Elche International Independent Film Festival Opens Its 46th Edition
Elche’s premier film event, the Elche International Independent Film Festival (FICIE), organized by the Mediterranean Foundation, begins on Tuesday, July 11. This marks the festival’s 46th edition, featuring an official feature film section that premieres the debut works of five Spanish directors, followed by post-screening conversations. The festival runs through July 11 to July 21 with a robust lineup, celebrating cinema across a full eleven days.
The feature films will be shown at Odeón cinemas from July 11 to July 18, while the official short film section is scheduled at Hort del Xocolater for a full week from July 14 to July 20. In addition to these programs, Elche Film Festival presents a slate of parallel activities, including roundtables with distinguished professionals, courses, and workshops from the audiovisual sector, as well as special screenings. The event will culminate with the closing gala on July 21 to announce the winners.
The Mediterranean Foundation president Luis Boyer emphasizes the festival as the most important annual cultural event for Elche and a strong symbol of the organization’s commitment to the social and cultural development of Elche and the broader province. He notes that the FICIE program has grown to span 15 days this year, featuring a wide array of screenings and cross-curricular activities, and expressing confidence in a strong public turnout once again.
official portion
The opening screening of this edition, Quan no finish the night, directed by Óscar Montón, takes place on July 11 at 7:00 PM at Odeón Cinemas. The lineup, in order of screening, continues with Kepler Sexto B by Alejandro Suárez Lozano on July 12, Killing Crabs by Omar A. Razzak on July 13, Last Testaments by Joaquín Carmona Hidalgo on July 18, and Unknown by Pablo Maqueda also on July 18.
Quan no finish the night is Óscar Montón’s first feature, focusing on a social phenomenon known as the Bakalao Route in 1990s Valencia. The film follows four friends who, at eighteen, chase weekends and the party scene as a way to escape daily pressures, painting a vivid picture of youth and a city hungry for change.
Óscar Montón holds a bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Communications and brings nearly two decades of experience as a filmmaker and a television technician. His background spans producing, directing, and overseeing a variety of programs and documentaries, all contributing to a distinctive storytelling voice that resonates with contemporary audiences.
Participation and scope
During the festival, two thousand two hundred and thirty-eight short films and sixty-two feature films from forty-eight countries entered the competition. The jury selected five feature films to compete, each chosen as a director’s first film and produced within the period from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023. The competition includes entries across nine categories that make up the Official Division, reflecting a vibrant, international slate.
Organized and supported by the Mediterranean Foundation, the Elche International Independent Film Festival operates in partnership with Elche City Council and the Elche Luis Buñuel Cinema Club. Details about the festival’s programming and schedules are available through the festival’s information portal operated by the Mediterranean Foundation, which serves as the primary hub for official announcements and screening times.
All information about the Elche Film Festival can be found through the festival’s official portal of the Mediterranean Foundation, which provides comprehensive program notes, screening times, and festival highlights.