Created by the Video Library of the National University of Mar del Plata in 2007, the “24 Hours of National Cinema” cycle is a cultural icon of the coastal city that has been programming Argentine films for seventeen years with the aim of defending national production. On the occasion of the summer season, the event offers a special edition at the “Juan Carlos Castagnino” Municipal Museum of Art in Mar del Plata with a focus on the link between Argentine cinema and the world of the arts. Every Wednesday in February, with free admission, you can see a new film programmed by the creator of the series and coordinator of the University Video Library, Javier Rodríguez.
His story
According to Rodríguez’s humorous account, the 24 Hours of National Cinema series has a misunderstanding as its point of origin. “In 2007, the Ministry of Education called on all the universities in the country to hold 24 hours of national cinema with the aim of giving a screen to Argentine films. I returned to Mar del Plata and scheduled an uninterrupted marathon of Argentine cinema, 24 hours non-stop. The following year, as part of the return of this experience, I saw that no one had understood it that way and that the universities had divided the hours into different days,” says the programmer, who only a few years before had mobilized the creation of the first Video library of the National University of Mar del Plata, “always with the objective of defending Argentine cinema.”
This “misunderstanding,” however, left a distinctive mark on the event that even opened the doors to the Mar del Plata International Film Festival. “The festival did not have a marathon in its programming, much less one of national cinema. José Martínez Suárez, to whom we owe our permanence, always endorsed and sponsored us. Every edition came to our room to present a different film,” says Rodríguez.
Marathon after marathon, the 24 Hours of National Cinema gained recognition in the cultural circuit of Mar del Plata. “There were people who came at five in the morning just to be able to enjoy a movie. We had urban tribes at night and moviegoers early in the morning. “Everything,” recalls the coordinator of the Video Library, who always sought to offer programming that responds to the heterogeneity of views that cross national cinema. “I watch two or three movies every day to put together the schedule. I am interested in cinema directed by women, I think it is important to give rise to those perspectives. Also, I seek that the programming be as federal as possible, that there are proposals from all the provinces. Finally, 24 Horas has a space exclusively dedicated to local cinema. Last year we presented short films produced by students from a high school, for example,” adds Rodríguez.
A new year
After being presented at the last edition of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival with more than fifteen films, this January the 24 Hours of National Cinema returned to the Buenos Aires city with a special edition no longer marathon, but with the unmistakable spirit that your programmer provides. Designed for the summer season, and focusing on the link between Argentine cinema and the world of the arts, the event already offered three Argentine films at the Castagnino Museum, always to a full house. “There are still people left out, unfortunately, but we will have more opportunities to continue projecting,” says Rodríguez.
This Wednesday, the 24 Hours will continue at the Castagnino with the screening of the documentary “Julia don’t marry” by director Pablo Levy. The programming will extend every Wednesday in February with “From here to China” by Federico Marcello, “The black organization, a documentary exercise” by Julieta Rocco, “Método Livingston” by Sofía Mora and “Nietzsche’s doctors” by Jorge Leandro Colás.
All performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. with free admission on a first-come, first-served basis. The “Juan Carlos Castagnino” Municipal Art Museum is located at 1189 Avenida Colón, Mar del Plata. The event has the support of the Video Library of the Extension Secretariat of the Unmdp and the “Juan Carlos Castagnino” Municipal Art Museum, dependent on the Municipality of General Pueyrredón.
2024-01-30 07:09:19
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