09/09/2025 - The film festival will feature Ibero-American debut films, titles directed or produced in Cantabria, and special guests, along with parallel and industry activities

The Santander Film Festival will be held from 12-18 September in various venues around the city. Directed by journalist Júlia Olmo and organised by the production company Morena Films and Centro Botín, this ninth edition will feature seven titles in competition in its Official Debut Films Section, which is dedicated to first and second Ibero-American fiction films that have not yet been released in Spain. It will open with the world premiere of the Spanish film Valle blanco, gallo negro, the first feature film directed by Álex Galán (Territory), followed by the Mexican film Cocodrilos, by J. Xavier Velasco; the Argentine films Muña Muña by Paula Morel Kristof, Lo que queda by Mariel Escobar, and Nancy by Luciano Zito; La búsqueda de Martina (Brazil/Uruguay) by Márcia Faria; and the Chilean-Brazilian co-production La naturaleza de las cosas invisibles by Rafaela Camelo, presented in the Generation section of this year's Berlinale.

The Cantabria Infinita Official Section – dedicated to films directed or produced in Cantabria – includes seven productions in competition. It will open with Daniela Forever [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nacho Vigalondo
film profile], directed by Nacho Vigalond, followed by Mikaela [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daniel Calparsoro
film profile] by Daniel Calparsoro; Playa de Lobos by Javier Veiga; El poder del silencio by Saúl Pérez Ruano; El reto y mucho más by Mario de Benito and Rodolfo Montero; Código Martos by Patricia Pérez Fernández and Liena Cid Navia; ¡Olvídate del cine! by Aránzazu Gómez Bayón. In addition, the medium-length film Love Invented by Carolina Zorrilla de San Martín, will be presented as a special screening, and the competition will close with The Sleeper [+see also:
trailer
film profile] a documentary by producer Álvaro Longoria, shown out of competition.

Five films will be screened in the Special Screenings section: Deaf [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eva Libertad
film profile] by Eva Libertad, a major winner at the last Málaga Film Festival; Away [+see also:
film review
interview: Gerard Oms
film profile], Gerard Oms's debut film; Fury [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gemma Blasco
film profile] by Gemma Blasco; Kill the Jockey [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luis Ortega
film profile] by Luis Ortega, presented in Venice last year;  and Sirât [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Óliver Laxe
film profile] by Óliver Laxe, winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes.

In the industry area, the Platino Next Gen Project Lab will be held, aimed especially at young producers. Promoted by EGEDA, the initiative will continue at the San Sebastián Film Festival and culminate at Iberseries Platino Industria. In addition, Santander will host round tables addressing topics such as the precarious nature of entrepreneurship and youth creativity, their challenges and difficulties, as well as the opportunities offered by Cantabria as an audiovisual destination.

The festival remains committed to celebrating the careers of Latin American filmmakers and has introduced a new role, Guest of Honour, which will debut with Rodrigo Sorogoyen (The Beasts [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Isabe…
film profile]), who will give a masterclass. It will also feature a dialogue between Óliver Laxe and Domingo Corral, producer of his latest feature film.

Producer María Zamora (who has just released Romería [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carla Simón
film profile] in Spain, directed by Carla Simón) and actor Luis Tosar will be honoured with the Faros de Honor (Honorary Lighthouse) awards; filmmaker Icíar Bollaín with the Carlos Saura Honorary Lighthouse award; Carlos and Javier Bardem with the Green Lighthouse award; French-Argentinian actor Nahuel Pérez Biscayart with the Dos Orillas Lighthouse award; and screenwriter and director Clara Roquet (Libertad [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Clara Roquet
film profile]) with the Young Talent Lighthouse award, which the festival is introducing this year. Finally, for the closing gala, the FCS will host the Santander premiere of My Friend Eva [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the new film by Cesc Gay, starring Nora Navas.

(Translated from Spanish)