The Writer from a Country without Bookstores

by Marc Serena
Category
Director
Marc Serena
Country / Year
Spain, 2019
Genre
, ,
Rights
Festivals, Sales
Duration
79′, col.

SYNOPSIS

Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel is the most translated writer from Equatorial Guinea but he had to flee the country in 2011, after going on a hunger strike against Teodoro Obiang’s dictatorship, the longest lasting in the world. Since then, he lives as a refugee in Spain, the former colonial power, where his work is largely ignored. He feels he has to travel back to his country despite of the risks, as he is one of the most prominent intellectuals against the regime. With him and his books we embark on a journey to one of the most isolated African countries.

DIRECTOR

Co-director of the award-winning documentary Tchindas (2015), nominated at African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) and broadcasted at PBS (US), he also directed Double Epidemic (2015) and Freshwater Fish (in Saltwater) (2018). As a writer, he published three books that were also translated into Chinese and Korean.

    • Title
      The Writer from a Country without Bookstores
    • Rights
      Festivals, Sales
    • Country
      Spain
    • Year
      2019
    • Length
      79′, col.
    • Director 
      Marc Serena
    • Screenplay 
      Marc Serena
    • Editing
      Emanuele Tiziani
    • Photography
      Josep Gutiérrez
    • Animations and graphic identity
      Taller Estampa
    • Music
      Concha Buika, Pau de Nut, Jamin & Negro Bey
    • Sound
      Verònica Font
    • Cast
      Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel
    • Producer
      Marc Serena
    • Co-Producer
      Toni Espinosa
    • Production
      Fora de quadre
    • Co-Production
      Toned Media
    • Seminci Valladolid 2019 – Spanish Doc Competition
    • L’Alternativa Independent Film Festival Barcelona 2019 – Special Screenings
    • Gollut Festival Figueres 2019
    • Festival Rizoma Madrid 2019 – Documentary Competition
    • Sala Numax Santiago de Compostella 2019
    • Filmoteca Navarra Pamplona 2020
    • Akuna Zentroa Alhóndiga Bilbao 2020
    • Filmoteca Catalunya Barcelona 2020
    • CineLatino Tūbingen, Stuttgart 2020 – Competition
    • Atlàntida International Film Festival Palma de Mallorca 2020 – Competition
    • International Unseen Film Festival Film Sozialak Bilbao 2020 – Official Selection
    • Auditori Sala de Núria Queralbs 2020
    • Frankfurt Book Fair 2020
    • Casa America Barcelona 2020
    • Auditori La Unió Teià 2020
    • Arxiu Nacional de Catalunya Sant Cugat del Vallès 2020
    • Cineclub Cassà de la Selva 2020
    • Cinespaña Toulouse 2020 – Documentary Competition
    • Festival Punto Doc Puerto de Sagunto 2020
    • DIG Awards Modena 2020
    • Medimed Sitges 2020
    • London Spanish Book & Zine Fair 2020
    • Alexandria Mediterranean Countries Film Festival 2020
    • African Diaspora Film Festival New York 2020
    • FCAT African Film Festival Tarifa, Tangier 2020
    • Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival 2020
    • Docs Valencia 2020 – Panorama
    • Casal Català Zurich 2020
    • Bremen University 2021
    • Barcelona University 2021
    • Cinemes Girona 2021
    • Festival Vues d’Afrique Montreál 2021
    • Sala Berlanga Madrid 2021
    • Cineclub El Casal La Mirada Mollet del Vallès 2021
    • Biblioteca Ignasi Iglésias-Can Fabra Barcelona 2021
    • IberoDocs Edinburgh 2021 – Main Programme
    • MUICA African Itinerant Film Festival Colombia 2021
    • FilBO Bogotà Book Fair 2021
    • Docuxixon Gijon 2021
    • Filmoteca Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2021
    • Filmoteca Canaria Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 2021
    • African Film Festival Valladolid 2021
    • Institut Français Barcelona 2021
    • Wallay African Film Festival Barcelona 2021
    • Cine Zoco Majalahonda Madrid 2021
    • Pl. del Casal Valldoreix 2021
    • Afrika Film Festival Leuven 2021
    • Museu d’Arqueologia Salvador Vilaseca Reus 2021
    • Afrikaldia Vitoria-Gasteiz 2021
    • San Vicente dels Horts 2021
    • CulturaMva Malaga 2021
    • Auditori Sant Martí Barcelona 2021
    • Centre Cívic Vil·la Florida Barcelona 2021
    • Centre Cívic J. Maria Trias I Peitx di Barcelona 2021
    • African Film Festival Lagos 2021 – Documentary Competition
    • Centro Joaquín Roncal Zaragoza 2021
    • Cameroon International Film Festival Buea 2022
    • Cineclub Alcarreño Guadalajara 2022
    • Circol Catolic Badalona 2022
    • Christ Church’s Hall Rathgar 2022
    • LIT Fest Bergen 2023
    • Azuqueca de Henares Ciclo Cine Africano 2023
    • Copenhagen Cinematheque 2023
    • Goya Awards 2020 – Candidate for Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Director,
      Best Editing, Best Photography, Best Sound, Best Original Song
    • Gollut Festival Figueres 2019 – Best Feature Film, Audience Award
    • Platino Awards 2020 – Candidate for Best Documentary
    • DIG Awards Modena 2020 – Sepcial Mention Reportage Long
    • Alexandria Mediterranean Countries Film Festival 2020 – Special Award
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