Alicante speaks cinema on the international stage
Alicante International Film Festival pushes its reach beyond its borders through active participation in global competitions. This year the team traveled to Rome, the capital of Italy, to participate in the XV International Rome Short Film Festival. The partnership between the two events grew stronger as Italy served as guest of honor at the festival’s previous edition, reinforcing a dynamic cultural exchange that benefits filmmakers from both nations.
Alicante dresses like a movie
At the Rome gathering, the Alicante competition’s director, Vicente Seva, represented the festival to spotlight the winning short films from the last edition. He shared the stage with the artistic director of Rome Film Corto, Roberto Petrocchi, and the international relations officer, Adriano Squillante. During the closing gala, Seva presented the prize for the festival’s best short film, Il Colosseo d’oro, a prestigious honor described in the program as a vivid tribute to excellence in short cinema.
The Spanish shorts featured at the event earned top honors at the Alicante Festival last year. Notable wins included Iago and Tristan for best fiction short, If you want me to go for best actress, and Worst job in the world for best actor. These recognitions underscored the festival’s commitment to showcasing bold storytelling and strong performances on an international stage.
Where collaboration matters, outcomes multiply. The partnership here is seen as a valuable opportunity to promote Alicante and its festival on a global platform, highlighting two decades of work and a history rich with international cooperation. The festival’s growing name reflects its continuing momentum and the success of its cinema talent across Spain and beyond.
The Rome program’s artistic director, Roberto Petrocchi, noted that the collaboration helps bring Roma Film Corto into Alicante’s orbit, expanding reach for both events. He praised the synergy between Spain and Italy and emphasized how such exchanges support directors, actors, distributors, and the movement of works across borders in both directions. This cross-pollination is viewed as essential for nurturing a broader European short-film ecosystem.
The winning Alicante Film Festival short made its mark in London as well. Adriano Squillante, in charge of international relations for Rome film Corto, expressed enthusiasm about the strengthening brotherhood between Spain and Italy. He underscored that Alicante stands as a benchmark for high-quality short films and that Rome Film Corto is honored to showcase them. The 21st Alicante Film Festival is slated for 18–25 May 2024, backed by regional and local authorities and a network of collaborating partners that sustains the festival’s international presence and cultural impact.
These recurring exchanges are more than ceremonial. They help promote Alicante’s festival identity and its long-standing tradition of pairing creative work with international collaboration. The on-site discussions and shared screenings serve as a catalyst for new co-productions, festival partnerships, and wider recognition for Spanish talent in Europe and the United Kingdom, amplifying opportunities for filmmakers and audiences alike. The collaboration between Alicante and Rome Film Corto stands as a clear example of how regional festivals can drive global visibility without sacrificing local character and artistic integrity.
For its part, Rome Film Corto’s leadership sees the partnership as a meaningful step in promoting Italian cinema abroad. The exchange is framed as a mutual win, where each festival gains access to diverse voices and audiences, strengthening international ties and supporting the distribution chain for emerging directors and actors. This approach aligns with a broader strategy to nurture cross-border storytelling and expand cultural dialogue across Europe.
The Rome event and the Alicante Festival’s ongoing collaboration illustrate a shared belief in cinema as a universal language. They demonstrate how short films can travel, resonate with audiences far from their origins, and create lasting connections that enrich both the Italian and Spanish cinematic landscapes. The continued engagement promises to elevate both festivals while offering viewers a richer slate of international short-film experiences.