‘La Roca’ gets 2 Nominations for the Andalusian Cinema Awards

GIBRALTAR/LA LÍNEA (Press release) The epic love story between the rock of Gibraltar and the Spanish bordering town of La Linea keeps surprising us. The Andalusian Scriptwriters Association yesterday announced the nomineed for the 2012 Andalusian Cinema Awards. ‘La Roca’ has been selected in 2 categories: Best Documentary Film Best Original Score. Director Raúl Santos was moved and grateful when he heard the news: “You wouldn’t believe how many doors were closed for us in the making of this film. The great reception of the audience and professionals is the best gift we could get for our crew.” Regarding the nomination of composer Miguel Torres for Best Original Score, the director admitted that “Miguel is one of the hidden gems of Andalusian talent. I am sure that he will have many other opportunities to surprise us.” ‘La Roca’ is a feature documentary that premiered in Spain at the Seville European Film Festival, where it received the Golden Giraldillo for Best European Documentary. Three screenings will take place in San Roque next week so that up to 2,000 citizens of Gibraltar and the neighboring Spanish area can celebrate the nomination with the filmmakers. This event has been organized by the Ham Radio Museum and the City Council of San Roque. More information about the film, EPK and advance tickets at http://www.larocamovie.com. See the trailer below>>>

Wot's a Zarzuela?

SAN ROQUE We often get asked what a Zarzuela is. Our usual answer is 'a Spanish operetta', which is as close as we can come. But for those who have asked, this is a great opportunity to find out exactly: This coming Friday, November 18, at 9pm, at the Juan Luis Galiardo Theatre in San Roque, the Circuito Andaluz de Música is presenting Antología de la Zarzuela, which uses several well-known zarzuelas in its repertoire. At only €5 a ticket, this is a unique chance to get to know a form of Spanish music that is almost unknown to an English-speaking audience.

Music Hall benefit show this Friday

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SAN ROQUE The Koala Dance Factory is offering a one time only benefit show this weekend at the Juan Luis Galiardo Theatre in San Roque on Friday at 9pm. The show is in aid of a child with Chiary malformation, a rare illness that causes severe neurological defects needing complicated (and expensive) surgery not always available on the national health services. The Koala Dance Factory is a dance school in La Línea about which you can find out more on Facebook.

Andalucía Masters scheduled at Valderrama for October 27 to 30

SAN ROQUE / Sotogrande The second edition of the Andalucía Masters golf competition was officially presented in Los Barrios yesterday by Luciano Alonso, the Junta's head of Tourism, Commerce and Sport, and San Roque Mayor Juna Carlos Ruiz Boix, among others, Scheduled for October 27 to 30 at Valderrama, the event will bring together such golfing luminaries as Thomas Björn, Paul McGinley and Martin  Kaymer, as well as Miguel Angel Jiménez, Alvaro Quirós, Sergio García and José María Olazábal, who captain's the European team for the 2012 Ryder cup to be played in Chicago. The Junta de Andalucía has backed the competition with €3 million in prize money. Its representative, Luciano Alonso, pointed out that>>>

Verónica Rojas needs our votes more than ever: she's in the finals!

SAN ROQUE Verónica Rojas, 22, who began her singing career at a tender age, has reached the finals of the regional competition Se Llama Copla on Canal Sur, a very difficult thing to do. We asked for your votes last September, and you came across in droves. Now she needs us more than ever: On the night of April 16 is the programme's finals against very strong competition. This lovely girl is the daughter of Jimena's Arcgisa foreman, whose family -including Verónica naturally, live in San Roque. Speaking to Jose Antonio, her father, this morning, we are told that everyone is really nervous, which is hardly surprising. To vote for her on the programme (PLEASE, PLEASE DO) you have to call 905 855 506 or send a text message with the words “copla vero” to 25657. The lines are only open during the programme, which starts at about 11.30pm. San Roque Council is setting up a large screen at the Juan Luis Galiardo Theatre for the event. Would be fun to be there! (Read more about her, in Spanish.)

To all British nationals in the area

SAN ROQUE The British Embassy's Pension, Benefit & Healthcare Team will be holding an open day in San Roque town centre on Thursday 3rd February 2011, in association with San Roque Council's Foreign Resident's Information Office. This open day event in San Roque has been devised to offer advice on issues relating to British people living in Spain. Nevertheless, it is essential to clarify that the Consulate will not be advising people on Gibraltarian Healthcare and Benefits, which is exclusively an internal issue and is the competence of the Government of Gibraltar. Information will be provided on the services offered by the Consulate, how working in Spain will affect your pension rights and where to apply for an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). (Read much more on CampoPulse)

ARCGISA offices in Jimena and San Roque will no longer accept cash payments

JIMENA/SAN ROQUE (Press release) Aguas y Residuos del Campo de Gibraltar, S.A. (ARCGISA), the water, rubbish. etc. company is no longer allowing payment at their offices in Jimena or San Roque, although both offices will remain open to the public for any other business. Cash payment for the company's services must now be made at any of the banks that appear on their bills. The company reminds us of the convenience of direct debit.

