One of Play-Doc’s objectives has always been to bring audiences closer to a type of cinema that is outside of commercial circuits and give it a greater reach and more visibility. With this intention, a few years ago Play-Doc and R, a cable operator in Galicia, launched Play-Doc TV, a TV version of the festival in form of VOD platform.
Since its inception in 2013, Play-Doc TV has gained the loyalty of a growing number of subscribers who now have access to an exclusive, varied catalogue, with many rare jewels and previously unreleased films, retrospectives of cult filmmakers and films with a history of success in the international circuit of festivals, independent cinema, works by young directors, music documentaries and also a lot of top-quality Galician cinema.
This April, Play-Doc TV is taking another step forward and expanding across the Spanish northwest, becoming accessible not only in Galicia through R but also in Asturias through Telecable and in the Basque Country with Euskaltel.
To celebrate this new chapter, we want to strengthen our commitment to the talent that is closest to us, not by rejecting other contents but by placing the focus on the cinema produced between the coordinates of our territory. Under the title North by Northwest – a term taken from Hitchcock’s classic which actually does not exist as such in the compass – we suggest a preview here with three important films from the north and the northwest.
IN MEMORIAM (DEFEAT IS BEST FORGOTTEN)
Producer: Marta F. Crestelo
Cinematography: Marcos M. Merino
Editing: Álvaro Gago, Celia Menéndez
Sound: Óscar de Ávila
The sudden appearance of hundreds of thousands of photographs makes known the faces that inhabited a mining valley for five decades. In the meantime, a group of young girls, three retired workers and an expert archaeologist work in isolation from each other to preserve the memory of their forebears. They do not know each other and their motivations do not coincide, although they do know that indifference will be the greatest public recognition they will obtain with their efforts. Why should they do this, then? What reward do they get? What is the point of taking care of memory?
LA ESTRELLA ERRANTE
Producers: Alberto Gracia, Felipe Lage, José Alayón
Production Company: El Horlá Producciones, Zeitun Films, El Viaje Films
Cinematography: Mauro Herce, Alberto Gracia
Editing: Alberto Gracia
Music: Jonay Armas
Sound: Amanda Villavieja
Cast: Nacho Alonso, Rober Soler Coloma, Humberto ‘El Gitano’, J. Manuel Hermelo
In 1984, Rober and his band released their first and only LP titled El lado oscuro del Rock’n Roll (The Dark Side of Rock’n Roll). Thirty years later Rober travels to Vigo to meet Nacho, a friend who is a photographer. He discovers that everything has changed in this time. Neither he nor Vigo seem to be present. Maybe the only exit could be to find Ronnie. Will the beach be the desired place?
MUGA DEITZEN DA PAUSOA – STEPPING INTO THE BOUNDARY
Producers: Maider Oleaga, Izaskun Arandia, José Luis Rubio
Cinematography: David Aguilar
Editing: Pello Gutierrez, Maider Oleaga
Sound: Haritz Lete, Jose Luis Rubio
Cast: Maider Oleaga, Miren Tirapu, Anton Mendizabal, Mikel Ibarguren, Oihana Ibarguren, Haizea Ibarguren, Kontxita Beitia, Mikel Mendizabal, Xabier Muñoz, Lourdes Muñoz, Imanol Anza, Mari Karmen Mintxelena
Two women meet in an apartment, in San Sebastian. One is alive and is the filmmaker, the other one is called Elvira Zipitria Irastorza and died in 1982. The filmmaker will soon find out that Elvira ran the first Basque clandestine school in that same apartment for 30 years, under Franco’s dictatorship.
