On September 9, London bid a fond farewell to this year's Paralympic Games. A fact which, if you live in Spain, may well have escaped your notice. As fireworks exploded over the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, the closing ceremony of this major international sporting event was not covered by any of Spain's major TV stations. In a departure from previous years the 2012 Games did, however, receive comprehensive coverage on Teledeportes (although Spain's national sports channel, aimed at broadcasting news across the country, changed frequency in June 2011, and I doubt ours is the only household which still does not receive it.) A quick search for Paralympic news in the national and local … [Read more...] about Disability and Spain’s low-key Paralympics
Clemency for ETA?
As early Basque elections loom, there is one issue that rages on despite efforts by the central government to let it lie: that of the controversial release of convicted ETA killer and kidnapper Iosu Uribetxebarria Bolinaga. On September 5, the Public Prosecutor's Office exercised its right to appeal against a ruling in favour of his conditional release. With a regional election scheduled for October 21, it is no surprise that even those in the Basque Partido Popular (PP) have been keen to nip the Uribetxebarria issue in the bud. Even Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy hoped to silence those in his party – most prominently Basque MEP Jaime Mayor Oreja and Madrid premier Esperanza Aguirre – who … [Read more...] about Clemency for ETA?
Spain’s Basque Country glimpses peace despite political barriers
As citizens of Barcelona recently commemorated 25 years since ETA's bombing of Hipercor supermarket, which killed 21 and injured 45, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon that the Basque Country is entering a new, if somewhat arduous, era of peace. Following ETA's announcement of a permanent end to armed activity in October last year, earlier this month the group considered to be its youth wing, SEGI, also disbanded. The arrests of 90 of its members in the space of three years, as well as the increased difficulty of entering the ranks of ETA, undoubtedly contributed to SEGI's decision to fold. Tuesday June 19, 1987 is a day that would go down as the bloodiest in ETA's history. The … [Read more...] about Spain’s Basque Country glimpses peace despite political barriers
Throwing a light on Western Sahara’s tragedy
There is a moment in Alonso Longoria's Los hijos de las nubes (or Sons of the Clouds) that sums up the situation of Western Sahara in all its tragedy and absurdity. It is when, after a five-hour wait, first-time director Longoria and his collaborators (that include Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem) finally get an audience with a representative of the Algerian government. Once the man is informed that the interview concerns his country's role in the conflict over Western Sahara, his evasiveness is almost comical: “How long will this take? No, no... sorry,” he says, “I've got a meeting on the other side of town and there's a lot of traffic.” Cut to a later shot of Bardem who simply … [Read more...] about Throwing a light on Western Sahara’s tragedy
Education strike highlights Spain’s teaching problem
Tuesday’s nationwide education strike included representatives from all levels of the sector, marking the first time such an action had been staged in Spain. The strike was propelled by the austerity measures affecting the sector. These include up to €3 billion cuts in spending, the addition of two hours to teachers' weekly classroom timetable and an increase in the pupil-classroom maximum ratio, currently at 25 in primary level and 30 in secondary. Early reports suggested a good level of support among teaching staff. However, while unions claimed an 80-percent turnout, as expected, government figures were decidedly lower. A more pressing question to ask about Tuesday's action, … [Read more...] about Education strike highlights Spain’s teaching problem
‘Seis puntos sobre Emma’: Blind motivation?
Seis puntos sobre Emma tells the story of Emma, a blind woman of around 30 who is attempting to get pregnant, with Machiavellian calculation. Interviews with director Roberto Pérez Toledo (himself a wheelchair-user) reveal that one of the main aims behind his film was to offer a portrait of a blind person as a flawed human being rather than a victim. Perhaps it is because I have grown up with visually impaired people, but whenever I see a film purporting to offer this kind of insight into the life of someone with a disability my first reaction is: tell me something new. After all, films featuring portrayals of disabled characters as strong and capable individuals already exist, albeit … [Read more...] about ‘Seis puntos sobre Emma’: Blind motivation?
Spanish wine bucks recession
In times of recession, it is always surprising to find businesses that have survived – indeed thrived – against the odds. The steady closure of smaller stores has left many Spanish town centres struggling to remain vibrant and in such a climate, niche is everything if you are hoping to capture the market. The main street of the Basque capital Vitoria's old quarter throws up one such case: Martin's Bodega is 15 square metres of wall-to-wall wine. English owner Martin Beacham opened the shop in 2009 just as the recession was beginning to hit. At such a delicate time, it was a straightforward matter of sink or swim. Three years later, business is steadily thriving, though most clients are … [Read more...] about Spanish wine bucks recession
Will somebody halt this TV scheduling mayhem?
An article published in El País on April 24 addressed the issue of how to be a successful follower of television series in Spain. (El reto de ser 'seriéfilo en España). As a case in point, it cites the US show American Horror Story, which the channel Cuatro began broadcasting a few weeks ago at 10.30pm on a Tuesday. My husband and I decided to record the first two episodes of the series, which were broadcast as a special double-bill. The double and triple -bill strategy is an interesting trick here, perhaps intended to entice audiences to watch and then stick with the show, presumably under the somewhat patronising supposition that Spanish audiences lack the patience to watch one episode … [Read more...] about Will somebody halt this TV scheduling mayhem?
Rubber bullet ban won’t solve Spain’s policing problem
As Spain’s Basque Country continued to reel from the death of 28-year-old Iñigo Cabacas, the region's interior department announced plans to restrict the use of rubber bullets as of January 1, 2013. An autopsy revealed that Cabacas died after receiving a rubber bullet to the head during riots following Athletic Bilbao's Europa League victory against Schalke 04 on April 5. The claim by the Ertzaintza, the Basque regional police, that no rounds were fired from a distance of less than 22 metres is contradicted by the conclusions of the autopsy report, which shows the fatal shot to have been fired from a much smaller distance. The rubber bullet restriction announcement by Basque interior … [Read more...] about Rubber bullet ban won’t solve Spain’s policing problem
‘Extraterrestre’: entertaining alien farce just misses the mark
Those who have seen Nacho Vigalondo's debut feature Los Cronocrímenes will be familiar with the director's style. In terms of uniqueness, he is more on a par with the likes of Wes Anderson than Clint Eastwood. And much like Anderson, you either dig his particular vision of the world or you don't. Humour, mixed with a healthy dose of darkness, is an essential ingredient of Vigalondo's work and Extraterrestre (or Extraterrestrial) is no different. The laughs and lighter moments are frequent but they are accompanied by an underlying sensation of subtle menace (one of the most classic examples of this is his 2003 Oscar-nominated short movie 7.35 de la mañana. As in Los Cronocrímenes, in … [Read more...] about ‘Extraterrestre’: entertaining alien farce just misses the mark