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fantasy fest that is the
Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya
(
W
www.cinemasitges.com)is held in nearby Sitges in October.
The sardana
The origins of the
sardana
, the Catalan national dance, are obscure, though similar
folk dances in the Mediterranean date back hundreds if not thousands of years. It
was established in its present form during the mid-nineteenth-century Renaixança
(Renaissance), when Catalan arts and culture flourished, and was so identified with
expressions of national identity that public dancing of
sardanes
was banned under
the Franco regime. Sometimes mocked elsewhere in Spain, Catalans claim it to be
truly democratic – a circle-dance open to all, danced in ordinary clothes (though
some wear espadrilles) with no restriction in age or number. The dancers join hands,
heads held high, arms raised, and though it looks deceptively simple and sedate it
follows a precise pattern of steps, with shifts in pace and rhythm signalled by the
accompanying
cobla
(band) of brass and wind instruments. This features typically
Catalan instruments like the
flabiol
(a type of flute), and both tenor and soprano
oboes, providing the characteristic high-pitched music. A strict etiquette applies to
prevent the circle being broken in the wrong place, or a breakdown in the steps, and
some of the more serious adherents may not welcome an intrusion into their circle by
well-meaning first-timers. But usually visitors are encouraged to join the dance,
especially at festival times, when the
sardana
breaks out spontaneously in the city’s
squares and parks. The
Federació Sardanista de Catalunya
(
W
www.fed.sardanista
.cat) publishes a calendar of dances and events on its website.
Cinemas
Cine Maldà
c/del Pi 5, Barri Gòtic
T
934
813 704,
M
Liceu.
Hidden away in a
little shopping centre just up from Plaça
del Pi, the Maldà is a great place for
independent movies and festival winners,
all in V.O. Usually four screenings a day,
plus a late-night showing, while Tues hosts
art-house films under the banner of Cine
Ambigù (
W
www.retinas.org).
FilmoTeca
Avgda. de Sarrià 33, Esquerra de
l’Eixample
T
934 107 590,
W
www.gencat.cat
/cultura/icic/filmoteca;
M
Hospital Clinic.
Run
by the Generalitat, the FilmoTeca shows
three or four different films (often foreign-
language, and usually in V.O.) every
day – themed programming and retrospec-
tives are its stock-in-trade. Tickets are just
€2.70 per film, or there’s an €18 pass
allowing entry to ten films. A new cinema
building is being constructed in the Raval for
the FilmoTeca, but for the time being it will
still be based at Avgda de Sarrià.
Méliès
c/Villaroel 102, Esquerra de l’Eixample
T
934 510 051,
W
www.cinesmelies.net;
M
Urgell.
A repertory cinema specializing
in V.O. showings, with three to five
different films daily in its two
salas
.
Discount night Mon.
Verdi
c/Verdi 32, and
Verdi Park
,
c/Torrijos 49,
Gràcia
T
932 387 990,
W
www.cines-verdi
.com;
M
Fontana.
Gràcia’s popular sister
cinemas are in adjacent streets, showing
independent, art-house and V.O. movies
from around the world. Late-night films at
Verdi on Fri & Sat; discount night Mon.
Yelmo-Icaria
c/de Salvador Espriu 61, Centre de la
Vila, Port Olímpic
T
932 217 585,
W
www
.yelmocineplex.es;M
Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
Fifteen screens showing mainstream
Hollywood V.O. movies at a shopping centre
multiplex, a few minutes’ walk from the Port
Olímpic. Late-night screenings Fri & Sat;
discount night Mon.
Open-air cinema
Sala Montjuïc
Castell de Montjuïc
W
www
.salamontjuic.com.
Every July there’s a giant-
screen open-air cinema established at
Montjuïc castle (Mon, Wed & Fri night;
tickets €4) – you’re encouraged to bring a
picnic. Screenings are in the original
language, with Spanish subtitles, and range
from current art-house hits to film club
stalwarts like
Annie Hall
. The films usually
start at 10.15pm, with live music first from
9pm, but with space limited to 2500 it’s
best to get there at opening time, 8.30pm,
or buy in advance through ServiCaixa.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Fil
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