Spring brings an exciting energy back to the city. The sun is warmer, the days are longer and grass is greener. Although you may feel the desire to shake off that winter slumber and reacquaint yourself with an active and outdoor schedule, consider taking a few hours to sit back and relax while enjoying some of the most cutting-edge cinema from around the world. Barcelona boasts a wide variety of renowned film festivals each spring, and 2020 appears to be one of the most promising editions to date. From fashion, to animation, to history, here is everything you need to know about Barcelona’s spring film festivals.
1. Americana Film Festival
March 3-8, 2020
Established in 2014, this festival is a must for fans of American indie films. Born from a group of friends with a strong desire to exhibit the best American independent films of the season in Barcelona, the Americana Film Festival saw more than 2,400 spectators in its first edition, and the festival has only grown since. This year, showings will take place across the city at Cinemes Girona, Zumzeig Cine Cooperativa, Filmoteca de Catalunya and Phenomena Experience. Over thirty films will be presented, including titles like Honey Boy, America to Me, Burning Cane and Hoop Dreams. It is also worth noting that director Steve James will be present at the screening of his film Abacus: Small Enough to Jail on the first day of the festival. A variety of ticket packages allow access to short screenings, single showings, or a six show bundle for the more dedicated movie-goer. All films will be shown in their original version, with Spanish or Catalan subtitles. americanafilmfest.com
2. Ohlalà French Film Fest
March 12-21, 2020
Ohlala! is Barcelona’s first film festival dedicated to French language cinema. In its third year, this is the place to discover French films, many of which have not yet been screened in Catalunya. The festival earns its name from a common French expression, used to convey at once surprise, joy and nostalgia—rather fitting for a festival dedicated to celebrating the range of emotions invoked by the big screen. Each year films come from a variety of French speaking countries including France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and others. This year, renowned French actress Nathalie Baye is the festival’s featured artist. The week will open with the romantic comedy La Belle Époque by Nicolas Bedos, and includes other titles like Papicha by Mounia Meddour, Antigone by Sophie Deraspe, and Les éblouis by Sarah Suco. Films are shown in original version with Spanish or Catalan subtitles. Tickets and showtimes available online at: ohlalafilmfestival.com
3. Brain Film Fest
March 19-22, 2020
As you guessed, the brain is the star of this festival. With a unique emphasis on cinema, neurology, psychiatry and technology, the Brain Film Fest includes screenings, lectures and workshops all aimed to encourage cinematic creation and raise awareness of the brain, its amazing capabilities and the diseases that threaten it. Co-organized by the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and the Uszheimer Foundation with the support of the Minimal Films production company, the festival features screenings of over fifteen short films from a variety of countries, all with an emphasis on the brain, the adversities it faces and its infinite capacities. Tickets can be purchased through the festival’s venue: Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. brainfilmfest.com
4. NonStop Barcelona Animació
March 19-22, 2020
This is Barcelona’s annual festival of international animation held at Arts Santa Mònica. NonStop offers a space where friends, students, professionals and companies in the animation world have the opportunity to engage in talks, workshops and screenings based on this unique craft. Information, schedules and tickets for 2020 have yet to be released, but a visit to the website provides a look at last year’s recap, featuring a variety of events like masterclasses hosted by animation gurus, workshops on videogame technique and behind the scenes looks at animated films. nonstopbarcelona.com
5. Mecal Pro Short Film Festival
March 19-April 5, 2020
This marks the 22nd year of Mecal Pro, another of Barcelona’s international short film and animation festivals. Held at Arts Santa Mònica, the week hosts a variety of showings in the animation, fiction and often-forgotten documentary film genres. Unique to Mecal are the educational opportunities provided by the festival; aspiring filmmakers can take advantage of informational sessions on crowdfunding and pitching in order to learn how to raise capital for their projects. The official calendar of events has not been released, but it has been promised that 2020 will screen more than 350 high quality short films from more than 40 different countries. mecalbcn.org
6. Moritz Feed Dog
March 26-29, 2020
A festival exclusively dedicated to fashion documentaries, Moritz Feed Dog offers some of the most niche content of this spring season. Featuring works about Pierre Cartin, Carl Lagerfeld and everything in between, this is an event for fashion gurus and documentary fans alike. New this year, the festival is incorporating a section in collaboration with Wallapop dedicated to fashion projects that extend the life of objects and reduce waste. Additionally, the festival will take a look at the world of Brazilian fashion with two documentaries and two short films focusing on the social and economic realities of fashion in environments like Brazil. Hosted at the Aribau Club, the festival offers a wide range of ticket packages varying from single tickets to six show passes. Almost all films are shown in their original version with subtitles in either Spanish or Catalan. moritz.feeddog.org
7. BCN Film Fest
April 17-24, 2020
Film, history and literature, oh my! The Barcelona Sant Jordi International Film Festival, or BCN Film Fest, offers a selection of more than 60 international films widely related to literature and history. In line with this criteria, featured films shown at Cines Verdi are often adaptations of literary works, productions related to historical events or biopics about well-known figures. This years’ titles include When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Caroline Link, Mr. Jones by Agnieska Holland and a variety of works by Éric Rhomer. The festival boasts the highest quality films, with a goal to unite lovers of cinema, history and literature. Showings take place in a variety of languages, so be sure to visit the official website to confirm before purchasing tickets. bcnfilmfest.com
8. CLAM: Catalonia International Social Film Festival
April 30-May 10, 2020
In Catalan, clam means to clamor, complain or cry out, which is exactly what the films at this festival are looking to accomplish. The basic goal of the CLAM is to support the dissemination and promotion of films that contribute to the knowledge of world cinema, human rights and civil issues. Outside of this, there are no requirements, leading to a diverse selection of films spanning all topics and genres. Films are shown in many languages, with guaranteed subtitles in either Spanish or Catalan. The official schedule has yet to be released, but will be available on the website once finalized. Make sure to note that screenings take place outside Barcelona at a variety of locations like Manresa, Navarcles and Sallent. clamfestival.org
9. D'A Film Festival
April 30-May 10, 2020
Each spring, the D’A Film Festival offers an extensive review of current world cinema, screening an international panorama of the finest films in contemporary cinema. Featuring emerging talents alongside internationally established directors, the festival claims to be one of the Mediterranean’s best events of the spring. The large-scale event spreads across ten locations in Barcelona and includes supplemental events such as panel discussions, workshops, musical performances and professional development. The official schedule for this year has yet to be released, as the deadline for entry applications has just occurred and films are still under review. dafilmfestival.com
10. DOCS Barcelona
May 20-30, 2020
Also entering its 22nd season, DocsBarcelona is a festival dedicated to documentary film. Each year, an international programming committee selects films for three different categories: Panorama, Latitude and What the Doc! These three groupings highlight the newest international documentaries, most daring and innovative documentaries and documentaries from the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America. The festival is dedicated to bringing professional talent and productions closer to the audience, and hosted 68 Q&A sessions with directors, experts and their protagonists last year alone. This years’ schedule has not yet been released, but last year, 42 productions from 37 countries were screened in 12 theatres. This is guaranteed to end the spring festival season with a bang. docsbarcelona.com