Mario Hernández claimed the Golden Tile for Best Film at Alicante Film Festival, a triumph marking the end of the festival during its 20th edition. The Saturday night premiere celebrated the palmares awards, held at the Mediterranean House and hosted by Luis Larrodera.
The night’s big winner was Truce, with the director noting during the film’s promotion last Tuesday that a pause is needed amid life’s whirlpool. That sentiment sits at the heart of the movie. In addition to the Golden Tile, Truce garnered the Silver Tile for Best Screenplay for Mario Hernández and the Silver Tile for Bruna Cusi as Best Actress.
The feature marks Mario Hernández’s first major release. Born 35 years ago in Almansa, he has long been tied to Alicante, with training at the University of Alicante and the former Ciudad de la Luz study center. The film had its grand Malaga Festival premiere and recently returned from Ibicine in Ibiza, carrying several awards under his belt.
The production is led by Bruna Cusi, a Goya-winning actor who collaborated with the actor and screenwriter Edu. Their ten-year partnership adds a personal layer to the project. After a year apart they chose a film festival as a chance to reconnect. Yet the longed-for truce faces the pressures of truth and nostalgia from real life.
Festival attendees gathered at Casa Mediterraneo, where Cristina Mariscal photographed the moment in a vibrant finale of the night.
The director explained that Truce is an anti-love story. In a romantic comedy or drama, love is often declared early; here the narrative finds its tension in restraint and the later admission that love may not arrive at all. The Alicante Film Festival and its jury recognized Truce with the Tesela de Oro while acknowledging the film’s rich artistry and technical prowess as a meaningful boost ahead of its commercial release. The director expressed immense happiness and gratitude on a personal level, underscoring the achievement as a powerful signal for the team behind the project.
more recognition
A moment of silence followed during the award ceremony. The ceremony also honored Mounts of Zeltia for the musical scores and The Fashion Cinema Award went to Sonya for costume design. The night featured notable honors for Javier Veiga, who earned Silver Tiles for Best Liver and Best Actor for Mauricio Ouchmann, with a Silver Tile for Best Photography awarded to Juan Hernandez Force. Sergio Balseyro received the Critics Award for four notable references, including Pedro Perez Rosado’s photography.
In the short film segment, the jury awarded the Best National Fiction Short with a prize of 1,000 euros and direct access to the Goya Awards to Iago and Tristan by Miguel Ibanez. The Best Director award went to Maria Bestar for You Are Not Crazy. The Best Short Film Actor award went to Celia Freijeiro for Divine Beads, while Rocio Calvo was recognized for If I Wanted to Leave. Luis Larrodera received the Best Actor award for Worst Job in the World, and Miguel Ibanez was lauded for Best Screenplay for Iago and Tristan.
Comedy then delivered the closing flourish for Alicante Film Festival. Among the top short films, State of La Piccola by Sara Scalera from Italy won Best Fiction Short International went to Between Words by Farid Ismail from Luxembourg. The Best National Animated Short was Zombie Meteorite by Alfonso Fulgencio and Jose Luis Farias. The Best LGTBI International Short was Reflections From Kane Kwik from Mexico, while the new episode documentary short Prize went to Adam Aliaga for Hard Core. The Best Audience Award in the cinema section went to Swallow Flight by Sergio Checa.
Another day of record crowds confirmed the festival’s growing audience and its broad program of parallel activities. Festival director Vicente Seva commented that the edition drew a strong reception from the public and reinforced Alicante as a hub for film industry and culture. He noted the festival’s ongoing importance and its role in highlighting regional talent and international storytelling alike.