L'Hospitalet has inaugurated the Loop Festival of video art and artist cinema, showcasing the film 'La mirada catalana', created by Andalusian artist María Alcaide, who has received the Videocreation Award.
'La mirada catalana' emerges from a collaboration with anthropologist Josep Maria Comelles, featuring footage he filmed in Super8 during the late 1970s while researching El Rocío. These recordings, made during Spain's Transition period, were part of a documentary movement from Catalonia that aimed to reshape the narrative of Spain, contrasting with the images inherited from Franco's regime.
The film reflects on identity and memory through a dialogue between contemporary images of Andalusian traditions and Comelles' historical footage, which documented the Romería del Rocío from the 1970s to 1980s. Alcaide explains, “The archival images are combined with current footage, also shot in Super8, similar to those found in Comelles' archive. We can see traditions such as the Rocío, the Feria de Sevilla, the Corpus of Hinojos, and the Mulas del Berrocal. We address the folklore and identity of Andalucía, but from a different perspective.”
This exploration of identities is further enriched by commentary in Catalan from six individuals born outside Catalonia, showcasing the connections between diverse cultures. Alcaide adds, “Everything is a fiction, so what these voices explain is more akin to scripts from classic anthropology and ethnography documentaries. The text is minimally adapted to align with what we see in the images.”
The documentary screening takes place in a space adorned with elements of Andalusian culture, including traditional awnings from the Feria de Abril and a bench made from gloves worn by nazarenos during Holy Week processions. This initiative is complemented by the performance “Cante para un pueblo en construcción”, which narrates the beginnings of the Bellvitge neighbourhood with the arrival of people from southern Spain.
The Loop Festival's programme, featuring screenings, live performances, exhibitions, and conferences, will take place across 40 venues in Barcelona and L'Hospitalet until 21 November.
