press kit ( 7Mb) - February, the fear of spanish

Index
1. Technical data
2. Synopsis
3. Press release: Free online premiere for documentary February: The
Fear of Spanish Greyhounds
4. Screenings around Spain
5. February, released for educational purposes
6. Director: Irene Blánquez
7. Production: Waggingtale Films
8. Awards
9. Special collaboration: SOS Galgos
10. Contact
1. Technical data
Title: February: The fear of Spanish Greyhounds
Year: 2013
Language: Spanish
Subtitles: English
Duration: 61 minutes
Original format: XDCAM
Screen format: 16:9
Director and Editor: Irene Blánquez
Soundtrack: Ricard Latorre
Assistant Postproduction Sound: Júlia Benach
Colourist: Marc Morató / La Metropolitana
Graphic Designer: Mabel Vicente
Web Programmer: Alex Vicente
Press: Lisi Gutiérrez
Production: Waggingtale Films
2. Synopsis
Hare coursing or hunting, a common practice in rural areas, exposes greyhounds
to a life of misery and cruel training. The hunting season ends in February and the
number of abandoned greyhounds around that time of the year increases. Most of
them, will not reach the age of three, just like Mila.
The legal impunity that greyhound breeders and hunters enjoy stands out more
than ever in February: The Fear of Spanish Greyhounds.
Trailer: www.februarythedocumentary.com/home
Film: www.februarythedocumentary.com/watchfilm
3. Press release
Free online premiere for documentary
February: The Fear of Spanish Greyhounds
Barcelona, 2nd of February 2015. February: The Fear of Spanish Greyhounds, is an
independent documentary that describes the current situation for thousands of Spanish
greyhounds in Spain. This self-financed documentary is the result of two years filming
and editing in solitary by Catalonian director Irene Blanquez. Along with graphic
designer Mabel Vicente, she founded Waggingtale Films, a production company
dedicated to the defense of animals and the environment.
Free viewing for the Galgo’s cause
Hare coursing, or hunting, a common practice in rural areas of Spain, exposes
greyhounds to a life of misery and cruel training. The hunting season ends in February
and the number of abandoned greyhounds at that time of the year increases. Most of
them, are not more than three years old.
Waggingtale Films, has decided to publish this documentary freely at
www.februarythedocumentary.com to alert viewers to the reality of Spanish
greyhounds in the most critical month, February.
The documentary traverses between interviews with environmentalists and animal
welfare associations and interviews with hare hunters (greyhound owners). This way,
the documentary shows the two faces of the world that surrounds the Spanish
greyhound; the exploitation and mass abandonment when the hunting season is over,
as opposed to the work done by charities like SOS Galgos.
Irene Blánquez makes her directorial début with this bold and forceful one hour film.
The stunning photography and soundtrack seek to dignify the Spanish greyhound and
in doing so avoids the sensational. Sensitive viewers will be pleased to know there are
no explicit images.
An independent but successful documentary
After the successful cinema screenings of February: The Fear of Spanish Greyhounds
in Barcelona and Madrid at the beginning of 2014, more than seventy showings have
been organised around Spain. in a non-commercial distribution context. Collaborations
of NGOs, associations and solidary people have our thanks.
Since March 2014, February: The Fear of Spanish Greyhounds, has been shown in
Argentina, UK, USA and Holland. The documentary has also been available at the
legal viewing platform Filmotech, being the most rented and viewed film in the history
of the platform . Awarded with La Huella de Oro 2014 (the Golden Footprint Award) for
best documentary in defense of animals, February, the fear of Spanish greyhounds,
has also been screened at the Spanish Congress of Deputies, in a forum organised by
APDDA and in collaboration with SOS Galgos, SPCAI, Fundación Franz Weber, Libera
and Galgos sin Fronteras, among others.
