'Cutting close to the bone', a section to shake up consciences and banish intolerance

'Cutting close to the bone', a section to shake up consciences and banish intolerance
Commitment and entertainment. Reality and fiction. Reflection and spontaneity. Opposites often found together in a single element. And on occasions they rub up against each other, and are mixed into a uniform whole. Cinema is one of art's most heterogeneous manifestations. Productions coexist that may bring a smile to their audience, or move them to tears or to deep thought. And sometimes these realities naturally and seamlessly converge in single piece.

More and more directors, scriptwriters, producers and actors are rejecting isolation from the reality that surrounds them. Far from it, they want to play a part in the historical, political and social moment they are living through. And short filmmakers are no exception. The format is traditionally associated with youth, and as such has transformed itself into a more complex mirror of the currency of the moment, a reflection of questions encircling a society that is a far cry from the image of perfection some are intent on disseminating.


Six short films against intransigence

The aim of 'Cutting close to the bone' is the depiction of the most common blights on our society. Intolerance of those whose are different to us has filled numerous newspaper columns and television hours in recent times. Racism, homophobia, and the non-acceptance of political opposition are all sources of incomprehensible violence, unfortunately ever-present in the news media.

ALCINE37 aims for this new section to provide a wide-ranging view of the situation confronted by millions of immigrants on their arrival in the longed for 'first world'. Without regard to the commercial demands regulating the industry, the short films selected openly discuss and reject all forms of intolerance.

'Cutting close to the bone' shows the short film sector alive and kicking, alert to contemporary social problems. They never turn their backs, react adroitly to questions, and clearly capture reality, even at its rawest, and display it, warts and all, for all to see.

The section comprises six films united by their rejection of intolerance. 'En malas compañías' tackles the problem of homophobia. 'Estrecho Adventure' presents the desires of a young man who dreams of embarking on a voyage to a life of opportunity. 'Matadero' depicts the situation of a Palestinian in a Jewish orthodox establishment. 'Sarean' is a documentary portrait of fishing in the North Sea. 'Schwarzfahrer' views intolerance from a train in Berlin. 'Todos os llamáis Mohamed' returns us to the harsh realities of being a Moroccan immigrant in Madrid. Together they form a cinematographic mosaic to shake up our consciences.
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