“We believe in committed arthouse films adopting necessary points of view, which in their substance and form can edge to the very limits of commercial cinema norms, with total creative freedom”: this is the declaration of faith used to open the catalogue and the website of the seventh Ibizacinefest – Ibiza International Independent Film Festival. The gathering, headed up by Xavi Herrero, will unspool from 17-26 February in various venues across different towns on the island and will boast an online version using the Filmin platform.

Thus, Ibizacinefest offers residents and visitors alike a line-up of 107 national and international titles as-yet unseen on the island, such as the Canadian film Noémie Says Yes, the feature debut by Geneviève Albert, which is getting its Spanish premiere as the opening film of the festival on 17 February at 8pm in Can Jeroni (Sant Josep). The screening will feature the presence of the director herself and will be preceded by a tribute to the great filmmaker Carlos Saura, who passed away last Friday, including a screening of his short film Rosa Rosae: A Spanish Civil War Elegy. The evening will culminate in a performance piece called La carn by Majorcan artist Lluis Garau.

Standing out on the varied programme, and spread across its different sections, are titles of the likes of La mala familia [+lire aussi :
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interview : Nacho A. Villar et Luis Rojo
fiche film], a documentary by Madrilenian directors Luis Rojo and Nacho A Villar, which recently got an airing at IFFR; Room Without a View (Austria), a documentary by Roser Corella; I Am Chance [+lire aussi :
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interview : Marc-Henri Wajnberg
fiche film] (Belgium), another non-fiction title by Marc-Henri Wajnberg, shot in Kinshasa; Stillness in the Storm [+lire aussi :
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interview : Alberto Gastesi
fiche film], the feature debut by Basque helmer Alberto Gastesi, which was screened at the most recent San Sebastián Film Festival; We, Students! [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Rafiki Fariala, which depicts young people in the Central African Republic; Los caballos mueren al amanecer [+lire aussi :
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interview : Ione Atenea
fiche film] by Ione Atenea, which won an award at the Las Palmas Film Festival last year; and, in two special sessions, El agua [+lire aussi :
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interview : Elena Lopez Riera
fiche film], the feature-length directorial debut by Spaniard Elena López Riera, which received two nominations for the most recent Goya Awards, and Sara Dosa’s documentary Fire of Love, which is in the running for an Oscar and homes in on the story of two scientists and their love of volcanoes.

In this way, Ibizacinefest is also renewing its commitment to the island of Ibiza through activities intended for professionals, short-film competitions in order to discover and foster local talent, its industry area, and an educational programme with special screenings for the youngest of audiences. There will also be space for reflection via a range of conferences on topics such as censorship, Ukraine, gender equality and environmental matters. These will be led by key industry figures, such as sales agent Antonio Saura (of Latido Films), filmmaker Neus Ballús (The Odd-Job Men [+lire aussi :
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interview : Neus Ballús
fiche film]) and film critic Nuria Vidal, just some of the myriad guests who will be attending this warm, welcoming festival.