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    Festival Highlights

    Festival Highlights

    Opening Night

    The Movie Teller

    La Contadora de Películas

    A star-studded and moving tribute to cinema and the magical power of storytelling, this new film from multi award-winning director Lone Scherfig follows a young woman’s coming-of-age in a Chilean mining town.

    Australian Premiere

    Book TicketsMore Info

    Centrepiece

    The Teacher Who Promised the Sea

    El Maestro que Prometió el Mar

    Starring Enric Auquer and Laia Costa, this acclaimed drama tells the true story of Antoni Benaiges, a teacher who brought progressive teaching methods to a small village in 1930s Burgos.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Un Amor

    .

    A striking drama from prolific director Isabel Coixet, starring Laia Costa and Hovik Keuchkerian as two new neighbours in a small village deep in rural Spain who become entangled in a web of passion.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Event

    Rioja: The Land of a Thousand Wines

    Rioja, la tierra de los mil vinos

    Exploring the vibrant evolution of the Spanish wine industry through the human stories behind the vines, this documentary invites you to immerse yourself in the world of wine in Rioja.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Event

    The Other Son

    El otro hijo

    An emotionally charged semi-autobiographical tale and a moving portrait of adolescence, in which a teenager’s life is dramatically changed after a tragic accident.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Event

    Upon Open Sky

    A cielo abierto

    Three siblings embark on a tense journey of revenge in this searing, morally thorny tale set in early 1990s Mexico, featuring a screenplay by legendary Mexican scriptwriter Guillermo Arriaga.

    Australian Premiere

    Closing Night

    The Holy Mountain

    La montaña sagrada

    Recently marking its 50th Anniversary, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surreal and visually stunning avant-garde odyssey has been fully restored in a lavish 4K restoration presenting a mesmerising journey through a series of bizarre and symbolic experiences, exploring themes of spirituality, enlightenment, and the quest for transcendence.

    Special Event

    The Blue Star

    La estrella azul

    A moving drama inspired by the life of 1990s Spanish rock star Mauricio Aznar and his journey through picturesque Argentina to reconnect with his passion for music.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentations

    Special Presentations

    This year's Special Presentation brings together a selection of contemporary female led films exploring the themes of 'Liberation, Sensuality and Empowerment'.

    Special Presentation

    Mamacruz

    .

    Kiti Mánver delivers a compelling central performance in comedic yet sensual drama Mamacruz as a religiously devout woman in late middle age who suddenly rediscovers the transformative power of her own sensuality.

    Australian Premiere

    Book TicketsMore Info

    Special Presentation

    Memories of a Burning Body

    Memorias de un cuerpo que arde

    In this heartfelt drama exploring pleasure and desire through the memory and intimacy of three women over 65, raised in a repressive era, their voices are channelled into a single woman who revisits intertwined memories, secrets and desires.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Something is About to Happen

    Que nadie duerma

    In this blackly comic dramatic thriller starring Malena Alterio in her Goya-winning role, a woman's life takes a definitive turn the day that she loses her job as a computer programmer and decides to take life into her own hands.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    The Girls at the Station

    Las chicas de la estación

    The sixth feature from talented director Juana Macías, The Girls at the Station is a powerful drama inspired by real events starring three outstanding newcomers as friends coming of age and facing incredible events.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Un Amor

    .

    A striking drama from prolific director Isabel Coixet, starring Laia Costa and Hovik Keuchkerian as two new neighbours in a small village deep in rural Spain who become entangled in a web of passion.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Vera and the Pleasure of Others

    Vera y el placer de los otros

    A comedic and erotic tale about growing up, that follows 17-year-old Vera, who divides her days between volleyball, school, and a secret hobby: listening to other people’s pleasure.

    Australian Premiere

    New Spanish Cinema

    New Spanish Cinema

    A House on Fire

    Casa en flames

    In this entertaining dramatic comedy from director Dani de la Orden featuring an all-star cast, the facade of a seemingly perfect family is shattered over a weekend in the Costa Brava.

    Australian Premiere

    Book TicketsMore Info

    A Moroccan Affair

    Ocho apellidos marroquís

    A box office hit in Spain and the third installment in the highly successful Spanish Affair movie franchise, the Díaz-Aguirre family’s lives are flipped upside down with a trip to Morocco in this culture shock comedy.

    Australian Premiere

    Artificial Justice

    Justica Artificial

    A taut political thriller set in the near future starring Verónica Echegui as a judge who must assess new Artificial Intelligence software for use in the justice system and is drawn into a high stakes conspiracy with powerful interests at play.

