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FICAB XV

15th International Archaeological Film Festival of the Bidasoa

FICAB_XV

Awards

Grand Prize of the Festival: "Searching for Djehuty: among mummies, tombs and hieroglyphics" by Javier Trueba nad José Latova.
Special Audience Prize: "Secrets of the Coliseum" by Pascal Cuissot.
Arkeolan Prize for Contribution to Science: "Petra, capital of the desert" by Olivier Julien.

What if it is true, as recent research has suggested, that Palaeolithic cave art could have been designed to be viewed with animations? We are not talking about bison with double tails, or horses with eight legs, or even goats with two heads, but about images expressly designed, with the help of intermittent lights, to allow horses to gallop, bison to move their tails or goats their heads. According to this interpretation, which seems to be well argued, practically at the time of the dawn of our species, they seem to have invented cartoons using the principle of breaking down movement. With a little imagination, we can picture those people together in the caves, taking advantage of the pleasant temperature underground compared to the harsh outdoor conditions, in order to enjoy a show in which the stars were the animals so splendidly portrayed on the walls.

The fact is that a journey through the History of Art is peppered with examples in which images are used to support narrative and are also used in fully determined sequences to recount the events. The figurative representations on the Egyptian tombs are organised in such a way as to follow a linear and chronological path in the form of bands. And to avoid losing the thread of the story, they rely on other resources, such as coded sizes of the figures, larger for gods and pharaohs, and smaller for the slaves; colours, red for male skin and yellow for female skin, etc. Another scenario on this journey is that of Greek ceramics painted with figures; as most of them are round, when the piece is rotated the cycle of the scenes can be followed: Ulysses tied to the mast of the ship, the sirens who want to put a spell on him with their songs, representations of palaces on the coast. This makes it easy to follow the sequence and order of events, concluding that the main character passed this test with flying colours. And what about the dark room in the Sanctuary of Dydyma in Greece where the priests deceived pilgrims by cloaking them in a psychedelic atmosphere worthy of Hollywood studios.

It seems that our human personality has associated with it the creative genius that leads us to construct stories with images endowed with movement in one way or another. The Lumière brothers’ cinematograph, patented in 1895, allowed us to unleash this ability and develop it to unexpected limits. Through this gradual evolution, we are also offered the chance to bring the past and its people closer to us, as will be seen in this 15th edition of the International Archaeological Film Festival of the Bidasoa.

Programa_XV_FICAB.pdf

technical information

FICAB XV
Year: 2015
Data:: 14th-21st of November

Screenings:

Friday 14th and Saturday 15th: San Telmo Museoa. Donostia-San Sebastián
Sessions 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.: Amaia KZ. Irun
Sessions 5:00 p.m.: CBA. Irun
Closing ceremony Saturday 21st, 8:00 p.m.: Oiasso Roman Museum. Irun
Free admission

All films will be shown in the original version with Spanish subtitles except for "Aigues Mortes and the crusades of Saint Louis King of France" and "Uncovering the Victory of Samothrace", which will have Basque subtitles.

Screening times are approximate

Organising Committee

Juncal Eizaguirre. Delegada de Cultura del Ayuntamiento de Irun.
Ainara Martín. Director del área de Cultura y Deportes del Ayuntamiento de Irun.
Jokin Ormazabal. Técnico de Cultura del Ayuntamiento de Irun.
Cristina Aguirre. Gerente del Museo Romano Oiasso

Direction

Mertxe Urteaga. Directora del Museo Romano Oiasso

Secretary

María José Noain Maura. Responsable de actividades del Museo Romano Oiasso

Jury

Chairman:

Juan Santos Yanguas. Catedrático de Historia Antigua de la Universidad del País Vasco

Vocales:

Marc Azéma. Doctor en Prehistoria y especialista en arte paleolítico.
Paloma García. Directora de los Museos Arqueológicos de Gijón.
José Luis Rebordinos. Director del Festival Internacional de Cine de Donostia-San Sebastián.
Luis Sanz. Productor de contenidos audiovisuales educativos y documentales en la Universidad de Valladolid.

PROGRAM

Saturday, 14 November 2015

12:00. The true story of ‘The raft of the Medusa’. Production: Grand Angle Productions. Production: ARTE France. Direction: Jollon, Herlé. Francia, 2014, 90. Language: Francés.

01_Radeau_Meduse

This film is based on the famous painting by Géricault, on show at the Louvre, "The raft of the Medusa". The ship sank off the coast of Africa in the 19th century; the passengers and crew escaped in several small vessels and on a raft, which remained adrift in harsh conditions. Its rescue became a phenomenon that profoundly affected French society. The documentary recreates the event as far as reconstructing the raft and setting it afloat to find out details of life on board.

