Elche International Independent Film Festival returns with a vibrant lineup
Over two million views marked the debut, a landmark first season that surpassed sixty episodes and found a global audience primarily through Instagram. The project has already secured a second season, directed by Martha Vazgo, and its team plans to screen the new installment tomorrow, at the 45th edition of the Elche International Independent Film Festival organized by the Mediterráneo Foundation.
The second part will be showcased during a roundtable titled New Frontiers: creating successful series on Instagram. The discussion runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a colloquium led by Marta Vazgo and a workshop designed to reveal the journey of adapting fiction for social networks and the lessons learned along the way.
Web series Children emerged as a pioneering project released exclusively on Instagram. Each one-minute episode chronicles the adventures of Macarena, Rosa, and Nora, portrayed by Marta Vazgo, Patricia Fuertes, and Patricia Peñalver. The episodes highlight triumphs and challenges in relationships with men in their twenties, exploring three opposing viewpoints on love. The setting is Madrid’s heart, where romance and friendship mix with humor.
The production by D’Sierto Films has earned festival recognition at major events, including the Malaga Festival, the Mostra de València, and FICAL. The inaugural episode began streaming in 2019, totaling 29 episodes in the first season, while the second season comprises 35 episodes currently available to viewers.
Carlos Aragon appears in a prominent footer credit related to the project.
Marta Vazgo serves as screenwriter, executive producer, actress, and director for the web series. Her acting credits include television titles that touch on themes of family and personal growth. She also contributed as a screenwriter on other projects, expanding the creative reach beyond this series and developing longer-format adaptations from shorter works.
Alfonso Albacete participated as a featured talent, directing and co-writing a short film released in 2021 that earned recognition from regional awards for Andalusian audiovisual creation. In collaboration with notable industry figures, the project showcases the blend of drama and humor that defines contemporary Spanish storytelling.
Short film screenings and a feature titled “La pasajera”
The festival’s Official Section continues with short film screenings at the Hort del Xocolater and Arenales del Sol Beach, starting from 9:30 a.m. The day includes remarks from festival commentators and performances by local actors, with a nod to works from ilicitana Cristina Alcázar and Paula Usero, who is renowned for her roles in influential regional productions.
A still from the film Kellys, directed by Javier Fesser, accompanies the program’s visual highlights.
In the evening, a second wave of screenings continues to draw crowds. A horror-comedy feature with road movie influences, starring Cristina Alcázar of Elche and Ramiro Blas from Argentina, is introduced to festival attendees for its official section. The narrative follows four distinct characters sharing a van on a rural route as they confront a life-or-death dilemma when an unexpected accident involving an Asian tourist occurs, forcing the group to confront a critical choice about survival.
Festival evenings at Hort del Xocolater and Arenales del Sol beach
The Elche International Independent Film Festival, organized by the Mediterráneo Foundation in collaboration with the Elche City Council and the Cinema Club Luis Buñuel, continues across multiple venues around the city. The program expands beyond traditional screenings to include a broad slate of workshops, round tables, and open-air projections that illuminate the dynamic scope of contemporary independent cinema in the region.