Fokua : Buñuel + Plus = Foco : Buñuel + Plus = Focus : Buñuel + Plus

The Focus accompanying the retrospective of Luis Buñuel is in itself a history of cinema, tracing the films that Buñuel himself studied through to contemporary cinema that bears traces of that influence.

Our main reference has been Buñuel’s memoirs, Mi último suspiro (My Last Breath) (1982). Drawing on this source, we present a non-exhaustive list of films that not only influenced Buñuel but that he went on to influence. We could call it the ‘Buñuel Universe’.

The relationships are at times very direct (political, cinematic and formal themes), at others less evident, in the form of a distant dialogue.

We have tried to create a map with which to broaden the scope of the retrospective and to leave a Buñuelian genealogical record for the films of the future.

The BUÑUEL + PLUS cycle includes, in addition to screenings that complement the retrospective, a wide range of titles with some connection to this Buñuelian universe as well as a series of texts put together by a group of students from the third curatorial intake at the Elías Querejeta Film School: Paula González García, Simon Petri-Lukács, Blanca Velasco, Anna Babos and Adrián García Prado.

The list has been put together with the help of the Donostia Kultura film team. Tabakalera has coordinated the materials and the spotlight.

BLOCK I: A selection of films that Buñuel saw in his youth and which, based on his memoirs, were an important influence on him.

BLOCK II: Films clearly influenced by Buñuel, whether in terms of theme, form, politics, critique, surrealism, customs, religion, excesses or freedom. We look at the films decade by decade, starting with the 1960s through to the present day.