«RITO» | EMILIO BELMONTE

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EMILIO BELMONTE’S DOCUMENTARY *RITO*—ABOUT FLAMENCO SINGER PERRATE—TO BE SCREENED AT BARCELONA’S IN-EDIT FESTIVAL: PRESS ENCOUNTERS

*Rito*, a documentary by Emilio Belmonte centered on the flamenco singer Perrate, will be screened on Saturday, October 31, at 10:20 PM, as part of the Official National Out-of-Competition selection at the 24th edition of the In-Edit Festival in Barcelona. Filmed in Utrera (Seville), Barcelona, ​​and Arles, *Rito* features contributions from various artists, including Rosario La Tremendita (from Seville) and the Barcelona-based group Za!, among others.
The screening—taking place in Hall 3 of the Mooby Aribau cinema (Calle Aribau 8-10)—will be attended by director Emilio Belmonte, the subject Perrate, and producers Paco Poch and Manuel Yebra.

An additional screening of *Rito* is scheduled for November 5 at 9:45 PM, in Hall 4 of the Mooby Aribau cinema.

SYNOPSIS OF *RITO*
Perrate, the heir to a unique flamenco lineage, finds himself torn between continuing his work as a hairdresser and pursuing a professional career as a singer. The film embarks on a personal journey to explore what it means to remain true to one’s roots while innovating through the most avant-garde music on the national scene.
Year: 2026.
Duration: 90 minutes.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR, EMILIO BELMONTE
Emilio Belmonte is a director and filmmaker specializing in documentaries and music. His work has focused primarily on flamenco and the relationship between music, its performers, and the cultural contexts in which it evolves. He is the director of *Impulso* (2015), *Trance* (2021), and *Rito*—the third installment in his documentary trilogy *La Piedra y El Centro* (The Stone and the Center), which explores the world of flamenco.

DIRECTOR’S NOTES
“My desire to film flamenco is deeply rooted in my childhood memories. I was born in Almería in 1974. My father was a true aficionado; he would always play cassettes of the guitarist Sabicas in our dusty old Renault, and he would take me to the flamenco festivals held at the Alcazaba during the local fair. I witnessed all the major artists of the 70s, 80s, and 90s dancing, playing, and singing.”
“Flamenco digs deep within me and defines my own identity. I moved to Paris at the age of 23 and began making documentaries—teaching myself the craft—until that passion became my profession. ‘Flamenco is a form of sorrow,’ an amateur *cantaor* (flamenco singer) once told me. It is no surprise, then, that my two passions—my two ‘wounds’—eventually crossed paths in my life: cinema and flamenco.”

THE FLAMENCO TRILOGY: “LA PIEDRA Y EL CENTRO”
“*Rito* is the third film in *La Piedra y El Centro* (The Stone and the Center), a trilogy of feature-length documentaries I have dedicated to the world of flamenco since 2015. It began with *Impulso*, followed by *Trance* in 2021. In *Impulso*, I filmed the dancer Rocío Molina—our most internationally renowned flamenco artist—as she created a performance for the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris.”
“The second feature, *Trance*, is a ‘flamenco road movie’ that follows in the footsteps of the master flutist and saxophonist Jorge Pardo—the father of flamenco-jazz fusion and a member of Paco de Lucía’s legendary sextet.” “The journey of both films is a source of pride for me as a flamenco enthusiast, and at the same time, it represents a responsibility that I fully embrace.”
“The intention behind this trilogy is twofold. First, there is the desire to explore the relationship between musical thought and the human body through the creative process of great flamenco artists—rigorously filming dancers, musicians, and singers who convey the emotion of this mysterious art form—from within the flamenco culture to which I myself belong. Second, I believe it is essential to leave a lasting cinematic record of the flamenco of our time—a flamenco that explores new artistic territories. The first film was dedicated to dance; the second, to music; and this final installment, *Rito*, focuses on *cante* (flamenco singing), the true pillar of this musical tradition.”

A PRODUCTION BY: MALLERICH FILMS PACO POCH S.L. AND LA PEPA FILMS.
IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH: HAPAX FILMS (FRANCE).
IN ASSOCIATION WITH: IN-EDIT, CAIXAFORUM+, AND THE UTRERA CITY COUNCIL.
WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF: CANAL SUR RADIO Y TELEVISIÓN S.A.; SUPPORTED BY THE ICEC AND THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OF ANDALUSIA (JUNTA DE ANDALUCÍA); FINANCED BY SGR TRIODOS TAXMM.
FEATURING: PERRATE, EDUARD POU (ZA!), PAU RODRÍGUEZ (ZA!), PACO DE AMPARO, RYCARDO MORENO, PAULA COMITRE, ROSARIO LA TREMENDITA, MAUI DE UTRERA, J.M. VELÁZQUEZ-GAZTELU, AND CISCO CASADO.
PRODUCTION MANAGER: DANIEL MÉNDEZ.
DIRECT SOUND: ANTONIO MEJÍAS (ANTUÁN).
SOUND DESIGN: FERNANDO NOVILLO. EDITING: NÚRIA ESQUERRA.
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: NICOLAS CONTANT.
PRODUCED BY: PACO POCH, ÁLVARO ALONSO, MANUEL YEBRA, AND JORDI COMELLAS.
SCREENPLAY AND DIRECTION: EMILIO BELMONTE.
LOCATIONS: UTRERA, BARCELONA, AND ARLES.
POST-PRODUCTION: ANTAVIANA SFX.