This Saturday 21 March, the Festival de Málaga presented 'Hoy no es siempre', the new short film by Carmen Vidal, screened this afternoon at the Echegaray Theatre as part of the Special Premieres section.

With a running time of 21 minutes, this production explores the conflict between personal determination and the physical reality imposed by a degenerative disease known for its sensitivity to human stories and its impact on social cinema.

Diana faces a progressive disease (Multiple Sclerosis) that affects her coordination and stamina, putting her independence and her passion for dance at risk. Despite the pain and exhaustion, she refuses to give in to the disease, clinging on to her former life. Concerned about her deteriorating condition, her husband Igor tries to make her understand the need to accept her new condition and adjust her life accordingly. Caught between denial and fear, Diana refuses any help and struggles desperately to move forward, even though her body warns her otherwise.

The short film was screened to audience including the film’s director, Carmen Vidal, actress Ana Vide, executive producer Ana Olivia Fiol, composer and cellist Malén Barraco, painter and illustrator Beatriz Martínez, filmmaker and president of the Malaga association of relatives and those affected by multiple sclerosis, David Vila, and the director of AEMIF.

Before the screening began, the President of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, sent a video regretting her absence. She suffers from this illness and has stressed that she "is not a sick person" but that she does have an illness which she would define as that of "a thousand faces". She went on to say that it is important to "avoid labelling" and that since her diagnosis, she has gone through "fears and anger" that have marked her "way of understanding life" and have led her to live with "passion".

The film's director Carmen Vidal shared her excitement at sharing this story in which she did not want "victims", but people who "live their lives and make decisions despite the disease".

Actress Ana Vide mentioned that for her "it’s a dream to be able to be in Malaga" and that she leaves "with the desire to continue creating". In addition, the film's producer Ana Oliva Fiol reflected that it had been "a long journey to get here", but that she was "very happy".

The participants expressed their experiences of living with Multiple Sclerosis. Composer and cellist Malén Barraco reflected that for her it was a "relief" that allowed her to understand what was "happening" to her. Painter and illustrator Beatriz Martínez commented that she is "happy" that "her work is recognised". Filmmaker and president of the Malaga association of relatives and those affected by multiple sclerosis, David Vila, maintained that "there are worse options"; while the director of AEMIF emphasised that it is a process of "learning to live with it".

Winner of 13 Emmy Awards and a Student Academy Award, Carmen Vidal is a filmmaker with a proven track record of exploring social issues. Her work has been exhibited in prestigious venues such as MoMA, New York, and her projects have been promoted worldwide on platforms such as PBS, United Nations, Le Monde and ARTE. Throughout her career, she has tackled stories of struggle, exile and resistance, combining an evocative visual style with a profound narrative sensitivity.

After its presentation at the Festival de Málaga, 'Hoy no es siempre' will begin its tour of international festivals distributed by Inout Distribution.