Suncine and Wild Ocean Film Fest are two events that these days place environmental cinema in the present. The first, and in its 31st edition, is held in various locations in Barcelona, Viladecans, (Barcelona), and Calafell, (Tarragona). The second, is on the third and its space is the auditorium of the Bioparc Aquarium of Gijón.
Its coincidence on the calendar highlights that environmental cinema is very alive, that there are many filmmakers around the world whose concern and the subject on which they want to make art is nature, with a very wide diversity of approaches, and that «It has more and more audiences. There is more curiosity, more need to see. People want to know what is happening and nature cinema informs us, in addition to entertaining and raising awareness,” explains Jaume Gil, director of Suncine.
For Fernando González, director of the Wild Oceans FilmFest, WOFF, «art, in any of its manifestations, is the best way to capture the attention of people outside of nature. Because indifference is the greatest enemy of conservation.
Cinema for everyone, for everyone and in all formats
A few figures can serve to give an idea of the strength of environmental cinema. Suncine has received «1,500 documentaries, the backbone of the festival, from 138 countries; of which, finally, 100 productions from 60 countries will compete. The WOFF jury has selected 36 for the competition among the more than 100 of 77 nationalities received, of which 6 have reached the final phase.
A difference that is not surprising also given the seniority of one, the oldest in the world in his genre, and the youth of the other. In any case, they are in the same mood. González is clear that “it is a project that has a long history. But, it is a huge challenge to be known in the sector and we are going step by step.
This year Suncine has created a new official section called Ñ, to promote and disseminate our cinema, in which Spanish films participate.
The ocean is the protagonist of the Gijón quote, because «when people look at the sea, they see a plane, not what is underneath. We want you to see what is there and, when you see it, you will be moved, because it is beautiful. But you will also see, González adds, what we are doing to that beauty.
As film lovers, both directors are clear that their natural environment is the theater and the big screen, “where watching the film is an experience in itself. Away from home, without distractions, perhaps with more people to discuss it with later,” emphasizes Gil. But, neither of the two festivals stop there alone. They want to reach the largest possible audience and take advantage of the possibilities currently offered by technology and streaming platforms, public and private, (such as Renfe and Plataforma 3Cat) to be multi-screen and multi-venue festivals, “it is a magnificent possibility to broaden the focus and reach, for example, young people, who consume cinema in a different way,” Gil emphasizes.
Suncine has its own app through which you can watch the films participating in the different sections of the festival. Even, says Gil, «to reach all the schools in Spain. Each classroom can be a cinema, so schoolchildren can watch the shorts and also have debates afterwards.
The WOFF also leaves the auditorium and holds screenings and master classes at the university and in schools “for the new generations, where it is most interesting to sow that seed,” highlights González.
What Fernando Gil has been able to observe in so many editions of Suncine is that “people leave the cinema changed. I don’t know if forever, for an hour, or for a week. But they are aware that we have to change and that this cannot continue like this.