The festival has grown into a pivotal event space, drawing fresh film talent from both home and abroad by gathering participants from this edition together. Delegates from 48 countries contribute shorts from Spain, as well as Canada, Cuba, Honduras, the USA, France, England, Iran, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Japan, India, and more, underscoring the festival’s broad international reach.
Hort del Xocolater park, Arenales del Sol beach, and Odeón Cinemas will host screenings of selected titles competing in the nine-category Official Section. Among these, Fiction, New Author, Documentary, and Animation are prominent, with notable participation figures such as 697 cassettes for one entry and a robust slate across categories: European, New Author with 409, Documentary with 244, Animation with 90, Iberoamerican with 85, Valencian Community with 65, Human Rights with 54, and Mobile Movie Maker with 22. These numbers reflect the festival’s diverse submission pool and the growing interest in varied storytelling formats.
This edition’s feature films sector includes titles that achieved strong public reception in prior editions. Entrants in this category are required to be debuts from their directors and must have been shot between January 1, 2022 and January 1, 2023, signaling the festival’s emphasis on new voices and fresh perspectives in cinema.
Louis Boyer, President of the Mediterranean Foundation, expressed gratitude to all participants and emphasized the foundation’s daily work to maintain the festival as a reference point among national events. He noted that the festival has consistently attracted international participation and highlighted the commitment to the film genre that has enabled hundreds of new filmmakers to showcase their talents. (Source: Foundation communications)
Vincent Sanchis, festival director, reflected on the recent tightening of competition admissions but celebrated a strong turnout. He explained that the program now prioritizes quality over quantity, while still sustaining a significant audience and industry presence. (Source: Festival statements)
Where and when?
The feast runs from July 14 to July 21. Short films can be viewed at the Hort del Xocolater park and Arenales del Sol Beach (Elche) from 9:45 p.m., while feature films are shown at the Odeón Cinemas in Elche (Calle Juan Ramón Jiménez, 18).
The closing premiere is scheduled for July 21 at 9:30 p.m. at the Hort del Xocolater venue of Fundación Mediterráneo in Elche. A jury comprising Cineclub Luis Buñuel members alongside education and production professionals will determine and announce the winners. (Source: Festival program)
In this 46th edition, the prize pool totals 13,000 euros across 12 awards. The jury’s decision will be announced by June 15, 2023, and the Fundación Mediterráneo Award for Best First Feature Film will be presented at the closing gala on July 21. (Source: Awards schedule)
Additionally, winners of the Fundación Mediterráneo Award for Best Fiction Short and the Ciutat d’Elx Award for Best Documentary Short, if national, will be shortlisted for the 2024 Goya Awards. (Source: Awards notes)
Since its inception in 1978, the festival has shown a steady commitment to the film industry by attracting new short-film talents and supporting the industrial growth of cinema. More than 42,000 films have passed through the festival over the years, illustrating the foundation’s ongoing dedication to nurturing talent. (Source: Festival history)
Awards
• Fundación Mediterráneo Award for Best Fiction Short Film, 3,000 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• Ciutat d’Elx Award for Best Documentary Short Film, 3,000 euros and a Checkers Award.
• Animation Award, 3,000 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• Fundación Mediterráneo Award for Best Special Film Opera Prima, 2,000 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• European Award for any category outside Spain, 1,000 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• Ibero-American Award in any category for Latin America and Brazil, 1,000 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• FES CURT Award, 500 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• Cineclub Luis Buñuel Novel Author Award, 500 euros and a Lady Trophy in any category.
• Mobile Filmmaker Pro Award, 500 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• Hort del Xocolater People’s Award, 500 euros and a Lady Trophy.
The Closing Gala on July 21 will also announce several collaborations and additional recognitions, including:
• With SocialMed València, Best Short Film on Human Rights Award in any category for the Mediterranean coast (excluding Spain), 1,000 euros and a Lady Trophy.
• The Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media (CIMA) will present the CIMA Award to the Best Filmmaker, accompanied by a statuette and a one-year association membership.
• The Mobile Filmmaker Pro Award winner will advance directly to the 2023 Cinephone Smartphone Film Festival edition.
• The Mostra de Cinema Jove d’Elx winners from 2022 and 2023 will gain direct entry into this edition’s Official Short Film Selection in the Fiction category.
• At the jury’s discretion and in cooperation with the Reykjavík International Film Festival Organization, one or more Spanish short films from the Official Section or Award Winners may become finalists in the 2023 edition.
Organized and sponsored by Fundación Mediterráneo, the Elche International Independent Film Festival is held in collaboration with the Elche City Council and the Elche Luis Buñuel Cinema Club. The festival’s broader information is normally shared via the official festival communications channels and the foundation’s announcements, ensuring interested parties stay informed about schedules and laurels.