Film Festivals: Cinema and Cultural Exchange

Film festivals, once seen as a matter for journalism, are now increasingly the subject of attention within scholarly Film Studies. They are, as Mar Diestro-Dopido argues, not only of cultural value in themselves but are also sites of cinematic, artistic, social, political and economic exchange. Three fascinating case studies develop this argument beyond the habitual focus of critics and academics on Western film festivals: the hugely influential Buenos Aires Festival de Cine Independiente, known as BAFICI, in Argentina; the BFI London Film Festival in the UK; and the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain. Diestro-Dopido’s personal experience as a critic and reporter is underpinned by academic research, giving this project a dual perspective. Extensive interviews with the teams responsible for programming bring into the public domain the views and motivations of those who shape film festivals, creating a new body of material for future scholars to draw on.