The 17th edition of the som cinema festival is set to begin tomorrow with an inaugural ceremony and the screening of 'apuntes para una ficción consentida', the debut feature film by Madrid-based director and screenwriter Ana Serret. The event will take place at 19:00 in the Auditorium of the Cappont Campus of the University of Lleida (UdL) and will be attended by Serret, producer Xesc Cabot, and actress Violeta Rodríguez, who is the daughter of filmmaker David Trueba and actress Ariadna Gil.
The festival will run until Sunday, 25 October, showcasing a total of 57 feature films and short films, with 31 competing for awards. The opening film follows the journey of Lea, a Swiss actress living in Madrid, as she navigates personal doubts and professional challenges. Throughout her journey, Lea encounters a variety of unique characters, including a young actress, a mute pianist, her ex-partner, a neighbour, and a bat specialist nurse.
Structured with selected moments that encapsulate a life experience, the film balances character exploration with environmental portraiture. Written by Ana Serret, the film features a cast that includes Isabelle Stoffel, Alex Brendemühl, Javier Porro, Violeta Rodríguez, Manfred Liechti, and Sigfrido Monleón. It is produced by Stanbrook, Atiende Films, Tandem Films, and Filmin.
Ana Serret has previously worked as an assistant director and editor with notable filmmakers such as Mario Camus, Mariano Barroso, and Gerardo Vera. She began her directing career with the short film 'extras', which won a Goya Award for Best Documentary Short. In 2015, she released her first feature documentary, 'la fiesta de otros', which received the DOCMA Award at the Alcances Documentary Film Festival, followed by 'el señor liberto y los pequeños placeres' in 2017, which garnered several accolades, including the Lens Award for Best Photography at the International Film Festival.
Films in the festival's official selection will be screened at Screnbox Lleida, with the exception of several documentaries, which will be shown in the UdL Rectorate Assembly Hall. The Ilerna centre will host some short film screenings. Additionally, the Morera Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Lleida will host the second edition of the Som Cinema Lab/Pro on Saturday, an initiative aimed at promoting local talent in the audiovisual sector. The festival is organised by Sugerencias, with support from the Lleida City Council, the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs of the Lleida Provincial Council, ICEC-Generalitat de Catalunya, the University of Lleida, and the Fundació Horitzons 2050.
