Spain (Un)censored: The Museum of Modern Art, New YorkOct 17–Nov 04

Spanish cinema flourished during General Francisco Franco’s regime (1939–75) despite the dictatorship. Provoked by the system they lived under, Spanish directors told stories about the people’s hopes and troubles by using humor and symbols that reached their audiences and sidestepped the censors. This unique exhibition explores an era that fought for freedom through cinema. Until now, this fertile filmmaking period has gone unacknowledged Internationally. More than three decades later, these twenty features reveal an enthralling, daring, and formally innovative era of Spanish cinema. Basilio Martín Patino and Jaime de Armiñán will be in attendance. All films are from Spain and in Spanish, with English subtitles, except where noted.

The retrospective will be accompanied by three side events.

Spain (Un)Censored travels to BFI Southbank, London, in January 2008.

Organized by Sally Berger, Assistant Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art, and Marta Sánchez, independent curator, in collaboration with the Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA) and Dirección General de Cooperación y Comunicación Cultural of the Spanish Ministry of Culture. Support for the exhibition comes from the Consulate General of Spain, New York;Embassy of Spain, Washington, DC; Instituto Cervantes, New York and Dirección General de Relaciones Culturales y Científicas, Filmoteca, AECI, of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Panel discussion sponsored by The Regional Government of Castile and León. Special thanks to Roberto Varela, Consul for Cultural Affairs, Spanish Consulate General, NY; and Stacey Picullell, Intern, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art.