Countdown to the start of the traditional Friday Screenings for the new edition of the Elche International Independent Film Festival (FICIE) at l’Hort del Xocolater. Organized by the Mediterranean Foundation, a giant screen and stage were set up in Elche’s green lungs this Wednesday morning. Between 900,000 and 900 chairs will be arranged throughout the day so the public can enjoy the selected short films under the open sky, embracing the warm breeze and the camaraderie of fellow fans.
Participants should note that the festival sessions begin at 10:00 am. An hour before the opening, a tribute will be paid to the half century history of the Luis Buñuel cinema club, a dedicated group that has supported this internationally acclaimed event for decades.
Elche Film Festival started with the screening of competitive feature films.
Free entry
Access to the orchard is free until capacity is reached. The opening is anticipated to extend a little later than on other days, closing around midnight. After each program session, there is a colloquium that invites discussion between the audience and the producers.
The festival will host a closing gala on July 21, while projections may shift to Arenales del Sol beach the day before, where the screen is installed as part of the summer setup. The coastal area becomes a hub for both locals and tourists who are enjoying the peak season.
Selected
The lineup features more than fifty short films, drawing in about 2,238 attendees from 48 countries. The selections include documentary, animation, comedy, and fiction pieces, highlighting works from emerging directors and collaborations with the Miguel Hernández University in Elche. Durations vary, with the longest pieces around thirty minutes and the shortest only about two minutes; most run between ten and fifteen minutes.
Upcoming movies
The festival officially began last Tuesday with the 46th edition, presenting the Official Selection of feature films. Five Spanish directors anchor the opening program among 62 works screened at Odeón Cinemas until July 18. The premiere title when the night began was Oscar Montón’s When the night is not over, followed by Kepler Sixth B by Alejandro Suárez Lozano. Other titles scheduled include Kill Crabs by Omar A. Razzak; the evening lineup will also feature Wills by Joaquín Carmona and Unknown Woman by Pablo Maqueda, with showings at 19:30 each day.
Elche Film Festival welcomed 62 feature-length debuts in its second year open to long-form works and offered a rich mix of programs alongside the popular outdoor short film sessions. Parallel events included numerous roundtables with leaders from the audiovisual sector, special screenings, and practical courses to broaden attendees’ understanding of cinema and production.
A three day translation workshop for young participants aged 7 to 17 was introduced this year. The event, held at the La Glorieta cultural center, was led by the Art Corporate academy and focused on interpretation, cinema, theatre, verbal and physical expression.
Actress Cristina Alcázar from Elche is scheduled to conduct acting lessons in front of the camera for attendees today.