Santiago Mazarro brings the story of ‘Juana de Castilla’ to the Saraqusta Film Festival, which can be seen tonight at the Cine Cervantes at 9 p.m. Specializing in documentary film and known for his historical and adventure novels, he recreates the life of Juana of Castile, the first legitimate queen of Spain who, for nearly 50 years, was confined to the palace of Tordesillas. According to some, she was the victim of a conspiracy by her all-powerful relatives; according to others, it was due to an undeniable mental illness.
Sandra Lapied, the documentary’s producer, stated that “the lack of texts written by Juana de Castilla herself prevents us from knowing her thoughts, concerns, or state of mind. We have to rely on the accounts of others who assess her and who played a decisive role in the course of history to form the idea we have of this historical figure.”
“What makes this documentary interesting is that we highlight these discrepancies among historians,” explained the documentary’s director, maintaining historical and educational rigor while “making it visually appealing so that it is entertaining.” “We are a channel that amplifies historians’ studies of her figure,” Lapied concluded.
The Life of a Counterfeiter
In the official competition section, today will feature a screening of the French thriller based on the true story of banknote counterfeiter Ceslaw Bojarski (Cine Cervantes, 9:00 p.m.), titled ‘L’affaire Bojarski’.
Directed by Jean-Paul Salomé, it is inspired by the true story of Ceslaw Jan Bojarski, a Polish refugee who rose to fame for his excellent forgeries of French franc banknotes, earning him the nickname the “Cézanne of counterfeiting.” Salomé transports us to post-war Paris and recounts how, for fifteen years, Bojarski led a double life: while his family lived a normal life at home, he crafted banknotes in a shed with such precision that they managed to evade the Bank of France’s controls until he became the target of Inspector Mattei, France’s best police officer. Starring Reda Kateb, Sara Giraudeau, and Bastien Bouillon.
Panorama Saraqusta
Panorama Saraqusta section features the work by Aragonese filmmaker Silvia Ladrero ‘Dos vidas. Atentado en Sallent’ (Fundación Ibercaja Patio de la Infanta, 5:00 p.m.), which recounts one of the most harrowing and difficult episodes in the recent history of Spain and Aragon. In one of the bloodiest summers of the ETA, in 2000, following the end of the terrorist group’s first ceasefire, a limpet bomb exploded in Sallent de Gállego, killing two young Civil Guards: José Ángel de Jesús and Irene Fernández.
The documentary features investigators, police officers and Civil Guards, politicians, and also the relatives of José Ángel de Jesús. As Ladrero explained, “they participated because they have been working for many years to be able to speak about these events and want to do so as a tribute to their loved ones, and because they feel an obligation to leave a legacy so that younger generations know what happened.”
Tribute to Borau
The day began with Germán Roda’s audiovisual work, ‘Borau and the cinema’, which was screened at the Caesaraugusta Theater Museum as part of the section dedicated to Aragonese documentaries.
In the director’s words, “He was recognized during his lifetime but not in the way he deserved, which is why this work is a tribute to him that seeks to give back everything he gave to Spanish cinema.”
“He was like a child” who tried to make the films he wanted to make, which is why the documentary also reflects “his spirit of freedom,” in the director’s words.
Roda features prominent figures from Spanish cinema such as Luis Alegre, Icíar Bollaín, Miguel Rellán, Antón Castro, Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón, Fernando Méndez-Leite, and Agustín Sánchez Vidal, who help weave the narrative, reconstruct Borau’s life and work, and highlight his legacy.
Saraqusta Film Festival Reaches Out to Young Audiences
About forty boys and girls in the early elementary grades participated this morning in the first edition of “Saraqusta Kids,” an initiative aimed at introducing young audiences to the world of cinema. The students learned about the three key figures in the birth of cinema (Thomas Alva Edison, the Lumière brothers, and George Méliès) through an episode of “Las tres mellizas” and built a thaumatrope featuring iconic figures from Aragon, such as Agustina de Aragón with the cannon, the city’s lion on its pedestal at the Puente de Piedra, and the Virgin of the Pillar with her mantle.
Tickets and passes at special prices
This year, the 15-euro pass includes, in addition to admission to the 10 screenings of the films in competition, access to the closing gala and the cocktail reception. They can be purchased through the festival’s website, saraqustafilmfestival.com. Individual tickets to view the films in competition are also available for 4.5 euros. The panel discussions, Aragonese documentaries, audiovisual presentations from ‘Panorama Saraqusta’, and special screenings will be free of charge until capacity is reached, subject to prior online reservation on the festival website.
About Saraqusta Film Festival
Saraqusta Film Festival is co-organized by the Zaragoza City Council and Cosmos Fan, with support from the Government of Aragon as an institutional partner, the Ibercaja Foundation as the main partner, and Carné Joven de Aragón, Aragón Alimentos, and Ara Film Fest as collaborators.