A wide representation of actors, directors, screenwriters, producers and other professionals from the film industry supported the presentation of the XXIII edition of the Almería Film FestivalFical, in Madrid. The event was presented by journalist Elena Sánchez at the Movistar Space of the Telefónica building.
From November 15 to 24, Fical is celebrated with a complete program with more than a hundred activities, all free. The festival reinforces its role as a prelude to the Goya Awards. Award-winning films in other editions have won the Goya for best new director, such as “Les Filles”, “Tarde para la ira”, “In exchange for nothing”, “Carmen y Lola”, “Libertad”, “Summer 1993 “, “20,000 species of bees”…, and even “Late for Wrath” was the Winner Goya of its edition by also winning the prize for best film.
Some of the protagonists of Fical participated in the presentation, such as David Bermejo and Laura Ramos, ‘showrunner’ and Entrevías actressa series which will receive an honorary prize; the director of “Who’s Who?” », Martín Cuervo and the actor Antonio Lofer; and screenwriter Marta González de Vega representing the jury. They all highlighted the epicenter that Fical represents for audiovisual productions and that it has become an unmissable event for professionals and amateurs.
Among the personalities of the audiovisual industry who attended the presentation in Madrid were director Rodrigo Sorogoyenthe Almeria filmmaker Martín Cuenca, the director Antonio del Real, the performers Nacho Guerreros, Melanie Olivares, Raquel Meroño, Helena Catani and Eva Almaya, among others.
The series will also have its retrospective moment with the Almería Filming Award for “Los Farad”and the honorary prizes for “Physics or Chemistry” and “Entrevías”. In addition, Fical will have a premiere after its opening gala at the Maestro Padilla Auditorium with the screening of “The Empty Zone”, a film from Almeria directed by Kurro González and starring Francisco Conde.
During the event, which was attended President of the Provincial Council of Almería, Javier A. García; Vice Presidents Fernando Giménez and Almudena Morales; the delegate of the Council of Almería, Aránzazu Martín, or the councilor for Culture of the City Council of Almería, among other authorities, projected a video in which Javier A. García, the mayor of Almería, María del Mar Vázquez and Aránzazu Martín invite the public to visit the province during the festival.
The president of the Provincial Deputation stressed that “cinema is part of the DNA of the inhabitants of Almeria and our festival manifests the magic of this special relationship which dates back more than seventy years of filming. We have been home to some of the best films in history and Fical remembers that legacy by merging it with the present and future of our province as a land of cinema. If you want to experience our spectacular landscapes, the light that bathes the stages of Almeria and a surprising festival…, we are waiting for you in Almería, where cinema is alive!
The director Rodrigo Sorogoyen and the president of the Almería Provincial Council, Javier A. García
The Mayor of Almería explained that “for Almería City Council, Fical is a hopeful and forward-looking look at one of the industries in our territory, film production. Because in Almería, cinema is not only the history of legendary cinema or the natural environment of the European western. To Almeria cinema is a promotion of employment, wealth and tourism. For this reason, one more year we are alongside the Provincial Council to promote one of the local industries with universal projection. There is a reason why we are the city with the most hours of sunshine in all of Europe where people eat, live and watch films. Welcome to Fical!
For her part, the Government delegate showed the “enthusiasm and contribution” of the Andalusian Government to this great event: “The Festival once again fills our territory with magic, photos and films. Fical represents much more than a series of screenings, it is an opportunity to highlight our unique landscape and cinematic rootsrevitalize tourism and boost the local economy. This festival is an open window on talent and creativity and comes back stronger, offering a high-level program and attracting the best artists. From the board of directors, we will continue to support this festival.
Round tables
In this edition of Fical, the presence and quality of one of its great characteristics since 2017 grows, the round tables, meeting point between filmmakers, artists and the main protagonist of the Festival, the public. From November 15 to 23 there will be a total of eight meetings which can be enjoyed both in person and online, as they are released.
The first three tables are hosted by journalist Luis Alegre and are called “Meetings on Cinema and Television” with popular faces such as Carlos Areces, Ernesto Sevilla, Maggie Civantos, Marta Hazas or Carlos Bardem. The Andalusian Cinema Academy collaborates again with Fical with a panel on “The role of women in cinema”. On Sunday, Gerardo Sánchez, director of the Días de Cine program, will be present as a luxury host at a meeting around the film Marco in his now usual “Let’s talk cinema” section with Eduard Fernández, Nathalie Poza and producer Xabier Berzosa.
Screenwriter and director Tirso Calero will host Monday’s proposal titled “The audiovisual bubble”while on Friday the journalist Moisés Rodríguez will investigate the importance of the film’s storyline. Finally, on Saturday, journalist Elena Sánchez will speak with some of the great artists of our country.
