This year’s MEM Fest in Alicante expands the focus beyond a conventional arts gathering to become a thoughtful exploration of women’s bodies in art, the evolving role of women in sports, and the broader spectrum of female creativity. Set to unfold over October 14 and 15, the festival will illuminate the artistic and intellectual contributions of women inside the Black Box at Las Cigarreras, offering spectators a space for reflection and inspiration alike.
The organizers describe MEM Fest as more than just a music or arts festival. Its central axis is thought—an invitation to examine issues central to women’s lives and experiences. After a successful debut during the pandemic, which limited some audience access, this Alicante edition marks a return with renewed energy and purpose, building on last year’s reception while inviting new voices and perspectives.
One of the defining aims of MEM Fest is to challenge conventional narratives through what organizers call a “dissident feminist” framework. The goal is to open a venue where artists and thinkers can collaborate, debate, and present works that push boundaries with a critical, hopeful spirit. The festival welcomes male participants as well, underscoring its inclusive ethos: it is not a sectarian event. A curated slate of activities is planned, with nine invited women whose projects will anchor conversations about women’s capabilities and the social boundaries that shape them. The organizers emphasize a core question: what can women’s bodies do, how do social norms constrain those capabilities, and how does society measure productive potential across genders?
This year’s program benefits from support from the Equality Department, enabling a robust lineup that speaks to contemporary concerns. The festival begins Friday at 17:30 with two short films by Murcian filmmakers Nuria Muñoz and Eva Libertad, Leo and Alex in the XXI Century (2019) and Deaf (2021). These works explore motherhood from a deaf perspective, having earned recognition at nearly thirty festivals and collecting numerous awards. Eva Libertad will participate in a live discussion with Alicante-based author Iria Fariñas, featuring sign language interpretation to ensure accessibility for all attendees.
At 19:00, Itxi, a young voice from the community, will join a discussion centered on talent and gender. Her keynote will engage with her book Struggle Against Robustness, Anarchism, and Robustness (Editorial Imperdible, 2021), examining how capitalist structures influence the capacity to produce benefits and the ways gender intersects with those dynamics. Later, a scientist and feminist from Alicante will take the stage at 20:30 to discuss how science often prioritizes men’s health, sometimes sidelining women’s health concerns. The talk will mix humor with rigorous analysis, aiming to illuminate gaps and propose inclusive approaches. The day will close with a performance by Amaya Miranda, a composer whose music blends themes of the future and climate change with electronic and pop textures, offering a sonic counterpoint to the festival’s discursive segments.
An image from the festival posters features Zaida Carmona’s film My Friend’s Friend, a representative example of the festival’s cinematic thread and its commitment to featuring provocative, resonant storytelling. This line of programming will be complemented by additional screenings and live performances as the weekend unfolds.
Saturday’s schedule opens with a communal lunch at Fahrenheit 451 bookstore, located at Stenographer Martí, 2, followed by a 17:00 session at Las Cigarreras focusing on how sport has historically reflected and influenced gender roles. The discussion will include Chandaleras: Female Masculinity vs. Compulsory Femininity in Sport (Piedra Papel Libros, 2021), a work that scrutinizes how athletic culture shapes identity and the acceptance of diverse expressions of gender. Maria Lopis will lead a workshop on art and feminism, demonstrating how the depiction of the female body has evolved across art history and how contemporary artists reinterpret those representations. The workshop will culminate in a film screening at 20:00 of My Friend’s Friend (2022), a five-way lesbian comedy featured at the San Sebastián Film Festival, followed by a concert that pairs two female bass players with synthesizers and vocals to explore themes of resilience, hope, and the climate crisis through electronic and pop music. A late afternoon snack will be offered by La Trasera de Las Cigarreras, and the festival plans to collect all material produced during the event into a podcast, preserving the conversations and performances for wider audiences.
MEM Fest positions itself as a forum where art, science, and social critique intersect. It seeks to reveal the ways in which women’s experiences are shaped by cultural expectations while also highlighting the agency and creativity women bring to every field. The event invites attendees to reconsider how bodies are represented, how work is valued, and how communities can support ongoing dialogues about gender, power, and equality. The weekend promises a blend of documentary insight, provocative debate, and vibrant artistic expression that mirrors the vibrant, evolving women’s movement in the region and beyond.