The Sevillian actor Alfonso Sánchez received this Monday, the 4th of March, at Cine Albéniz in Malaga and from the general director of Radio Television of Andalusia (RTVA), Juande Mellado, and the deputy director of Canal Sur Radio and Television , Isa Cabrera, the statuette known as ‘El Dilema’, the Talento Andaluz Award that Canal Sur Radio and Television (CSRTV) grants within the framework of the Malaga Festival, which celebrates its 27th edition.

The award, which celebrates its ninth edition this year, is in recognition of the cinematographic work of Sánchez, who is part of the duo 'Los Compadres', who has acted in films such as 'Grupo 7', series such as 'Arrayán' or 'Aída', and has also been a director, producer, screenwriter, and actor in films such as 'El mundo es nuestro'. He has just released his debut feature film as a director with the documentary 'Sembrando Sueños'.

Francisco de la Torre, mayor of Malaga, has stressed that Canal Sur has a very intelligent way of supporting film and has encouraged public television to continue on this path. In addition, he has congratulated Juan Antonio Vigar and his team for everything they have achieved. He has also referred to Alfonso Sánchez's connection with the festival, which already received the Biznaga Award in 2012. ‘Film will be bigger the more it is made from each autonomy. Carrying the messages of Andalusia is important: equality, solidarity...', he highlighted. The mayor of Malaga welcomed the attendees to Malaga, a 'friendly and committed city', and thanked Canal Sur for its support of film and the Malaga event.

The director of the Festival, Juan Antonio Vigar, expressed his joy and thanked Canal Sur for signing the latest agreement, wishing for it to continue like this for many years. For Vigar, it is a 'complicit union, necessary for the Festival. We are travelling companions, more than a sponsor. It is true that the Festival has an enormous national and international dimension. People come from all over so that we can help them grow’ he stated. According to the director of the Festival, it is 'a great effort by Canal Sur to enhance Andalusian talent'. Likewise, he has shown his joy that the award goes to Alfonso Sánchez, with whom he has a very close relationship. ‘In this room we gave you the Biznaga Award for 'El mundo es vuestro’. And this year it is well attended. Congratulations on everything you do for Andalusian audiovisuals productions,' he concluded.

Patricia Navarro, delegate of the Government of Junta de Andalucía, has excused the attendance of the counsellor and has congratulated Alfonso Sánchez, about whom she has said that 'reaffirms Andalusian talent'. 'You are one of the great values ​​of our cinema, an exponent of that Andalusian talent of which we are so proud. I am glad that it is in Malaga, a city that is very familiar and dear to you’, she continued. The delegate of the Government of the Junta has stated that 'we have nothing to envy of other autonomous communities' and she has congratulated Vigar and Juande Mellado for this complicity between RTVA and the Festival, 'because here we all win'. 'Andalusia is more film-loving than ever and this alliance has a lot to do with it’, she highlighted, as does the Andalusian Government's commitment to the audiovisual industry. 'Public-private collaboration in this case in the audiovisual industry bears many fruits. The recent creation of the Cluster contributes to reinforcing the image of Andalusia as a creative and filming centre: Andalusia is one of the great film sets of the world,' she concluded.

Alfonso Sánchez's career had a turning point in 2012, when he had a significant impact with his own project, the film in partnership with Canal Sur 'El mundo es nuestro’, in which, in addition to being producer, director and screenwriter, he is one of the protagonists along with Alberto López (El Culebra), the other half of the popular comedy duo ‘Los compadres’- a film that would earn him the award for best actor at the Malaga Festival and the prize for new director awarded by the Circle of Cinematographic Writers.

Since then, under his direction there have been the popular films 'El mundo es suyo’ (2018), 'Para todo la muerte' (2020) and 'El mundo es vuestro' (2022), in addition to releasing the documentary 'Sembrando sueños' (2023), in which the figure of the Álvarez Quintero brothers is vindicated, all of them films that have had the participation of Canal Sur, a reflection of RTVA's commitment to Andalusian film.

In his role as an actor, Sánchez has starred in very popular series as 'Plaza Alta' or 'Arrayán' on Canal Sur, and national productions such as 'Los hombres de Paco', 'Aída', or 'Allí abajo', as well as in films such as 'Grupo 7' by Andalusian director Alberto Rodríguez, or the comedy '8 apellidos vascos’, among others. He has also starred in entertainment programs such as 'Entre compadres' on Canal Sur, in which the humorous duo discovers Andalusia as they travel through it, facing all kinds of situations and adventures.
Alfonso Sánchez studied Audiovisual Communication in Malaga, combining it with Dramatic Art studies. At the age of 22, he founded his own film production company, 'Mundoficción', with which he made short films that won several awards, including the RTVA award in the Almería International Festival section 'Almería en Corto' for 'La gota' (2005).