Jimena artist to hold exhibition in San Roque

Juan Soler, who lives in Jimena and works all over the place, has been invited to hold an exhibition of his paintings at the Sala Joven Rooms at the Diego Salinas Building in San Roque (right next to the new Town Hall, sightly downhill from the main square). Titled Las pieles del poeta (The Poet's Skins), the exhibition will be inaugurated on Tuesday November 2 and remain open until the 12th. Born in La Línea de la Concepción in 1966, Juan Antonio Soler is a painter, sculptor, writer, graphic designer and photographer, among a lot of other things. Please see more about Juan Soler on JimenArte, one of our partner sites.

German TV looking for men and women

SAN ROQUE The Tourism office in San Roque (on the Plaza de Armas, photo) is holding a casting session tomorrow from 11am to 2.30pm and from 4.30 to 7.30pm. A German production company, Polyphon Films, is looking for men and women of all ages to appear as extras in part of a series for ZDF television to be shot in San Roque. Those chosen to appear briefly in the series will be paid, so if you're interested, take a copy of your ID (passport, DNI) and a document that shows you are registered with Social Security. (This item, and many more, appears in CampoPulse)

Verónica Rojas heads for stardom and will need our votes

SAN ROQUE In April 2009 we published an item titled Verónica Rojas: A Star is Born. We weren't far wrong. Since then this charming, beautiful girl has been hard at work gaining momentum in her chosen field: traditional Spanish singing of coplas. Our good friend José Antonio Rojas, her father and the foreman for the ARCGISA cleaning crews in Jimena, tells us that she has just been selected in a very tough TV competition on Canal Sur called Se Llama Copla (where we have to vote for her - and you will, too, won't you? - on Saturday evenings when the programme airs). She was one of ten chosen out of 1500 who turned up for the casting! But that's not all. Having her feet firmly on the ground, Verónica is combining her studies to become a teacher with having to travel to Seville every Tuesday and Saturday while she is in the competition, not to mention her musical studies, voice training etc.. (Prospero Note: I just love hearing good things about the young, about their energy - we hear so much about the bad stuff.)

Are you keeping an eye on CampoPulse?

Our partner site CampoPulse is full of news about the Campo de Gibraltar in general. We are beginning to publish our Jimena articles there as well, in preparation for moving everything over there. However, in the meantime, we urge you to have a look at the sidebar, where a selection of the latest articles are listed under the Did you miss anything on CampoPulse? heading. Preponderant among the subjects to be found on CampoPulse is the current La Línea 'congestion charge' situation, which is updated daily and that is affecting many of our readers, and will certainly do so in the future if things continue as they are. So keep an eye on CampoPulse to get the latest for your town or village. (Photo: mollymccloy.com)

'Something smells bad'

(Original source: TioJimeno) At 25 past midnight, tonight, the RTVE programme, REPOR, is showing a report titled Algo Huele Mal (Something Smells Bad) about pollution in the Campo de Gibraltar and its impact on residents' health. Average life expectancy is twenty years less than the average for other parts of Spain, and the possibility nof contracting cancer is 50% above the average. Los Barrios, Algeciras and San Roque have the highest impact. Our air contains a large number of contaminants that, on their own, are aggressive and unhelthy; but even more dangerous is the sinergy between them - that is, breathing a mixture of these contaminants. Members of the Plataforma de Ciudadanos Rodeados por las Fábricas (Citizens Surrounded by Factories), accompanied reporters from the programme through Los Barrios (Read the whole story on CampoPulse)

Spanish singers get together for Haiti in San Roque

(Agencies) Nine of Spain's best-known young crop of singers (copleras) will be getting together this evening at the Juan Luis Galiardo Theatre in San Roque (9pm) for a gala concert in aid of Haiti. All the copleras have agreed to perform free of charge, according to the organizer, Agustín Delgado. Scheduled to perform are Sandra Cabrera, Maite Moreno (see Maite Moreno in Jimena), Miriam Fontalba, Verónica Rojas (photo - see also Verónica Rojas: a star is born), Yolanda Figueroa, Sonia Mena, Tamara, Pepe Torres, Eduardo Mena and Araceli Puertas. Tickets at the door.
(This item is also published on CampoPulse)

€29 million to control Guadarranque River

(Agencies / Image: GoogleMaps) The Junta's Government Council yesterday finally authorized the Environment Council to invest €29.1m for work aimed at preventing flooding of the Guadarranque River, principally at Estación de San Roque. The work, says a communiqué, will generate 50 direct  and 150 indirect jobs, will last 24 months and benefit 50,000 residents not only of Estación de San Roque but also of Jimena and Castellar. The project, which has been in demand for many years and part of the Junta's budget, will prevent the river from flooding avenues and streets that run alongside. It includes the construction of river bed along 2.5 kms and 130 metres wide, between the railway line and the CA-5121, a containment wall on the left bank, a pump station, as well as a 16,000 m3 water collector for use during storms such as those of recent notoriety. In addition, concrete waterways built parallel to the containment wall will allow for controlled drainage into the Guadarranque, as will several automatic back valves. The job will be completed by elevating several places on the road and the railway tracks.

The influence between Spanish and Italian baroque music

An interesting evening for classical music lovers, tonight in San Roque. 'Alla vera spagnola' is a goup (Rocío Frutos (soprano), Lixsania Fernández (viola da gamba) y Miguel Rincón  and(tiorba and Spanish guitar), part of the Circuito Andaluz de Música programme, that illustrates the influence on each other between early Italian and Spanish Baroque Music of the 17th century, that enriched both styles. To be held in the auditorium at the Palacio de Gobernadores in San Roque, starting at 8.30.