this San Sebastian Film Festival Like every July, it announces the Spanish participation in it. This year, eighteen national films will be screened, a lineup that can alone bolster the festival’s prestige. While a handful of ambitious filmmakers seek higher profiles through Albert Serra or Erice, most submit their projects directly to Cannes or Berlin and treat Donostia as a second-best option. Many are pleased to be selected in a single category within a Spanish festival of notable standing.
Spanish cinema is, without a doubt, a strategic bet for any national festival. That is why festivals such as Seville and Gijón, and Seminci in Valladolid, will try to harvest some of the momentum generated after the San Sebastian week. Examples include films by Cesc Gay or Félix Viscarret adapted from a story by Millás. This dynamic shows how regional events in Spain compete for attention and audience share, leveraging the energy generated by the Donostia showcase.
There is then the reality that Alicante is a province where festivals are not lacking. The challenge lies instead in the dissemination of festival films. Frankly, the question is how the audience who habitually watches films in cinemas will manage to see the eighteen Spanish titles, as well as the rest of the selections, screened at the San Sebastian Festival, when their premieres occur in Madrid, Barcelona, the Basque Country, Málaga, or Valencia. Local distributors and cinema chains face the logistical task of bringing festival releases to screens far from the festival hub, a task that requires coordinated timing and strong regional partnerships. Cited: Spanish Film Institute
On the surface, Alicante seems well-positioned to absorb festival content given its relatively high cinema attendance. Yet a significant obstacle persists: cultural and political. The province has yet to cultivate a robust cinephile culture and the political appetite to address that gap remains limited. Consequently, the situation is faced directly and plainly, without gloss, as stakeholders weigh how to expand access, attract audiences, and reinforce the region’s film culture. The challenge is not merely about screening choices; it is about creating sustained interest and sustainable programs that connect local viewers with the broader currents of Spanish cinema. The struggle is real, and the effort to resolve it continues, day by day.