17:30. Aigues Mortes and the crusades of Saint Louis the king. Production: Gedeon Programmes. Direction: Lefebvre, Xavier Direction: Fontana, Benjamin. Francia, 2014, 52. Language: Francés.

02_Aigues_Mortes

The foundation of the walled town of Aigues Mortes at the mouth of the River Rhone has given rise to the re-creation of the context of the crusades promoted by French King Saint Louis. Using the current town as a starting point, the walls of which are in perfect condition, and the plan of the town as it was in the 13th century, as well as its situation in the estuary marshes, we see the rise and fall of a sea port created to serve foreign trade and act as a departure point for ships leaving for Jerusalem.

19:00. X-ray of Hagia Sophia. Production: ARTE France. Production: ZED. Production: Providence Pictures. Production: Nova-WGBH. Direction: . Francia, 2014, 87. Language: Francés.

03_Santa_Sofia

This documentary describes in great detail the artistic and architectural personality of Hagia Sophia, a 6th century church that is still standing, despite its location in an area subject to frequent earth tremors and it having fallen into Muslim hands in the late 15th century. Numerous computer graphics and 3D reconstructions make it possible to see the main features of this monument.

Sunday, 15 November 2015

12:00. The mysteries of Turfan. Direction: Direction: Wedel, Carola. Alemania, 2014, 45. Language: Alemán.

04_Turfan

Near the Chinese Taklamakan Desert, on the northern section of the Silk Road, are the Kizil Caves and the oases of Kucha and Turfan. The caves are famous for their magnificent Buddhist paintings, dating from the 3rd to the 13th century, some of which are on display in Berlin. This film looks back at the journey of the German explorers in the early 20th century who discovered the cave paintings and the relocation of those that were taken to Germany in a new museum that has been named the Humboldt Forum.

19:00. Uncovering the Victory of Samothrace. Production: Gedeon Programmes. Production: ARTE France. Direction: Garcias, Juliette. Francia, 2015, 52. Language: Francés.

05_Samotracia

The restoration work that has recently taken place on the Victory of Samothrace is the starting point for showing a varied wealth of information about the sculpture. It tells in pictures the story of its discovery, explains the context of the sanctuary in which it was found, its transfer to France, the results of the research that tells us how it was sculpted and other interesting details. It also looks at the process through which it has become a cult image and one of the emblematic items in the Louvre collections, arousing great interest among the visiting public.

Monday, 16 November 2015

19:00. Festival opening ceremony

19:30. Petra, capital of the desert. Production: ARTE France. Production: ZED. Production: Providence Pictures. Production: Nova-WGBH. Direction: . Francia, 2014, 80. Language: Francés.

06_Petra

The city of Petra, which was the capital of a very wealthy kingdom, that of the Nabataeans, continues to offer new discoveries. Situated within the confines of three deserts, the Arabian Desert, the Syrian Desert and the Negev Desert, it was absorbed by the Roman Empire at the beginning of the Christian Era. During this period, a series of monuments excavated from local stone was created, giving it a unique personality. It was later abandoned and remained in the hands of the Bedouins, fading into obscurity until its rediscovery in the 19th century. However, as this documentary will demonstrate, Petra is part of a much wider cultural context, thanks to which we are able to understand many of its specific features.

Tuesday, 17 November 2015

11:00. Evolution. Production: Escuelab. Direction: Devitto, Facundo Direction: Ruiz, Begoña. España, 2014, 13. Language: Castellano.

07_Evoluciona

"Evolution" is a short educational film that combines real images and animation to guide us through the processes that gave origin to life and the evolution of the species, from Prehistory to the present day.

11:45. Movie language in Egypt. Direction: Bocktor, Genevieve. Egipto, 2013, 19. Language: Árabe.

09_Movie_language_Egipto

Accompanied by a narrator, we will have the opportunity to follow a sequenced series of artistic images of Ancient Egypt which demonstrates the existence of an intentionally cinematographic language in the presentation of the scenes. Many of them have never been seen before by western audiences, even by experts, since they have been taken of monuments with exclusive and restricted access.

17:00. The truth about the Knights Templar. Production: Gedeon Programmes. Direction: Pradinaud, Mathieu. Francia, 2013, 52. Language: Francés.

10_Templiers

Paris, October 2010. Inside a 19th century covered market in the heart of Paris, an extraordinary archaeological excavation was carried out in the place where the Knights Templar built a place to house their treasures in the 13th century on their return from Jerusalem. Added to the information, of great historical importance, obtained from the excavation, are new archives located by Vatican historians, which will reveal previously unknown information about the Knights Templar and their participation in the Crusades.

