The 26th Festival de Málaga, held from the 10th to the 19th of March, ended with a significant increase in its attendance figures, income and international prestige, which was reflected in a very high participation of industry professionals from many countries in its industry area MAFIZ (Industry Zone of the Festival de Málaga), which positions the Malaga event as the most important meeting and business point on the Spanish audiovisual sector.
Maintaining its aim of reflecting the best of current Spanish films, the Official Section brought together outstanding names from our cinema with very promising names. This consolidates the Malaga event as a vehicle for discovering new talents, and especially new directors. This fact has been once again noted in the Festival's list of winners, in which 20.000 especies de abejas, by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, and Las hijas, by Kattia G. Zúñiga, are the winners.
231 films and 241 sessions were programmed for the 26th edition, in addition to other activities such as the closing concert by Amaral, the large photographic exhibition in Calle Larios by Eloy Muñoz, meetings, presentations, etc., as well as the activities held in the Solidarity Space, in which more than 20 associations took part.
In terms of audience, the event attracted almost 90,000 spectators and participants in its different activities, including the almost 45,000 tickets sold, as well as those attending other direct access activities, with accreditation or by invitation. All this resulted in a revenue of close to 200,000 euros. This places the festival in similar figures to last year's edition in terms of income but with an increase of 9.37% in spectators, all this considering that in 2022 the opening gala as well as two shows aimed at family audiences were held at the Palacio de los Deportes José María Martín Carpena, whose capacity is much higher than that of the Teatro Cervantes.
More than 5,000 people were accredited for the 26th edition of the Festival, of which more than 2,000 were guests; almost 1,900 from 64 countries came to MAFIZ; 177 from film institutes and more than 700 press professionals, including 15 foreign media who covered the Festival.
Raphael, Biznaga Ciudad del Paraíso del 26 Festival de Málaga, posa ante los fotógrafos en la alfombra roja del Teatro Cervantes.
La actriz Blanca Portillo, galardonada con el Premio Málaga, en su encuentro con el director del Festival, Juan Antonio Vigar.
El Industry Club de MAFIZ, el área de Industria del Festival de Málaga, acogió Spanish Screenings, el mercado oficial del cine español.
El malagueño Eloy Muñoz, colaborador desde hace años del Festival de Málaga, fue el autor de las fotos expuestas en la calle Larios.
El Teatro Echegaray se convirtió en un gran ambigú durante las sesiones de Cinema Cocina, con proyección y degustaciones de productos.
’20.000 especies de abejas’, de Estíbaliz Urresola Solaguren, fue la ganadora de la Biznaga de Oro del 26 Festival de Málaga.
