06/11/2025 - The Barcelona Independent Film Festival is all set to run from 13-23 November

L'Alternativa – Barcelona Independent Film Festival has unveiled the official line-up for its 32nd edition, which will take place from 13-23 November. The international feature competition gathers ten titles that, encompassing diverse forms and territories, probe the fringes of contemporary cinema. Returning to the festival are Pedro Pinho with I Only Rest in the Storm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pedro Pinho
film profile] (rewarded in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard), Nastia Korkia with Short Summer [+see also:
film review
interview: Nastia Korkia
film profile] (winner of the Lion of the Future – “Luigi de Laurentiis” Award for Best Debut Film at the recent Venice Film Festival), Lee Anne Schmitt with Evidence and Nicolás Pereda with Cobre. The other titles in the international section are Two Times João Liberada [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Paula Tomás Marques
film profile] by Paula Tomás Marques; Collective Monologue [+see also:
film review
interview: Jessica Sarah Rinland
film profile] by Jessica Sarah Rinland; Monikondee, helmed by documentary filmmakers Lonnie van Brummelen, Siebren de Haan and theatre director Tolin Alexander; La limace et l'escargot by Anne Benhaïem; The Anchor by Jen Debauche; and Partition by Diana Allan.

The National Section presents seven features and 20 shorts. Among the features are debuts such as Downriver a Tiger [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Víctor Diago, Yrupẽ [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Candela Sotos, The Seasons [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maureen Fazendeiro
film profile] by Maureen Fazendeiro and Ulysses [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Hikaru Uwagawa, alongside A Scary Movie [+see also:
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film profile] by Sergio Oksman and Volver a casa tan tarde by Celia Viada Caso.

The festival adds to its Special Screenings The Ground Beneath Our Feet [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Yrsa Roca Fannberg, and will also show new works by José Luis Guerin (Good Valley Stories [+see also:
film review
interview: José Luis Guerín
film profile], recently awarded the Jury Prize at the San Sebastián International Film Festival), Hafsia Herzi (The Little Sister [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hafsia Herzi
film profile]) and Jem Cohen (Little, Big and Far). In addition, there will be spotlights dedicated to Lizzie Borden, René Vautier and Theo Anthony.

Two Berlinale-laurelled titles will bookend the event: the opening slot will be entrusted to The Message [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Iván Fund
film profile] by Iván Fund, winner of the Silver Bear Jury Prize, and the closing film will be Kontinental '25 [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] by Radu Jude, winner of the Best Screenplay Award.

The free l'Alternativa Hall programme weaves a “polyphonic body” around four strands – Expanded Body, Own Body, Body of Otherness and Body in Participation – with 16 mm screenings, live performances and collaborative works such as the short-film selections From Ground Zero [+see also:
film review
film profile] and Palestina Animada.

On the industry side, l'Alternativa PRO marks its 16th anniversary with talks on financing (specifically, tax incentives), marketing and accessibility, as well as “Meet the Festivals & Labs” and a day devoted to automation tools for production.

The 13th Cinema Pendent call, which received nearly 400 submissions, has selected a number of works for its Mentoring Projects, EXTREMLAB, Development Lab, GAC Pitching Forum, Mentoring Acció Cinema, WIP Screenings and “Corto y cierro” strands. Among the selected projects are those by Julián Génisson (Family Keeper), Estefanía Ortiz (Goodbye, Anne), Alba Bresolí Aliberch (Cossos al buit) and José Gasset (El último pastor del mundo), among many others.

(Translated from Spanish)