19:00. Cave art. Production: Diego, Enrique. Direction: Diego, Enrique. España, 2015, 7. Language: Castellano.

11_Rupestre

A wild horse and a boy from the Palaeolithic era meet. A relationship of mutual curiosity will be forged between them, although fears passed down for millennia will also be awakened.

19:10. The Sign, Prehistoric Rock Art. Direction: Direction: Yung-Hoon, Lee. Corea del Sur, 2015, 48. Language: Coreano.

12_The_Sign

Petroglyphs or images carved in rock are one of the first artistic manifestations of humanity, at the same time as a first attempt at animation. What secrets do they hide? This documentary offers a look at the first works of art produced during the Palaeolithic Era and it does so from a global point of view, looking at artistic manifestations discovered in Russia and Korea.

20:00. Searching for Djehuty: among mummies, tombs and hieroglyphics. Production: Madrid Scientific Films. Direction: Trueba, Javier Direction: Latova, José. España, 2015, 55. Language: Castellano.

13_Djehuty

Searching for Djehuty" tells the story of the thirteen archaeological digs carried out in Egypt, based around the tomb of Djehuty, the treasurer of Queen Hatshepsut, who was the first female Pharaoh. His face and name were systematically erased 3,500 years ago to prevent him from being remembered. Today, an international team, led by José Manuel Galán, is restoring his memory by investigating the necropolis of Dra Abu el-Naga in Luxor. The tomb of Djehuty and its impressive Book of the Dead are the starting point of an adventure filled with new characters, valuable findings, unusual discoveries and previously unseen images of the scientific work in the field.

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

11:00. Tracing our footsteps: citizens. Production: Tournez s´il vous plait. Direction: Molia, Agnès Direction: Laville, Nathalie. Francia, 2014, 26. Language: Francés.

14_Sur_nos_traces_Citadin

It was Julius Caesar who gave the name Gaul to the group of territories that he conquered between 58 and 51 B.C. Gallo-Roman civilisation developed during two centuries of peace, filling the new provinces with amphitheatres, forums and temples located in cities. And when we say city, we also mean citizens, a concept that developed alongside the integration of the Gauls into the Empire.

11:30. La Olmeda, a roman villa. Production: Diputación de Palencia. Direction: Diputación de Palencia. España, 2011, 8. Language: Castellano.

15_Olmeda

Discovered in 1968, the Roman Villa of La Olmeda is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Hispano-Roman world. It is a large mansion from the Late Empire period (4th century A.D.), the main building of which is arranged around a central courtyard onto which the various rooms open, most of them with extraordinary mosaic floors. This short film takes us on a tour of this Roman villa situated in Palencia, and gives its historical background.

11:40. El Cardonal dig, Archaeology in the Andes. Direction: Direction: Vercesi, Luciano. Argentina, 2014, 34. Language: Castellano.

16_Cardonal

Using as a starting point the El Cardonal dig, located in the Argentine Andes, this documentary presents the relationship established between the settlers in the area and the archaeologists. Thanks to this collaboration, they are rediscovering and re-assessing the past, and showing us the main research techniques in Archaeology. Present and past become mixed, combining the everyday life of the rural dwellers with scientific research.

17:00. Stolen warriors. Production: Luckfilm. Direction: Luck, Wolfgang. Alemania, 2014, 52. Language: Inglés.

17_Stolen_warriors

How did a sculpture from the most famous temple in Cambodia end up being up for sale at auction at Sotheby´s? This film tells the story of a spectacular case of theft of archaeological heritage. Following the route of an iconic warrior stolen from a Khmer temple, we will discover the investigation that led to its being found at a New York auction house and the informing of public opinion about the seriousness of trafficking in antiquities.

19:00. Verona, an open city. Production: Centro Studi Archeologici. Direction: Peres, Marcello Direction: Tagliabue, Nicola. Italia, 2015, 41. Language: Italiano.

18_Verona

The Italian city of Verona has an important Roman past, the remains of which are interwoven into its current layout. Through spectacular aerial views and a detailed analysis of the most significant elements, we can study in depth the Verona of 2000 years ago. And we will thus get to know the famous Verona Arena, in reality an amphitheatre, the Stone Bridge, the Gavi Arch and the monumental gateways, plus an unusual look at underground Verona.

19:40. Roman engineering: cities. Production: Digivision. Direction: Muñiz, José Antonio. España, 2015, 55. Language: Castellano.