    Australian Premiere

    Checkmates

    Menudas Piezas

    A feel-good Spanish box office hit based on a powerful and inspiring true story; Checkmates follows a group of marginalised schoolkids who set out to win the Spanish Chess Championship against all odds.

    Australian Premiere

    Chinas

    .

    A superb third feature from writer-director Arantxa Echevarria (Carmen & Lola), this delicate drama about two sisters is a fascinating tale that explores childhood, belonging, integration and the search for identity.

    Australian Premiere

    Free Falling

    Caída libre

    A suspenseful, emotionally tense, and complex drama starring Belén Rueda as a controlling and demanding national rhythmic gymnastics’ coach who does not contemplate failure as an option.

    Australian Premiere

    Idol Affair

    Buscando a Coque

    A charming exploration of love, this romantic comedy starring Alexandra Jiménez and Hugo Silva follows a couple who must deal with an unexpected scenario involving the other’s idol.

    Australian Premiere

    Jokes & Cigarettes

    Saben aquell

    Directed by multiple Goya Award winner David Trueba, this drama stars a transformative David Verdaguer as Eugenio, the famous chain-smoking Catalan comedian of the 1960s and 70s, known for his deadpan delivery, tinted glasses and trademark black attire.

    Australian Premiere

    Just One Small Favour

    El favor

    Set at a beautiful summer house, this ensemble family comedy sees the adult children of a wealthy family facing the skeletons in their closets when their late nanny leaves a series of letters for them.

    Australian Premiere

    La Casa

    .

    Three siblings reunite at their childhood home where long-buried memories rise to the surface in this reflective award-winning drama steeped in nostalgia, starring David Verdaguer and Luis Callejo and adapted from Paco Roca’s graphic novel.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Memories of a Burning Body

    Memorias de un cuerpo que arde

    In this heartfelt drama exploring pleasure and desire through the memory and intimacy of three women over 65, raised in a repressive era, their voices are channelled into a single woman who revisits intertwined memories, secrets and desires.

    Australian Premiere

    One Hell of a Holiday

    ¡Vaya vacaciones!

    Featuring an all-star ensemble cast including Tito Valverde, Gracia Olayo and Toni Acosta, in this charming comedy that pays homage to all grandparents, fun adventures await when two are left looking after their grandchildren yet again.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Event

    Rioja: The Land of a Thousand Wines

    Rioja, la tierra de los mil vinos

    Exploring the vibrant evolution of the Spanish wine industry through the human stories behind the vines, this documentary invites you to immerse yourself in the world of wine in Rioja.

    Australian Premiere

    The Sleeping Woman

    La mujer dormida

    Starring Almudena Amor and Javier Rey, this psychological thriller with a supernatural undercurrent follows a nursing assistant to whom strange things start happening when she becomes attracted to her patient’s husband.

    Australian Premiere

    Saturn Return

    Segundo premio

    Winner of Best Spanish Film at the 2024 Málaga Film Festival, this beautiful, disruptive drama is a story of music and passion, with a hypnotic soundtrack.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Something is About to Happen

    Que nadie duerma

    In this blackly comic dramatic thriller starring Malena Alterio in her Goya-winning role, a woman's life takes a definitive turn the day that she loses her job as a computer programmer and decides to take life into her own hands.

    Australian Premiere

    The Girls are Alright

    Las chicas están bien

    Featuring a cast of up-and-coming actresses, this enchanting, summery drama follows a group of actresses and a writer who come together in a country house for a week to rehearse a play.

    Australian Premiere

    Opening Night

    The Movie Teller

    La Contadora de Películas

    A star-studded and moving tribute to cinema and the magical power of storytelling, this new film from multi award-winning director Lone Scherfig follows a young woman’s coming-of-age in a Chilean mining town.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    The Girls at the Station

    Las chicas de la estación

    The sixth feature from talented director Juana Macías, The Girls at the Station is a powerful drama inspired by real events starring three outstanding newcomers as friends coming of age and facing incredible events.

    Australian Premiere

    Centrepiece

    The Teacher Who Promised the Sea

    El Maestro que Prometió el Mar

    Starring Enric Auquer and Laia Costa, this acclaimed drama tells the true story of Antoni Benaiges, a teacher who brought progressive teaching methods to a small village in 1930s Burgos.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Un Amor

    .

    A striking drama from prolific director Isabel Coixet, starring Laia Costa and Hovik Keuchkerian as two new neighbours in a small village deep in rural Spain who become entangled in a web of passion.

