To Spanish film "Return to Hansala" by Chus Gutierrez, which won "Fipresci" prize
on the Cairo Film Festival 2008
RETURN TO THE SOURCE
Spanish film "Return to Hansala" by Chus Gutierrez won "Golden pyramid" and
award of critic "Fipresci" at Cairo Film Festival captivating all the members of the jury
with the skillfulness to speak up for actual immigrant stories and for the politics of the
countries that stay closed, through an beautiful warm, life and very human story. Namely,
succeed through all stacks with which is covered this problem, that is definitely one of
the most actual problems of nowadays, to uncover the essence, to see the pain and
sadness, to see the fate, to see the individual stories and to give them the real image. As
more and more the immigrants problem is transforming into something else, into number,
into law, into political or social problems, into like this or like that consequences,
forgetting mostly the man in them, and much more his person.
The film by Chus Gutierrez captivates with its simplicity, with its sincerity and
warmth, captivates with the power to talk about great human tragedies and not to forget
on beautiful and clear emotions which somewhere are buried in each of us. On extremely
easy way she presents parallel worlds that are apparently quite different, but essentially
they are allways in search for the same, the friendship, trust and love. While Gutierrez
uncover us both worlds, the one with immigrants, settled up in small Moroccan village
Hansala, and the other one on Spanish coast, that for these people signify the promised
land, she on very interesting way speaks about the parallel worlds, about the worlds which
lives side by side and do not know each other at all. About the worlds that seemingly are
quite different, but somewhere on half-way they recognized each other, in their search of
small piece of happiness and fluffiness.
And in all that is peculiarity of this film. As it comes out of the scheme and from
the pitfall to talk about the problems of immigrants, about the prejudices, about the
openness and closeness of the worlds and people, about the absurdity, injustices - not at
all - this film taks about the essence. This film talks about the worlds and the people in
them. This film is returning us to Hansala as the symbol of the clearing, beauty, of the
simplicity, as the symbol of one place which that is seemingly out of civilization, but in
fact undoubted part of it. In this place thrives different people, at this place thrives love,
understanding, giving hands, on this place thrives support and fellowship. There our
travellers will find out that what miss to them and to the all of us, they will find out that
forgotten, that piece we are all looking for in wish to reach our wholeness.
"Return to Hansala" with own immigrant theme, with tolerance and understanding
between the nations, which are on especial way pervade in him, perfectly harmonize with
tendency of the Festival to be bridge for understanding and to contribute for international
communication. Gutierrez`s film has authentic, archetypical beauty. In spite of tragedy it
does not condemn, it dos not blame, does not criticize, just talk about the reality, such as
it is. It records the destinies, needs and dreams, and through them talks about nebulosity
of our time. In point of fact, the film address strong critique, but only through the note
and through subtle observation of the world around us. Through the brave confrontation
with it and with all that happens here next to us, and what we do not like to see often.
Therefore, this film alongside with the vivid, unpretentious dialogue, with authenticity of
the scenography and excellent casting, with the nonchalance and accepting with which
talks about great injustices - fateful and human, distinguish itself as something extremely
precious, that one feels a long time after.
Suncica Unevska
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