‘The Daughters of Jazz’ photography exhibition

The Zurriola Promenade will provide the setting until 28 September for the photography exhibition The Daughters of Jazz, organised by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, with the support of Acción Cultural Española (AC/E).

The press conference held in San Sebastián was attended by Santiago Herrero, Director of Cultural and Scientific Relations at AECID; José Andrés Torres Mora, President of AC/E; Eneko Goia, Mayor of San Sebastián; the photographer Omar Ayyashi and José Luis Rebordinos, Director of the San Sebastián Festival.

A journey of sight and sound between eras

Inspired by the glamour, aesthetic rupture, and emancipatory impulse of the 1920s and 30s Hollywood, the exhibition celebrates the spirit of historical figures like María Zambrano, Virginia Woolf and Gabriela Mistral, connecting it with the talent of contemporary Spanish actresses. The project, conceived by Omar Ayyashi, brings together portraits of actresses Hiba Abouk, Leticia Dolera, Marta Etura, Clara Galle, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, María Hervás, Miren Ibarguren, Clara Lago, Victoria Luengo, Olivia Molina, Lola Rodríguez, Ana Rujas, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit, Cecilia Suárez, Manuela Velasco and Natalia Verbeke, who embody the essence of those pioneers.

The project is inspired by the exhibition of stills from the Jose Romero Sampedro collection, entitled Women of Cinema, produced by AECID in 2019. The exhibition includes 36 large-format photographs (120x90 cm), accompanied by four texts on the essence and process of creating the exhibition. For an immersive experience, each portrait is accompanied by a literary audio piece interpreted by the actresses themselves, accessible via QR codes.

In the words of its creator, Omar Ayyashi, "this exhibition is a tribute to all women who, with their attitude and with their time, with their willpower and with their strength, with their renunciations, with their courage, with their perseverance and their tenacity, succeeded in conveying their convictions and making them take hold in the hearts of others”.

Cooperación Española Award

For the 11th year running, thanks to the collaboration between the AECID and the San Sebastián Festival, every year the Cooperación Española Award goes to the producer of the Ibero-American film – included both Spain and Portugal – making the best contribution to human development, the eradication of poverty and the full exercise of human rights. This year the jury is presided over by Inés López del Pino, Head of Communication at AECID, who will be joined by Patxi Presa, Head of the Library and Cultural Promotion and Dissemination Service at Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, and the journalist Teresa Flaño.

The objective of the award, coming with 10,000 euros, is to consolidate the commitment to work with the Ibero-American audiovisual industry in promoting new talent, stimulating the production of film projects, spreading the values of the development cooperation and strengthening the commercialisation and internationalisation of the films.  

Seven films in the Official Selection, New Directors and Horizontes Latinos compete for the Cooperación Española Award, whose winner will be announced on 27 September during the closing gala in the Kursaal. 

Source: San Sebastián Festival