The Benalmádena International Film Festival celebrates 25 years with an edition that will award Iranian Asghar Farhadi, Gracia Querejeta and Leo Harlem, among others, from 10 to 17 October at the Casa de la Cultura de Arroyo de la Miel.
The Benalmádena International Film Festival (FICCAB) is celebrating its 25th edition from 10 to 17 October at the Casa de la Cultura de Arroyo de la Miel, with the support of the Diputación de Málaga. The festival will present its International Award to Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, winner of two Oscars for 'A Separation' and 'The Salesman'.
Farhadi will present the national premiere of his new film, 'Parallel Stories', at the festival on 15 October, following its screening at Cannes. The film, a co-production from France, Belgium, and Italy, stars Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Efira, Vincent Cassel, Pierre Niney, and Adam Bessa.
The opening gala will include the presentation of the Direction Award to Gracia Querejeta and the screening of 'Landa', a documentary about Alfredo Landa directed by Querejeta and Miguel Olid. Actor Leo Harlem will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be complemented by a talk and the screening of 'The Best Summer of My Life', a comedy by Dani de la Orden.
The closing ceremony will reserve the Acting Awards for Kira Miró and Víctor Clavijo, and will announce the winners of the short film competition. The festival will also pay tribute to Juan Maldonado, a retired worker from the Diputación de Málaga, for his dedication to culture.
"Before Comic-Con existed, he organised the first comic meet-ups in Málaga. He also organised Cinema Day, several film clubs... He is a walking archive of cinema and culture and is a figure to be recognised," explained Jaime Noguera, the festival director.
The programme includes a selection of films from Serbia and Iraqi Kurdistan, classic films, documentaries, African animation, and an Official Section of short films. Additionally, there will be a tribute to Hungarian actor Paul Lukas, buried in the international cemetery of Benalmádena, with the screening of 'Alarm in the Express' (1938) by Alfred Hitchcock and the restoration of his gravestone through an agreement between the Benalmádena City Council and the Hungarian Consulate.
The Vice President and Culture Deputy, Manuel López Mestanza, highlighted the effort to maintain the festival for a quarter of a century. The Councillor for Culture of Benalmádena, Jessica Trujillo, and the festival director, Jaime Noguera, presented the programme alongside López Mestanza.
"In an era where stories compete for seconds of our attention, keeping a festival alive for a quarter of a century is a great achievement and an excellent cultural investment," noted López Mestanza.
Tickets and the complete programme can be consulted on the festival's official channels and the Benalmádena City Council. Screenings will take place at the Casa de la Cultura de Arroyo de la Miel from 10 to 17 October.
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