Press contact
Lisi Gutiérrez/ Irene Blánquez
(+34) 653 090 259
[email protected]
www.waggingtale.org
www.februarythedocumentary.com
www.facebook.com/Waggingtale
Twitter: @Febrero_Docu
4. Official tour across Spain:
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Barcelona – 5 , 12 , 19 , 26 December 2 and 9 January – Cinemes Girona
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Bilbao – 26 December – Bidabarrieta Library
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Getafe – 12 January – Event with participation of Waggingtale Films.
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Madrid -15 of January - Cineteca, Matadero
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Zamora, Toro and Benavente – 10t , 17th and 24 January
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Badajoz – 12 January – COC
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Gijón -18 January - Municipal Centre Ateneo de La Calzada
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Málaga -18 January – Alameda Theatre
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Salamanca – 24 31 January – Hall Caja Duero
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Villajoyosa, Alicante – 27 January - Espai Obert
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Vigo – 31 January – Auditorium Cultural Center Novacaixagalicia
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Alicante – 1 February – La Caja Negra
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Valdegrana, El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz – 1 February - La Casa de los Torunos
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Valdemoro, Madrid – 7 February – Associations Center (by Aiba)
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Guadalajara – 1 February – Presence of the Director Irene Blánquez “Congress of animal
defense and veganism”
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Sevilla – 13 and15 February. Salón de Actos del Cortijo del Parque del Alamillo.
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San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Tenerife – 13 and 27 February
Centro Urban Los Majuelos
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Manlleu, Barcelona – 14 February. Sala d'Exposicions de Can Puget
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El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz. – 15 February. La Casa de los Torunos-Valdegrana.
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Fuenlabrada, Madrid – 15 February. Laboratorio de Ideas "Protección Animal desde Europa"
CEPAJ La Pollina.
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Alqueria de la Comtessa, Valencia. – 16 February. Casa Cultura Alqueria de la Comtessa.
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Lugo, – 17 February. Facultad de Veterinaria de Lugo, Aulario A III.
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Jaén, – 18 and 21 February. Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas.
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Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia. – 20 February. Aula Magna Alfara de la Facultad de
Veterinaria de la Universidad CEU Cardenal
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Donostia – 20 February. Lugaritz Kulturetxea.
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Barcelona – 21 February. Atelier.
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Pinto, Madrid – 21 February. Salón de Actos del Centro Cultural Infanta Cristina
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Castillón de Aranjuez, Madrid. – 21 February. Centro Cultural Isabel de Farnesio.
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Alcalá de Henares, Madrid – 21 February. Salón de Actos de la Casa de la Juventud.
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Porto, Portugal. – 21 February O Gato Vadio.
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Motilla del Palancar, Cuenca. – 22 February. Casa de la Cultura de Motilla del Palancar.
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Mérida, – 22 February. Centro de Ocio Joven El Economato
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Logroño (La Rioja) – 23 February. 'Cines Moderno'
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Gijón (Asturias) – 24 February. Club de la Nueva España de Gijón'. Sala Cultural Cajastur.
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Tudela (Ribera de Navarra) – 24 February. 'Centro Cultural Castel Ruiz de Tudela'
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Tudela (Ribera de Navarra) – 26 February. 'Centro Cívico Rúa de Tudela'
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Aranda del Duero (Burgos) – 25 February. 'Auditorio Casa Cultura de Aranda de Duero'
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Palencia – 25 February. En Biblioteca Municipal (Eduardo Dato)
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Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – 24 February. Centro de Mayores de Cruce Arinaga
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Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Las Palmas) – 26 February. Gran Canaria Espacio Digital
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Pamplona – 27 February 'Cines Golem Baiona'
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Coruña – 27 February. 'Centro Ágora'. A Coruña.
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Logroño (La Rioja) – 28 February. 'Casa de la imagen'
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Vitoria – 28 February. Salón de Actos de Casa de Cultura Ignacio Aldecoa Kultura Etxea
5. February, released for educational purposes
The film began its educational distribution last March. All Spanish educational
institutions who submitted a request were able to obtain the film, free of charge, for
organised screenings in high schools, colleges, universities, libraries, special needs
education and prison services.
