The Valencian Cultural Institute, known as IVC, together with the Valencian Audiovisual Academy, AVAV, announced the finalists for the Berlanga Awards, recognizing achievements in Valencian audiovisual production. The sixth edition of the ceremony is slated to take place in the coming days at Palau de Les Arts in Valencia, and the event will be broadcast by À Punt. The lineup shines a strong presence from the Valencian Community, with a total of 31 nominated productions earning recognition across 26 competitive categories. Among the standout entries is Unicorns, produced by Jaibo Films in Alicante and directed by Àlex Lora, which has emerged as a major frontrunner with a record of 13 nominations. Other notable contenders include The Valencians Have Forgotten with 13 nominations and Kepler Sixth B with 15 nominations, underscoring the region’s vibrant cinema scene. Attribution: IVC AVAV
This feature film, directed by Barcelona native Àlex Lora and featuring Adán Aliaga, centers on relationships in the age of social media and was largely filmed along the Alicante coastline. The project is a collaboration with production houses based in Alicante and surrounding towns, including La Vila Joiosa and Benimantell, with key production efforts led by Miguel Molina. Greta Fernandez leads the cast, and the film earned nominations in major categories such as best fiction feature, best director, best screenplay, and best production. Attribution: IVC AVAV
Alicante also boasts Morgan Blasco, founder of the recently established Col.lectiu Intermittent Intruder, who has been nominated for best leading actor for his performance in the same film, while renowned Alcoy translator Juli Mira receives a nomination for best supporting actor in Kepler Sixth B. The competition highlights the region’s diverse talent pool and its expanding influence in national cinema. Attribution: IVC AVAV
Alicante cinema with options at the Berlanga Awards
Another notable Alicante entry is a documentary titled Person [no] Person, created by the duo Álex Cuéllar and Rafa G. Sánchez in collaboration with Dacsa Produccions. After years of dedicated work, this production is among the nominees for best documentary feature as it examines the legal aspects surrounding great apes. The project Sunday Sunday, produced by Suica Films from Elche and guided by Pepe Andreu and Rafa Molés, is directed by Valencian filmmaker Laura García Andreu and also vies for the Young Award for Best Feature Film, a newly introduced prize this year. Unicorns is among the competing titles in this section. Attribution: IVC AVAV
Intercanvi, a short film from Benidorm directed by Alberto Bible, is nominated for best short fiction. Produced by Beniwood Producciones, the film will have its world premiere in the Official Section of the Sitges Festival on October 12 and features Becarias, co-directed by the Alicante native Marina Corton, in the best short animation category. Attribution: IVC AVAV
Filmmaker Fran Ruvira from Pinoso is also among the Berlanga Awards nominees. His short documentary Maximum Aub Map has been selected as the best short documentary. The film was co-produced by the Alicante production company Umbracle Cine. Ruvira serves as both scriptwriter and producer, and the project is presented as a transmedia initiative for À Punt. Attribution: IVC AVAV
Additionally, a local video game company from Villena joins the Berlanga Awards lineup with the title Global Pixel, which is in the running for Best Video Game with Minabo A Walk Through Life. This inclusion demonstrates the festival’s commitment to cross-media storytelling and interactive experiences. Attribution: IVC AVAV