    Australian Premiere

    Spanish Comedies

    Spanish Comedies

    A Moroccan Affair

    Ocho apellidos marroquís

    A box office hit in Spain and the third installment in the highly successful Spanish Affair movie franchise, the Díaz-Aguirre family’s lives are flipped upside down with a trip to Morocco in this culture shock comedy.

    Australian Premiere

    Book TicketsMore Info

    Idol Affair

    Buscando a Coque

    A charming exploration of love, this romantic comedy starring Alexandra Jiménez and Hugo Silva follows a couple who must deal with an unexpected scenario involving the other’s idol.

    Australian Premiere

    Just One Small Favour

    El favor

    Set at a beautiful summer house, this ensemble family comedy sees the adult children of a wealthy family facing the skeletons in their closets when their late nanny leaves a series of letters for them.

    Australian Premiere

    Jokes & Cigarettes

    Saben aquell

    Directed by multiple Goya Award winner David Trueba, this drama stars a transformative David Verdaguer as Eugenio, the famous chain-smoking Catalan comedian of the 1960s and 70s, known for his deadpan delivery, tinted glasses and trademark black attire.

    Australian Premiere

    One Hell of a Holiday

    ¡Vaya vacaciones!

    Featuring an all-star ensemble cast including Tito Valverde, Gracia Olayo and Toni Acosta, in this charming comedy that pays homage to all grandparents, fun adventures await when two are left looking after their grandchildren yet again.

    Australian Premiere

    Cine Latino

    Cine Latino

    Aire: Just Breathe

    Aire

    In the year 2147, a conservation biologist battles the extinction of humanity with the help of an A.I. system but is disturbed when a mysterious traveller arrives in this striking science fiction feature from the Dominican Republic.

    Australian Premiere

    Book TicketsMore Info

    A Ravaging Wind

    El viento que arrasa

    A quietly powerful coming-of-age drama that explores a young woman's path to change her fate, A RAVAGING WIND is a gem from acclaimed Argentinian writer/director Paula Hernandez.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Event

    The Blue Star

    La estrella azul

    A moving drama inspired by the life of 1990s Spanish rock star Mauricio Aznar and his journey through picturesque Argentina to reconnect with his passion for music.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Event

    The Other Son

    El otro hijo

    An emotionally charged semi-autobiographical tale and a moving portrait of adolescence, in which a teenager’s life is dramatically changed after a tragic accident.

    Australian Premiere

    The Tenderness

    La ternura

    Starring Emma Suárez and Gonzalo de Castro, this period romantic comedy and war-of-the-sexes satire centres on a feminist queen who travels with her two daughters across the seas in search of a place free of men.

    Australian Premiere

    Bad Actor

    Un Actor Malo

    Set in the post #MeToo era and the search for truth and justice, this nuanced, incisive and thrilling drama sees a case of misconduct on a film set trigger a series of events that no one can avoid.

    Australian Premiere

    The Practice

    La práctica

    Set in the world of wellness, this witty satire about two recently separated yoga instructors in Chile is an incisive comedy about the search for enlightenment and happiness.

    Australian Premiere

    Totem

    Tótem

    Set over the course of a single day, this tender, choral drama explores life, love, death and time in a bustling Mexican household, seen through the eyes of a seven-year-old.

    Special Presentation

    Vera and the Pleasure of Others

    Vera y el placer de los otros

    A comedic and erotic tale about growing up, that follows 17-year-old Vera, who divides her days between volleyball, school, and a secret hobby: listening to other people’s pleasure.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Mamacruz

    .

    Kiti Mánver delivers a compelling central performance in comedic yet sensual drama Mamacruz as a religiously devout woman in late middle age who suddenly rediscovers the transformative power of her own sensuality.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Memories of a Burning Body

    Memorias de un cuerpo que arde

    In this heartfelt drama exploring pleasure and desire through the memory and intimacy of three women over 65, raised in a repressive era, their voices are channelled into a single woman who revisits intertwined memories, secrets and desires.

    Australian Premiere

    Opening Night

    The Movie Teller

    La Contadora de Películas

    A star-studded and moving tribute to cinema and the magical power of storytelling, this new film from multi award-winning director Lone Scherfig follows a young woman’s coming-of-age in a Chilean mining town.