The participation of young people in the organisation of these projections was
overwhelming.
6. The Director: Irene Blánquez
Qualified with a BA in Fine Arts in 2005, specialized in Photography. After
graduating she began a course in Production at the Catalonian cinema school
ESCAC. In 2006 she moved to London to continue her audiovisual training;
studying Documentary Direction at the Metropolitan Film School whilst working as a
freelance advertising producer. It was in England where she began her
professional career in the audiovisual field; as a camera operator and editor, as
well as working towards direction and editing.
She launches her directing career in the documentary genre with February: The
Fear of Spanish Greyhounds (2013), a 2 year, self-financed project that deals with
the situation of greyhounds in Spain.
On completing the documentary, she decided to create - together with the graphic
designer Mabel Vicente - Waggingtale Films. Through this production company she
has been able to express her passion for animal welfare and the environment.
"I tried to avoid as much as posible to be sensationalist. I wanted to dignify the
greyhound and explain why they fear so much... I’m very grateful with the reception
given to the documentary. Now, we publish the film for free and I truly wish “February,
the fear of Spanish greyhounds, will be shared and will travel the world changing the
reality of greyhounds forever. They deserve stop being afraid ".
Irene B.
7. Production:
Waggingtale Films is a production company founded in Barcelona, born from the
passion towards animals and the environment of its founding members Irene
Blánquez and Mabel Vicente.
Its main objective is to generate visual and graphic design contents of high quality
for companies and entities that collaborate in carrying out activities that support the
natural environment and the defense of the animals.
www.waggingtale.org
8. Awards:
HUELLA DE ORO (GOLDEN FOOTPRINT) 2014 AWARD for the Most committed
documentary to animal defense” (Organised by Anaa).
EDUCACTIF SENSIBILIZACIÓN 2013 AWARD (Film Festival of Pamplona) for
“Best documentary of educational scope that has developed a labor of awareness
rising among young students.”
FESTIVAL OTROS CINES 2014
Argentine Independent Film Festival. Official selection.
FESTIVAL DE CINE INUSUAL DE BUENOS AIRES
Special screening.
9. Special colaboration: SOS Galgos
SOS Galgos is an association that is, since 2000, dedicated to the rescue and
protection of the greyhounds. The organization was founded by Anna Clements
and Albert Sordé. It is one of the first organizations that has risen in the defense of
greyhounds in Spain.
Adoption is one of the principle activities of SOS Galgos, but the organization also
works within educational and legal spheres in order to achieve its goals. In the
educational field, the organization has been carrying out campaigns in Barcelona’s
schools for more than ten years. last year launched in Spain with the program
Animal Welfare in nine schools of the capital before 200 pupils of primary and
secondary schools.
SOS Galgos also works towards the legal defense of greyhounds in Spain. In this
respect, and based on complaints, the association was able to close the last
greyhound track in Barcelona and has leaded within the last two years, together
with the French organization CREL, an international in Strasbourg, Madrid and
Barcelona, that has the support of the Euro- Deputy Michèle Striffler.
Director of February: The Fear of Spanish Greyhounds is thankful to SOS Galgos,
who gave its complete support during the whole project. Through this documentary
the members of the association were able to explain, first-hand, their titanic labor of
rescue and assistance to abandoned greyhounds all over the Spanish territory, and
also their need to make the world know this reality.
STOP TORTURING GREYHOUNDS (GALGOS) IN SPAIN.
Please sign here: www.spcai.org/other-ways-help/sign-our-petition
www.sosgalgos.com
10. Contact
Press:
Lisi Gutiérrez/ Irene Blánquez
(+34) 653 090 259
[email protected]
Webs:
www.februarythedocumentary.com
www.waggingtale.org
www.facebook.com/Waggingtale
Twitter: @Febrero_Docu