The film did not had permission from the Bank of Santander for public exhibition, as said us this afternoon Victor Moreno after finish the first screening and without time for conversation and debate, so we had to talk on the outside.
The ban was exercised by the owner, Banco Santander, because permission to make the film was granted with the condition not to interfere in commercial interests. However all conditions were respected, but even so the bank did not allow its public exhbición. A situation that seemed to matter less when citizens and collectives promoted a collective campaign last January. Under this pressure to remove the veto and granted permission, they have begun their public passes through different places, this week, and coincidentally also this week was made known that a "Chinese" business group had bought the building to become it a hotel luxury and a shopping mall.
A story that tries to get away from scenic and landscapes views, with a vision, according to its director, Victor Moreno, allegorical, metaphorical, seeking an active viewer and away from visions by Michael Moore. A documentary film in which the main actors are the workers doing their job, a job that could well have played other positions, in another time, in the same building where they could be the ghosts of a past time and memory than anything have to do with the ghost of the 14th floor. In 93 minutes of footage trying to circumvent a vision of memories past and it gives us an insight into the memory of the place through the presence of the 200 workers involved in the demolition, in relation to recent memory rather than a romantic memory.
Featured festivals.-
SAN SEBASTIAN
BAFICI
DOCUMENTAMADRID
DOCLISBOA
ALCANCES
Synopsis.
The year 2007 saw the start of the renovation of Edificio España, an emblematic building that during the years of Franco's regime had been a symbol of prosperity. Over two hundred workers from a long list of countries took part in the building works, which gave rise to an unusual collection of anecdotes. The life experience of all those characters became a part of the memories contained by the building structure. A huge Tower of Babel that will bear forever the mark of our times.
Collective Memory.
The building Edificio España is an emblematic landmark of the city of Madrid. During its age of splendour, more than 3,500 people crossed its main foyer every day.
Over the years that we've have been working on this documentary, we have met many people that have experienced this building in one way or another. Many times when we were talking about this project, somebody would break in to tell us some anecdote, some experience they had lived in Edificio España: going to a wedding that was held in one of the hotel's salons, having to roam the maze of halls and corridors in order to visit a friend, going to one of the peculiar businesses and shops that were housed there, or maybe simply listening to one of the many legends concerning the building. It seemed as though it was an indelible part of people's memories.
This is why we've decided to throw ourselves headlong into discovering a collective memory of Edificio España. For that purpose, we have created this little space on our site: this is a blank page where all of us can contribute to the building's intrahistory, a concept made famous by Miguel de Unamuno.
We are looking for still or moving images (we don't mind in what format or when they were taken), written accounts of your experience of the building, recorded testimonies (you can tape an older relative talking about their experience), objects, etc. Anything that we can use to make up a collective memory of this place. What we want to piece together is a part of our OWN MEMORIES.
We are particularly interested in the period that goes from the beginning of the construction works in 1947, until the renovation works started in 2007. Our documentary Edificio España acts as the end of that period.
Director.- Victor Moreno.
Dates.- Year 2011.
Time.- 93'
CREW.
Camera and director: VÍCTOR MORENO
Producers: VÍCTOR MORENO and DAVID MATAMOROS
Scriptwriter: VÍCTOR MORENO and RODRIGO RODRÍGUEZ
Editor: MARTIN ELLER and NAYRA SANZ FUENTES
Production director: NAYRA SANZ FUENTES
Sound editing: IÑAKI SÁNCHEZ
Associated producers: CLAUDIA SALCEDO and GERARDO CARRERAS
Editing assistant: GUILLERMO CARNERO
TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
Original title: Edificio España
Title for release abroad: The Building
Genre: CREATIVE DOCUMENTARY
Length: 94'
Original language: SPANISH
Subtitles: English
Shooting format: DIGITAL VIDEO
Exhibition format: DIGITAL BETACAM
Aspect ratio: 4:3 VIDEO
