The Last Circus brilliantly opens 2011 BIFFF

The start of any film festival is hectic and shaky. It's been two days since the 2011 BIFFF brilliantly opened with Alex de la Iglesia's The Last Circus (Balada Triste de Trompeta), and it's only now that the strenuous pace of the fest starts to really gain momentum.
The cavernous main hall of Tour & Taxis, the venue where the festival is held, was packed to the gills on Thursday night as I arrived to get my press pass, with people queuing everywhere seemingly for the sake of it.
There's a little bar at one of the corners where you cannot order drinks if you don't eat as well, so people waiting 20 minutes for a beer end up having dinner or find themselves queuing up again 20 meters away. They will get their beer only if they are acquainted with the very local system of tokens, whereby you need to buy your tokens (obviously in a different line) before you go to bar, where simple money is no legal tender.
As for me, I had my own adventure to get the press pass, which was curiously not to be obtained under the huge sings indicating press accreditation, but in an inconspicuously discreet room on the second floor. Organizers are relaxed, cooperative and pleasant, so these little inconveniences actually add to the very special atmosphere of the BIFFF.
The vast programme couldn't have kicked off with a better film than The Last Circus. It is a feverish, brilliant, extremely personal film, but I'll dedicate a whole post to it, so I'll leave it here now.
Last night I missed the festival altogether because I was dancing to Yelle's excellent concert at Botanique, but I've spent the whole afternoon today at the fest, where I held an interview with both Alex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang, director and main actress from The Last Circus. I'll publish them here tomorrow.
Tonight I'll be there for the non-stop film night, that includes, among other titles, Julia's Eyes, the new horror vehicle of The Orphanage actress Belén Rueda, Mother's Day, a remake of the 1980 cult classic with Rebecca De Mornay and Prey, the debut film from Antoine Blossier.