Crossover Festival: New Series, Guests & Discussions in Bilbao 2024
The ninth edition of the Crossover television festival began today in San Sebastián, Spain, with organizers Patxi Presa and Jon Paul Arroyo describing the event’s atmosphere as relaxed, yet acknowledging the perennial last-minute scramble to finalize details. “Of course there are cancellations at the last minute, unforeseen events, new additions… we’re always busy, for better or for worse,” they explained.
Recent additions to this year’s program include actress Nagore Aranburu, who will launch the festival with the podcast ‘Klaketa’ on Monday and the comedy duo Pantomima Full, scheduled to appear on Friday as part of the Kinótico cycle alongside Mariona Terés. Such late additions are typical, according to festival organizers, who note that Crossover is “one of the festivals that closes the latest, conditioned by schedules and filming.”
Presa, head of cultural promotion for the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and director of Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea, and Arroyo, head of the production company Kultur Factory, emphasized the festival’s continued growth “at our own pace.” This year’s edition will feature more guests and sessions, maintaining collaborations with various platforms despite a challenging environment. “We are clear that we cannot compete economically with other festivals that have totally disproportionate budgets,” they acknowledged, “but we compete in uniqueness.”
The festival’s program, described as “very close to current events,” includes six premieres alongside a selection of international and more experimental titles. Among the premieres are the British series ‘Under Salt Marsh,’ the Berlin-produced ‘Ravalear,’ and ‘Yo siempre a veces,’ produced by the Javis. ‘Por cien millones,’ a comedy-drama inspired by the kidnapping of footballer Quini, will too be screened. More daring productions include ‘Cochinas,’ which explores female sexuality within a conservative context, and the thriller ‘La nena,’ which will close the festival with an appearance by Nerea Barros.
Beyond the screenings, Crossover aims to foster critical engagement with television. Organizers stated the festival seeks to “believe about series, because it’s not just about analyzing them as some podcasts do, but about going further and talking about how they reflect or condition us.” This year’s discussions will focus on themes of fascism, overexposure, and compulsive consumption.
Arroyo characterized the festival as a “boutique festival,” emphasizing the careful curation of both content and guests. He noted that, nine years after its inception, Crossover is now able to attract “names that we didn’t dream of in the first year,” while also acknowledging that the event is sometimes “a celebration of series and sometimes a critical look.”
A new installation at the festival addresses the fragmented nature of modern viewing habits. The exhibit dissects an episode into hundreds of small projections, aiming to illustrate “how the brain works with them,” reflecting the common practice of multi-screen consumption – watching television while simultaneously engaging with social media. The festival will also feature a live anime soundtrack performance, intended to attract a younger audience.
Presa and Arroyo underscored the importance of building a community around the festival, noting that attendance has grown steadily over time. They acknowledged the challenge of attracting a television audience accustomed to individual, at-home viewing, and emphasized their commitment to creating shared cultural experiences. “Creating cultural activities to share is almost a heroic task these days,” Presa said.
Monday, March 23
‘Klaketa’ with Fariba Sheikhan and Nagore Aranburu. 6:00 PM. Serial Consumption. 7:30 PM, KMK, Santa Teresa.
Tuesday, March 24
‘The Conspiracy of Fascism,’ 6:00 PM, and ‘The Fascination with Crime,’ 7:00 PM. Premieres of ‘Under Salt Marsh’ and ‘Ravalear,’ at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM, respectively. Tabakalera.
Wednesday, March 25
Spoken Series: ‘Oasis’ with Ana Garcés and Gemma R. Neira, at Tabakalera at 7:00 PM. ‘Streaming aroa’ in Santa Teresa, at 7:30 PM.
Thursday, March 26
Premieres of ‘Yo siempre a veces,’ at Tabakalera at 6:00 PM and ‘Por cien millones,’ at 9:45 PM. Tabakalera with Julia de Castro and Nacho G. Velilla.
Friday, March 27
Kinotiko extra: series, with Mariona Terés and Pantomima Full, at 6:00 PM at KMK Santa Teresa. Anime piano concert. 7:30 PM in Santa Teresa. Series Gourmet with Borja Glez. Santaolalla and Paula Usero. Cofradía Gastronómica, at 9:00 PM.
Saturday, March 28
Premieres of ‘Cochinas’ at 6:15 PM, and ‘La nena,’ at 8:00 PM, both at Tabakalera. Fan Zone, Series Battle: House vs. ER, at Tabakalera, at 7:15 PM.