Huelva’s First 50 Years: A Timeline Taking in Luis Buñuel, Maria Félix, Cantinflas and Now Paz Vega
variety.comJohn Hopewell Chief International Correspondent From the day that Christopher Columbus set sail from Huelva to beach up in the Caribbean, the Spanish city has always had strong ties to Latin America.
With Spain still laboring under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, when a group of young film buffs at Huelva’s Film Club aimed to galvanize the city’s culture, “It was logical that we looked to the richness and plenitude of culture that came from abroad,” recalls José Luis Ruíz Díaz, Huelva’s first director. “It was also logical that we had a large interest in Latin America, adds Vicente Quiroga, its longtime head of press.
Relaxing, censorship in Spain also allowed access to a suddenly broader sweep of foreign titles. Huelva’s first 50 editions have proved a faithful reflection of the evolution of cinema in Latin America, Portugal and Spain.
Some milestones: 1975: Ruíz Díaz launches Huelva’s first Ibero-American Film Week with Argentina’s “La Raulito.” Its first edition is a roaring success with local audiences.
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