The Malaga Film Festival is another of the great hallmarks of the Costa del Sol and the city.
What is the Malaga Film Festival
Held for the first time in 1998, the Malaga Film Festival serves as a showcase for the most important Spanish language film premieres of the year; this includes feature films, short films and documentaries.
The film festival is one of the great prides of Malaga and of the people of Malaga. Why? Because, among other achievements, throughout its more than two decades of life it has contributed to the development of the city and its cultural expansion. It has made Malaga to be presented to the world not only as a place of privileged beaches (which it also is), but as a city that is open and very sensitive to cinema and culture.
In addition to that, the Malaga Film Festival also has a great economic and branding impact on the city. Malagueños already have it as something totally their own and there is no doubt that it is one of the best attractions for national and international visitors.
Because the Malaga Film Festival has not only established itself as one of the major annual film events in Spain. In recent years, it has also experienced a great expansion in Latin America. In fact, it changed its name to Spanish Film Festival so as not to exclude films not shot in Spain from the festival.
Since its inception, the Malaga Film Festival has had the objective of favouring the diffusion and promotion of both Spanish and Malaga cinema, which is why it is so loved in the city!
The Golden Biznaga
In addition to screening countless films, the festival also awards prizes to the most outstanding film personalities and products.
The most prestigious award is the Golden Biznaga, given to the best film of each edition. This fact is also very symbolic with Malaga, since one of the most genuine elements of the city is the biznaga, a very popular flower during the Fair held in August.
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Other awards, not so important, given at the festival are called Biznaga de Plata (Silver Biznaga).
In addition to the film screenings and awards ceremony, the Malaga Film Festival hosts round tables and colloquiums on topics related to Spanish-language cinema, its progress and needs. For health safety reasons in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malaga Festival 2020 did not have this type of meeting.
Before the pandemic, the festival had a large number of visitors and media coverage, both nationally and abroad. In fact, many people took out their tickets to attend one of the festival’s screenings. Others simply went to the red carpet to be surrounded by the prominent personalities who come to the festival.
When is it held
Traditionally, the festival has been held between March and June, although in recent editions it had been established during the month of April.
In the year 2020, due to the pandemic of the coronavirus, the Malaga Film Festival had to be postponed until August.
The festival takes place all over Malaga, with screenings at the Cervantes Theatre, Teatro Echegaray, Cine Albéniz and the Picasso Museum.
The festival has its own official website If you’re going to be in Malaga around this time, you can’t miss it! And if you are a film lover, you have to come to the festival at least once in your life!
