Pic to rain on Spain

30 helmers join film criticizing Aznar gov't

By JOHN HOPEWELL

Bollain

BERLIN -- Thirty of Spain's best-known directors are teaming to shoot multipart feature "Hay motivo" (There's Good Cause) damning everything they dislike about Spain under Jose Maria Aznar's governing Popular Party.

Pic will be released in the run-up to the March 14 general elections.

Already signed up are high-profile directors including Goya winner Iciar Bollain, Manuel Gutierrez-Aragon, Vicente Aranda, Emilio Martinez-Aragon, Imanol Uribe, Manuel Gomez Pereira, Montxo Armendariz, Gracia Querejeta, Mariano Barroso, Julio Medem, Isabel Coixet and David Trueba.

Themes tackled in three-minute segs include the bombing of Iraq, the death of journalist Jose Couso under U.S. fire in Baghdad, immigration, the Prestige tanker oil spill disaster and media manipulation.

"Motivo" looks to upend the always uneasy relationship between the industry and the government. It comes after a right-wing-inspired protest at Spain's film awards, the Goyas, on Saturday against the nomination of Julio Medem's docu "The Basque Ball," about terrorist group ETA.

The filmmakers say they'll offer "Hay motivo" to government-controlled broadcaster RTVE, but the pubcaster is likely to reject the pic as political propaganda. That will give the left even greater ammunition as they discuss censorship and seek other theatrical or TV outlets for what is already the most talked-about Spanish film in early 2004.