BLACK DOG
With the 70th anniversary of the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War observed this year in Spain, the re-orchestration of history has been getting an extraordinary look from an extraordinary filmmaker, who applies the “psychoanalysis” of history to the 20th century stockpile of cinematic images. Media artist Forgacs, 58, takes up great events as seen from the personal daily life of the time. In Black Dog, using amateur film, he focuses on the unseen side of the war through stories of those who fought on all sides, republicans, anarchists, Communist, the foreigner Brits, Germans, Italians, American — all in Franco’s orgy that preceded World War II.

DIRECTOR: PETER FORGACS, HUNGARY, 2007, 80 MIN.  

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Shown with:
SOULS WITHOUT BORDERS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE
This inspiring oral history pays tribute to the International Brigades who traveled from over 50 countries to fight in the Spanish Civil War.  Directors Alfonso Domingo and Aanthony Geist here focus on the 2,800 Americans who volunteered their services.  Veteran Bob Steck, for instance, explains that, “the task was to defeat fascism and defend the democratic spirit.”  The filmmakers return to the sites of key battles and document Spanish and American tributes to fallen comrades. Newsreel footage clips from earlier documentaries (such as 1974 Dreams and Nightmares) and folk songs recreate the spirit of 1936. Now in their 80s and 90s, the volunteers recount their three turbulent years as fighters for the Republican cause. —Seattle Film Festival 2007

DIRECTOR ANTHONY L. GEIST & ALFONSO DOMINGO USA/SPAIN, 2006, 52 MIN

Both films are made possible by the Spanish Ministry of Culture.