    Australian Premiere

    Focus on Female Filmmakers

    Proudly Presented by the Embassy of Spain in Canberra

    Focus on Female Filmmakers

    Proudly Presented by the Embassy of Spain in Canberra

    In collaboration with the Spanish Embassy, the festival celebrates Spanish women in film with a significant selection of work from female filmmakers, ranging from first time directors to celebrated auteurs.

    Chinas

    .

    A superb third feature from writer-director Arantxa Echevarria (Carmen & Lola), this delicate drama about two sisters is a fascinating tale that explores childhood, belonging, integration and the search for identity.

    Australian Premiere

    Book TicketsMore Info

    Free Falling

    Caída libre

    A suspenseful, emotionally tense, and complex drama starring Belén Rueda as a controlling and demanding national rhythmic gymnastics’ coach who does not contemplate failure as an option.

    Australian Premiere

    Idol Affair

    Buscando a Coque

    A charming exploration of love, this romantic comedy starring Alexandra Jiménez and Hugo Silva follows a couple who must deal with an unexpected scenario involving the other’s idol.

    Australian Premiere

    The Girls are Alright

    Las chicas están bien

    Featuring a cast of up-and-coming actresses, this enchanting, summery drama follows a group of actresses and a writer who come together in a country house for a week to rehearse a play.

    Australian Premiere

    The Sleeping Woman

    La mujer dormida

    Starring Almudena Amor and Javier Rey, this psychological thriller with a supernatural undercurrent follows a nursing assistant to whom strange things start happening when she becomes attracted to her patient’s husband.

    Australian Premiere

    Centrepiece

    The Teacher Who Promised the Sea

    El Maestro que Prometió el Mar

    Starring Enric Auquer and Laia Costa, this acclaimed drama tells the true story of Antoni Benaiges, a teacher who brought progressive teaching methods to a small village in 1930s Burgos.

    Australian Premiere

    Special Presentation

    Un Amor

    .

    A striking drama from prolific director Isabel Coixet, starring Laia Costa and Hovik Keuchkerian as two new neighbours in a small village deep in rural Spain who become entangled in a web of passion.

    Australian Premiere

    Just One Small Favour

    El favor

    Set at a beautiful summer house, this ensemble family comedy sees the adult children of a wealthy family facing the skeletons in their closets when their late nanny leaves a series of letters for them.

    Australian Premiere

    120 Years of Salvador Dalí

    120 Years of Salvador Dalí

    To commemorate 120 years since the birth of Salvador Dalí, arguably one of the most versatile and prolific artists of the 20th century, this program charts his early experiential film works, Hollywood collaborations plus an insightful, posthumous documentary exploring his life and legacy.

    Salvador Dalí: In Search of Immortality

    .

    Using archival footage, images and documents this intimate and revelatory documentary examines Salvador Dalí, bringing us closer to a one-of-a-kind genius who managed to live a life that is a work of art unto itself.

    Book TicketsMore Info

    Spellbound

    .

    A Hitchcockian psychological thriller following a psychiatrist (Ingrid Bergman) who helps an amnesiac (Gregory Peck) uncover his true identity, leading to a tale of murder, mistaken identity, and psychoanalysis. With a surreal dream sequence by Salvador Dalí, the film explores the depths of the human mind and memory.

    Un Chien Andalou + L'Age d'Or

    .

    A 1929 avant-garde short film by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, Un Chien Andalou is a surrealistic exploration of the subconscious inviting viewers to interpret its dreamlike narrative and delve into the depths of the human psyche. L’Age d’Or is a surrealist tale of a man and a woman who are passionately in love, but their attempts to consummate it are thwarted by their families, the Church, and bourgeois society.

    Spotlight on Isabel Coixet

    Spotlight on Isabel Coixet

    Showcasing the prolific, contemporary Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet, this collection of her work highlights ongoing themes including love, loss, identity, and resilience. Her latest film, Un Amor, screens in the year's festival, see it in the Special Presentations section.

    Elegy

    .

    Based on the novel The Dying Animal by Philip Roth, this tender film exploring love, desire and aging stars Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz and follows a distinguished professor who becomes romantically involved with one of his students.

    Those Who Love

    A los que aman

    Featuring a luminous leading performance from Monica Bellucci, as a passionate teacher entangled in a tumultuous affair with a troubled young doctor hiding a dark secret, this subversive period piece explores love, guilt, and redemption amidst the complexities of human relationships.

    Yesterday Never Ends

    Ayer no termina nunca

    An absorbing character study from Isabel Coixet following a couple who reunites after five years apart. Now one has decided to turn the past into a novel. The couple reconvene, unearthing grief and anger, hatred and bitterness.

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