A Alicante Film Festival opened today at its Madrid facilities, presenting a photography exhibition that captures a festive mood through twenty unpublished portraits. The show offers a fresh, natural view of several winners from the festival’s 19th edition, presenting a lens on success that goes beyond red carpets and official ceremonies. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
The festival began in 2004 and has continuously distributed prizes since its inception. The Honorary Award, the Lucentum Prize, and the City of Alicante recognition are given to filmmakers and actors for recent work or for their long, storied careers. In 2022, as the Alicante Festival marked its 19th anniversary, this exhibition was staged to honor local cinema and to reveal the more intimate side of artists who won Silver Tile awards. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
Beyond the professionals featured in the show, a broad representation of Spanish and international cinema has attended the event. Directors, actors, and actresses such as Bigas Luna, Álex de la Iglesia, Fernando Colomo, Isabel Coixet, Imanol Uribe, José Coronado, Imanol Arias, Gabino Diego, Mario Casas, Belén Rueda, Emilio Gutiérrez Cava, Terele Pávez, Concha Velasco, Fernando Guillén Cuervo, Angela Molina, and many others have been part of the festival’s vibrant program. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
The Alicante Film Festival opened with the premiere of the final season of “Paraíso.”
Besides festival director Vicente Seva, other participants joined the opening activities. Faith Martinez contributed a portrait marking the chronological journey of the exhibition, beginning on the colorful stairs at the festival center. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
This exhibition forms part of a broader project that includes a cooperation agreement between the Festival and TAI, aimed at bringing the film industry closer to emerging talents. Under the agreement, TAI hosted the Madrid presentation of the alliance, with an emphasis on audiovisual and communication coverage during the Alicante competition and a masterclass on scripting tools across different television formats led by Carlos Bianchi. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
In addition to these efforts, the Alicante Festival will run in central Madrid with four main program blocks. Organizers insist the partnership will be productive for both parties and the broader industry, citing engagement with prominent cinema figures who participate throughout the year. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
Short film screenings
Following the photography exhibition, the winning short films from the 19th edition were shown at the festival. TAI director and former student Adam Picardo attended the screening and presented the short film Christian, which won the best LGBTQ+ short film award. Álvaro Robles presented Umbrella, directed by Joseph Prats, receiving the best animated short film award. The program also featured the best international short film Cause or Force by Giarella Araya and the best Spanish fiction short Unwanted by Alba Lozano. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]
The Alicante International Film Festival enjoys support from the Alicante Provincial Council, the City Council of Alicante, the City & Beach brand, the Valencian Cultural Institute, À Punt Media, and additional collaborating partners. [Source attribution: Alicante Festival]