CORPORA (EN)

Video art, 2007
by Giovanna Ribes

Madrid, June 1936. They are preparing the uprising. The coupe d’état is being carefully prepared by, among other militars, the generals José Sanjurjo, Emilio Mola, (the leader of the uprising) and supported by Francisco Franco, whom they count on from the beginning but who never confirms his participation till Calvo Sotelo is murdered. Plans start in the spring of 1936 and high rankinf officers take part in the conspiracy – la Unión Militar Española, antirrepublicana, and la Junta de Generales (whose coordinator is Mola himself)-, monarchic, carlist and other extreme right wing sections. Finally, the Civil War breaks out after an unsuccessful coup d’état by a branch of the army against the ligitimate government of the Segunda República Española devastating the country between the 17th July 1936 and the 1st April 1939, ending with the victory of the rebels and the setting up of a dictatorial system with general Francisco Franco at the head of it.

Valencia, June 2006. The procession of the Corpus. It’s been celebrated since 1335. Red petals as snowflakes on the chalice. Las Águilas- Eagles, La Tarasca or the dragon with big fauces, El Drac, La Cuca Fera or enormous tortoise…. Las Rocas: La de Sant Miquel, de La Fé, de La Fama, de la Mare de Deu dels Desamparats or La Diablera….. Els Nanos….Noé, Josué“el qui pará el sol”-the one who stopped the sun……. the Romans, La Moma- a man dressed as a woman who symbolyze virtue…

Memories of a little girl. Together with the sounds of the “tabalets” and “dolzainas”, a threatening uproar of trumpets, cymbals and drums. The army is arriving, strong, slow…. Rising their guns to God. Church and Army walk hand in hand. Caesar and God still united.

Then CorPora araises.

TECHNICAL SPECS

  • Title: CorPora
  • Genre: Video art
  • Nationality: Spanish
  • Language: Spanish
  • Running time: 4min
  • Shooting Format: DV Cam
  • Delivery Format: Beta SP or DVD
  • Ratio: 16:9
  • Colour: Colour
  • Sound: Stereo

CREW

  • Production, Direction, Script, Editing & Camera: Giovanna Ribes