Spanish silent film archives to feature in Pordenone festival retrospective

The 45th edition of Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, an international silent film festival held in Pordenone, Italy, will feature a major retrospective dedicated to the origins of Spanish cinema between 1896 and 1916. The program includes 62 titles from various archives and collections.

The Filmoteca Valenciana will present five restored films, including ‘Batalla de flores’ (1905), ‘La guerra del Riff’ (1909), ‘Benítez quiere ser torero’ (1910), ‘Clarita y Peladilla en el football’ (1915), and ‘Pasionaria’ (1915). These works, some produced by Films Cuesta, document historical events and early comedic genres.

Additionally, the Museu del Cinema de Girona will contribute two pieces from the Tomàs Mallol Collection, made possible through restoration and digitization efforts by the Filmoteca de Catalunya. These include the 1904 film ‘L’Hereu de Ca’n Pruna’ by Segundo de Chomón and a flipbook reproducing frames from the 1896 film ‘Andalusian Dance’.