19_Ciudades

This episode of the TV series on Roman Engineering tells how Rome was model for the foundation of the rest of the cities of the Empire. We will find out how the decision regarding the location of the city was made and we will see the rites, the marking out of the perimeter, the division into plots and the distribution between settlers. Accompanied by this information, we will witness the art of creating cities, reflecting on the points they have in common and their differences.

Thursday, 19 November 2015

11:00. Cannington bypass Archaeology. Direction: Direction: Owen, Justin. Gran Bretaña, 2014, 23. Language: Inglés.

20_Cannington_Bypass

Preventive Archaeology takes place on sites that are in danger of disappearing due to any type of architectural or engineering work. Public works in the area around the English town of Cannington allowed archaeologists to hold a dig in summer 2014, which will bring to light the remains of three Roman buildings; the constructions formed part of a luxury villa from the Roman period. Together with this, identification of levels from the Iron Age and medieval period will make it possible to offer a complete overview of the historical development of the site.

11:30. Tracing our footsteps: medieval lords. Production: Tournez s´il vous plait. Direction: Molia, Agnès Direction: Laville, Nathalie. Francia, 2014, 26. Language: Francés.

21_Sur_nos_traces_Le_seigneur

17:00. Lecture by Marc Azéma and presentation of the book The Prehistory of the Cinema

MA_Psalia

19:00. A mad idea from Nero . Production: CNRS Images. Direction: Rambaud, Paul. Francia, 2014, 11. Language: Francés.

22_Folie_Neron

The excavations carried out in 2009 on the Palatine Hill in Rome, by a French and Italian team of archaeologists, discovered the ruins of a building from the time of the Emperor Nero with some very special features. It is a circular construction that seems to have served as a support for some complicated machinery. It is believed to have been used to rotate the table in the main dining room of the emperor’s palace. In this documentary, based on the account from the historian Suetonius, the iconography present on coins and the archaeological dig, we are offered a hypothetical reconstruction of the mechanism.

19:10. Secrets of the Coliseum. Production: ARTE France. Production: ZED. Production: Nova-WGBH. Production: Providence Pictures. Direction: Cuissot, Pascal. Francia, 2014, 85. Language: Francés.

23_Coliseo

It seems difficult to believe that new information about the Coliseum, one of the great architectural gems of Ancient Rome, can still discovered at this stage. And yet this documentary shows exhaustive work being carried out that gives us new knowledge about the monument that is considered to be an example of the best artistic and constructive genius of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists and historians join forces to re-investigate the architecture and the use of this media tool for imperial power. Built in the 1st century A.D. by the Emperor Vespasian to legitimise the power of the new dynasty, the Coliseum had unlimited resources to seduce the people of Rome.

Friday, 20 November 2015

17:00. Punta Linke, the memory. Production: SAP Società Archeologica. Direction: Chiodarelli, Paolo. Italia, 2014, 62. Language: Italiano.

24_Punta_Linke

In recent decades, the dramatic retreat of the glaciers in the Alps has revealed historic testimonies of the First World War: this is the case of Punta Linke, in Trentino, where archaeological excavations, carried out under extreme weather conditions at an altitude of over 3500 metres, have uncovered an Austro-Hungarian military post with a perfectly preserved cable car mechanism.

19:00. Agave is life. Production: ArcheoProductions. Direction: Brown, David. Estados Unidos, 2014, 60. Language: Inglés.

25_Agave

A team of anthropologists based in Texas (United States) presents an overview, for a period of 10,000 years, of the symbolic relationship between the agave cactus and human societies. The importance of this plant is demonstrated in its sacred and ceremonial value, together with its many properties, which make it a plant, even today, that is highly appreciated Native Americans. From ancient times to the present day, we will see how the agave has always been associated with myths, religion and cultural identity.

20:00. Chavín de Huantar. The theatre of the afterlife. Production: Wanda Films. Direction: Novoa, José Manuel. España, 2015, 52. Language: Castellano.

26_Chavin

The ceremonial centre of Chavín de Huántar was built in Peru 3300 years ago. In it, an elite group of priests became theocratic governors. This is where they represented the theatre of the afterlife, staging a complex liturgy and reinforcing their power before the pilgrims who came searching for answers. They used hallucinogenic substances and all types of sound, olfactory and acoustic effects to manipulate the perceptions experienced by the neophytes. In this way, the priestly caste was situated at the top of the social pyramid and maintained its authority for 800 years without any need for an army.

Saturday, 21 November 2015

20:00. Prize Award Ceremony + Concert Kamerata Oiasso

Kamerata2

Festival Internacional de
Cine Arqueologico del Bidasoa
Museo Romano Oiasso
Eskoleta, 1. 20302 Irun

Tfno.: (+34) 943-63 93 53
E-mail: ficab.oiasso@irun.org

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