Alicante Film Festival Celebrates Romantic Comedy With Dual Premieres
The Alicante Film Festival today spotlights romantic comedy with two distinct premieres hitting screens this Tuesday. The evening features the film Can or Can’t, introduced by its cast and crew, followed by Truce, a feature that marks a key moment for director Mario Hernández. Screenings begin at 19:15 and 21:15 respectively, with festival delegates on hand to discuss the works.
Truce centers on a man born in 1989 in Almansa who maintains deep ties to Alicante. Trained at the Universidad de Alicante and at the now-closed Ciudad de la Luz study center, Hernández brings a hometown perspective to this festival premiere after a grand debut at the Malaga Festival and recent appearances in Ibiza at Ibicine, where the project earned five accolades. The film is guided by the collaboration of Bruna Cusi, a recognized producer with ties to the Spanish cinema landscape, and an actor-writer team that has worked together for years. The plot follows two former partners who reconnect at a film festival after a year apart. What begins as a warm reunion gradually reveals the stakes of honesty, nostalgia, and the blurred lines between life and cinema. Relationships and misunderstandings come alive through a mix of humor and reflection, anchoring the narrative in real emotional truth rather than glossy romance.
The director characterizes Truce as an anti-love story within the romantic comedy genre. In this film, the characters question the idea of love while trying to navigate feelings that don’t always fit conventional scripts. Viewers can expect a shift in how romantic cinema is portrayed on screen today, where unspoken feelings often complicate rather than clarify matters. The writer-director notes that audiences will see how the characters choose to acknowledge or hide their realities, a stance he finds both challenging and refreshing. He even describes the work as slightly rebellious in its honesty about romance and miscommunication.
The dialogue between the two leads is described as deliberately natural, with scenes that resemble a candid conversation rather than a staged performance. Humor remains a constant undercurrent, supplying relief even as the characters wrestle with serious themes. The director cites influences from well-known storytellers who favor talk-driven cinema, preferring dialogue and character dynamics to theatrical setups. The aim is to capture the art of everyday conversation—an approach that invites viewers to lean in and observe how a relationship unfolds in a world full of noise and distraction.
Truce is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 8. The production team invites audiences to see where the two protagonists are five or ten years after the events of the story, while keeping the possibility open for future collaborations and new creative paths. The project is part of Hernández’s ongoing work with a Madrid-based theater company, showcasing a blend of stage and screen sensibilities that enrich the film’s texture and appeal.
Can or Can’t by Oliver Reza
Oliver Reza’s Can or Can’t also debuts at the Alicante premiere, marking a significant moment for the local filmmaker. Reza reflects on the journey from an initial idea to a finished feature that makes its way through the festival circuit. The film’s production encountered typical but resolvable challenges, and the crew describes the experience as a dream realized through perseverance and teamwork. The festival stage is a major milestone, and the director notes how the project’s growth has elevated the team’s profile within the industry. The production team and cast hail from various regions, underscoring the collaborative spirit behind a project of this scale.
The story follows Nico, a man confronted with personal and professional upheaval. After his wish to become a father collides with job loss and home instability, he returns to his father’s house and must navigate a tense dynamic with a partner he finds hard to tolerate. In a bid to reinvent himself, Nico reconnects with his best friends and meets Gabya, a Colombian woman several years younger, sparking an unexpected voyage that challenges his preconceived notions and opens new horizons. The script centers on original ideas and a strong central arc, with dialogue driving the narrative through conversations about family, love, and growth. The film examines biases that people often deny owning, especially within generations that believe prejudice is a thing of the past. When confronted with real-life tests, many discover remnants of patriarchal attitudes they never expected to reveal.
Starring Josma Villarroel and Eduardo Recabarren, the project benefits from a striking setting and a tight team dynamic that grew stronger from day one. Recabarren, who also contributes as a coach, emphasizes the leap from online content to a festival-ready feature, highlighting the cinematic shift as a pivotal moment for the cast and crew. Although a theatrical release was not initially planned, a distributor suggested moving the film onto a streaming platform, expanding its audience. Looking ahead, Reza remains open to new opportunities and emphasizes living in the moment while allowing projects to unfold naturally. He notes a desire to rest and recharge before pursuing further ventures, confident that new roles and collaborations will come in due course.