The award winner, Alfonso Sánchez, thanked Canal Sur for the award and, in his speech, described it as a 'wonderful' decision to discover Malaga. 'I was a child from Polígono and I have a memory of what happiness is: lying on the sofa at home watching movies leaning on my mother's lap. That's why I dedicate myself to this: for her and to keep this memory alive. My first job was with RTVA, in Plaza Alta, I was the first to film, I played Máximo Valverde as a young man. That was feeling for the first time that he was an actor', he said. From there, he has continued, 'thanks to all the teachers I have had, I have learned something from all of them. Thank you to everyone who has accompanied me on this path. He also thanked Leo Sardiña and Paz Piñar, heads of the Cinema department of Canal Sur, for the award. He also had words for his partner Alberto, 'for everything, at a time when he was thinking of giving up. Much of this prize is yours. Thank you all. This is yours. And above all, thanks to my father, for moving forward, with a smile. Thanks to Agus, none of this would be possible without her. To my children, who are the most beautiful thing I have in life. And above all to my mother, wherever she is, she is very proud of me,' he concluded.

Isabel Cabrera, deputy director of Canal Sur Radio and Television, has said that 'talent is preparation, ability, taking risks, never finding the bottom. Alfonso has done it all, he is versatile and working with him is a pleasure. He is a person who works as a team, he believes in the team, he takes care of everything', she continued. For Isabel Cabrera, 'carrying the name of Andalusia abroad, which has everything, that Andalusia that everyone knows today is thanks to all the professionals who make up the audiovisual industry'. The deputy director of Canal Sur Radio and Television concluded by thanking the winner 'for making us feel that this is one of the most fair and well-deserved awards'.

Juande Mellado, general director of RTVA, for his part, emphasised 'Canal Sur and cinema, cinema and Canal Sur, what a great couple. Of the 95 nominations in the Carmen Awards, 80 were for productions made with Canal Sur. He went on to say that 'no one dedicates more time and commitment to the Festival'. Furthermore, Juande Mellado pointed out 'three clear lines of action for Canal Sur with film: call for aid for films and in March, the first call for 2024 will be held; dissemination and promotion and support for Festivals, and we have a window that is CanalSur Más'. For the general director of Canal Sur 'innovation is possible in such strategic projects. Turn it into the home of Andalusian film’. 'But the great protagonist is Alfonso Sánchez, congratulations. Very well-deserved award. Long live Andalusian cinema,' he concluded.

In previous editions, the Andalusian Talent Award went to the actor Miguel Herrán (2016) and the actresses Belén Cuesta (2017), Macarena Gómez (2018), Ingrid García Jonsson (2019), the actor Salva Reina (2020), the filmmaker José Antonio Hergueta (2021), the actress Mara Güil (2022) and the actor Manolo Solo (2023). With the presentation of this award at the Malaga Festival, Andalusian radio television recognises the work of artists of the seventh art who contribute to disseminating within and outside our borders the work done in Andalusia and shows its support for the Andalusian audiovisual industry.

Films participated by Canal Sur in the Festival

Radio and Television of Andalusia participates in a total of 12 films that are shown in this edition of the Malaga film competition, and which can be seen from Friday the 1st of March, when 'De Caballos y Guitarras' is screened in Sala Turismo, until Thursday the 7th, when 'Solos en la noche’ can be seen at the Albéniz; in Echegaray, 'Imbroda, el legado de un maestro’ and 'Summer el rebelde'; and ‘Tivoli’ in Sala de Turismo y Deporte.

Between those two start and end dates, audience will be able to come to Cine Albéniz on Sunday, the 3rd of March, to watch 'El Salto', by Benito Zambrano; or to Teatro Echegaray, to watch 'Marisol, llámame Pepa'; or even to the Sala de Turismo y Deporte, where 'Mis ganas ganan. La historia de Elena Huelva’ will be screened.

For its part, on Tuesday the 5th, 'Segundo Premio' will be screened at the Cervantes; in the Echegaray, 'Villa Málaga. El tiempo de vino'; and, in the Tourism and Sports room, 'Carlos Edmundo de Ory'. On Wednesday the 6th of March, film lovers will have the opportunity to go to the Albéniz to watch 'Orgullo Vieja'.
 
Canal Sur, also in the Spanish Screenings Content

The support that Canal Sur provides to the Malaga Festival is reinforced again this year with the presence of Andalusian radio television in the Malaga Festival Industry Zone (MAFIZ), the industry area of ​​the event.

Specifically, the regional channel will have a stand at the Spanish Screenings Content, the official market for the sale and promotion of Spanish audiovisual production, in order to promote RTVA or CSRTV products and develop conferences and work meetings, within its support mission to the Andalusian audiovisual industry and to cinema made in our land.
The Spanish Screenings Content, which is now celebrating its 18th edition, will take place from the 4th to the 8th of March.

Support for Andalusian film

Canal Sur Radio and Television's support for the Andalusian audiovisual industry is strong and unequivocal. Since 2020, and through the calls published under the Canal Sur Produce brand, Canal Sur Radio and Television has invested in around 200 audiovisual projects, including feature-length fiction, feature-length documentaries, television documentaries, documentary series and fiction series. Furthermore, the boost to the audiovisual industry is also evident in the more than 20 collaboration agreements with the film festivals held in Andalusia, including them and, of course, this one in Malaga; the delivery of the Canal Sur Awards for Lifetime Achievement and Talent, in the case of first-rate competitions, and the Creation Award in the case of short film festivals.

Canal Sur Televisión broadcasts more than 400 films a year and hundreds of documentaries as well as a specific weekly television space dedicated to cinema with the title ‘Una de cine’.