Miguel Ángel Rosales | Masterclass | 2018
Visual Anthopology: Afro Andalusian Memories
In collaboration with Cinemaattic
Miguel Ángel Rosales is a Spanish anthropologist and documentary filmmaker. His contact with cinema began at a very young age following his father across the South of Spain projecting films in local cinemas. Miguel Ángel studied at the Conservatory of Music in Granada and later directed musical, theatrical and audiovisual projects. In 2004 he began his first projects as a documentary film maker. Gurumbé is his first feature film.
Born in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain, Andalucia) in 1964. Degree in Anthropology and Forest Engineering. Got a very early introduction to cinema thanks to his father taking him to projection rooms and local film clubs in the South of Spain. Studied in The Conservatory of Granada and since a very young age has been working on different music, theatre and audiovisual art projects in which he experiments with rock and punk music composing for contemporary dance.
In 2004 begins his Anthropology studies at UNED and rediscovers his passion for cinema in the field of visual anthropology. Takes to organising various film workshops and courses in different schools, the most notable of which were Ethnographic Documentary Cinema at The Andalucian Institute of Heritage (Instituto de Patrimonio de Andalucia); Cinema and Anthropology at The University of Barcelona, or Documentary and Fiction: Approaching the Double Nature of Film, taught by Victor Erice. After spending time at EICTV in San Antonio de los Baños (Cuba) decides to fully dedicate himself to visual art and documentary filmmaking.
Today Europe’s southern borders are shielded with barbed wire and fences, but once a trade flourished here that forcibly kidnapped thousands of African men and women into exile and exploitation. Giving voice to its Afro Andalusian memories, Gurumbé leads us to question Spanish identity, reminding us that Africa is weaved into its fabric.
Gurumbe: Afro Andalusian Memories had its Scottish Premiere on Saturday 14 April at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh.
In this masterclass, Miguel Ángel Rosales speaks about the challenges in making his latest documentary Gurumbe: Afro-Andalusian Memories, centred around the untold stories of the slave trade and the influence of African rhythms in the ‘purest’ of all Spanish traditions, the flamenco.
This Masterclass was presented by Cinemaattic and Scottish Documentary Institute.
CinemaAttic is the platform for Spanish, Iberian and Latin-American cinema in Scotland.
