere (World premiere at Max Ophüls Preis Festival) Shot in Mallorca, Director: Roman Toulany
A young woman’s soul is trapped in purgatory, on a paradise island. While searching for a way out she stumbles across mysterious characters who seem to be stuck there for an eternity, guarding a dark secret.
Bulldog, Germany, 95min, German/English/Spanish with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere. Shot in Ibiza. Director: André Szardenings
For as long as 21-year-old Bruno can remember, there has only been him and the unconditional love of his mother Toni, who is 15 years older. Nothing else seems to find room in the chaotic life of the two.
Spotlight Screenings
The Tribe (2014), Ukraine/Netherlands, 128min, Ukrainian/SignLanguage No subtitles
In this film, the actors speak in Ukrainian sign language, no subtitles. All ticket sales will benefit a non profit organisation in Mallorca supporting Ukrainian Refugees.
Director: Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi
A deaf boy joins a boarding school for similar children. Confronted by the violent and criminal antics of some of the other boys and girls, he struggles to conform and join the ‘tribe’.
Cinco Lobitos (Lullaby), Spain, 90min Spanish with English subtitles
Laia Costa, recipient of the Evolutionary New Talent Award will be in attendance for a Q&A after the film screening.
Director: Alauda Ruiz De Azúa
Amaia, who has just become a mother, decides to return to her parent’s house along the Basque coast for guidance after her partner is temporarily away.
Carol, 2015, USA, 118min, Todd Haynes, English with Spanish Subtitles
Director of Photography Ed Lachman, ASC
An aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York.
Joker, 2019, USA, Canada, Todd Phillips, English with Spanish Subtitles
A mentally troubled stand-up comedian embarks on a downward spiral that leads to the creation of an iconic villain.
Documentary Feature Films
The Pez Outlaw, USA, 90min, English with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere. Winner SXSW “Special Jury Recognition Acting in a Documentary”. Directors: Amy Bandlien Storkel, Bryan Storkel
There was a period of time in the 90s when Pez dispensers were worth more, gram-for-gram, than cocaine or even gold. During this magical time, a small-town farmer and factory worker lived his wildest dreams, smuggling Pez dispensers into the USA from Eastern Europe and making millions of dollars.
Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Sweden, United States, 80min, English with Spanish subtitles
World premiere at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival. Directors: Maya Duverdier, Amílie Van Elmbt
The end of a long upmarket renovation of the legendary Chelsea Hotel is partly longed for and partly dreaded by the artists who still live there. The film grants us access to their apartments and interweaves the past with the present.
With This Breath, I Fly, USA, Persian with Spanish subtitles
Spanish Premiere. World premiere at Austin Film Festival. Director: Sam French, Clementine Malpas
With This Breath, I Fly presents an intimate portrait of two courageous Afghan women fighting for their freedom after being imprisoned for moral crimes, while exposing the complicity of the European Union in censoring their voices.
Made In Baleares Documentary Features (World Premieres)
El cineasta escondido, Spain, 50min, Spanish with English sutitles
World premiere. Director: Javier Pueyo, Valentine Iconaru
The premiere in 2000 of the film El Celo, a horror film starring Lauren Bacall, Sadie Frost, and Harvey Keitel, predicted a promising future for its director, Antoni Aloy. But after that experience, the Majorcan filmmaker disappeared from the film scene with little explanation. What happened?
Genesis, Spain, 40min, Catalan with English subtitles
World premiere. Director: Ester Moyá
Isaac has been taking hormones for eight months. Through three chapters and four conversations, he recounts his process of change and reflects on what it means to be transexual.
Racinghood, Spain, 50min, Spanish with English subtitles
World premiere. Director:Miki Durán Mas
The story of a family that lives surrounded by tires and engine noise. A family with a daughter who flies on the asphalt and wants to win. Will she do it?
THE PRODUCERS CLUB – Industry Events
Friday, October 28th
Panel #1 “Cinematography and Indie Filmmaking” presented by British Cinematographer Magazine
John de Borman, BSC, AFC is a French-born British cinematographer. His most prominent titles include An Education (Dir. Lone Scherfig) winner of the Cinematography Award – World Cinema (Dramatic) at the 2009 British Society of Cinematographers and THE FULL MONTY (1997) winner of Best Film at the 1998 BAFTA Film Awards.
Ula Pontikos BSC, British-born DP’s most recent credits include Netflix’s Sex Education,
Rainer Lipski, Take The night screening in the EMIFF International Feature film competition
Panel #2 The New Look Of Spanish Cinema / Las Nuevas Miradas Del Cine Español Presented By Camera & Light Magazine. Moderated in Spanish.
Daniela Cajías – Goya Award for ‘Las niñas’ (first Cinematography award for a woman DP). DP of Carla Simón’s “Alcarràs”, the film that will represent Spain at the next Oscars.
Alana Mejía González – DOP of Carlos Vermut’s “Mantícora” and Rocío Mesa “Secaderos”. She shot her first short film “Forastera” in Mallorca. She has shot the latest Carla Simon work, a short film: “Carta a mi madre para mi hijo”.
Josep María Civit - represents the AEC association
Cinematography Focus Panel Sponsors: Mn Studios & Velvet Lights
Friday, October 28th
Masterclass with two-time Academy Award nominated Director of Photography Ed Lachman, ASC
Saturday, October 29th
Panel #3 “Women in Leadership” presented by Girls on Film
Kirsten Niehuus, Head of Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg (GER)
Lee Broda, Vice President at LB Entertainment (U.S.)
Teresa Fernández-Valdés, Co-founder at Bambú Producciones (Spain)
Uzma Hasan, Producer at Little House Productions (UK/USA)
Sunday, October 30th
Panel #4 Finding Your Feet In The International Film Market: Strategies And Success Stories
Presented by Screen International
Participants to include Kim Magnusson, VP of MM Productions in Denmark, award-winning academy producer
Panel #5 How To Finance Your Next Film: Strategies To Access Private Equity And Public Grants
Presented By The Mallorca Film Commission
Kirsten Niehuus – Head of Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg
Frank Priot – Producer, former Head of CNC (France)
Antonia Nava - Producer, Italian-Spanish co-productions
Francisco Vargas – Head of ICEC (Film Fund Catalonia)
