The twelfth edition kicks off at the Rafael Serrano Cultural Centre with the screening of ‘Te protegerán mis alas’, whose entire proceeds went to Salesian Missions, in an opening marked by emotion, social commitment and the great response of the audience
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Calzada de Calatrava, 2 October 2025. The XII Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival kicked off yesterday with a starting signal full of emotion, social commitment and a resounding success with the public. The Rafael Serrano Cultural Centre hosted the solidarity screening of the feature film Te protegerán mis alas, a film directed by Antonio Cuadri and starring Ibrahima Kone, whose entire proceeds (through the sale of tickets at 4 euros, a solidarity piggy bank and the donation of 500 euros from the festival itself) will go to the Salesian Missions. The total amount is 1,063 euros. An event in which not only the work was projected on screen, but there was also time for discussion and interaction with the audience, where the main theme was the narration of the difficulty and adversities that exist for filming in countries like Togo.
The opening ceremony, presented by the local parish priest, Jesús García, was attended by the mayoress of Calzada de Calatrava, Gema García; accompanied by the director of the festival, Hernán Valdés; the provincial delegate of Economy, Business and Employment, Agustín Espinosa; the president of the Association for the Development of Campo de Calatrava, David Triguero; and the provincial deputy Juan Carlos Moraleda. Also in attendance were councillors from the Municipal Corporation, the director of the film, Antonio Cuadri; the film’s producer, Carlos Díaz del Río, and even its protagonist, Ibrahima Kone; as well as Antonio Gómez representing the Salesian Missions.
Before the screening, the attendees were able to visit the exhibition in homage to Pedro Almodóvar held at the Rafael Serrano Cultural Centre, with unique pieces from his filmography, such as Eusebio Poncela’s shirt or the bar from Kika. The artistic work of the residents of the streets General Aguilera, Pilatos and Plaza San Sebastián, who once again created an emotional tribute to the La Mancha-born filmmaker in the middle of the road and pavements of the area, was also highlighted.
The mayoress, Gema García, highlighted the importance of the start of the festival with a highly symbolic act of solidarity. “We inaugurate the twelfth edition of the Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival and we do it in style, with a very special act of solidarity for our festival,” she said. This event “is dedicated to the Salesian Missions and arises thanks to the film Te protegerán mis alas, which allows us to approach the harshness of poverty in Africa and the extreme conditions that lead many people to emigrate”. The councillor also thanked the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, the Diputación de Ciudad Real and the Grupo de Acción Local Campo de Calatrava for their support, underlining the social commitment that has always accompanied the festival.
For his part, Hernán Valdés, director of the festival, highlighted the success of the kick-off and the value of having Antonio Cuadri, director of the film, and the leading actor Ibrahima Kone at the opening. “It is an honour to screen Te protegern mis alas at this opening and to have its creators in attendance,” he said. He also stressed that “we have worked hard to design a twelfth edition that combines high-level screenings with parallel activities”. In addition, Valdés stressed that “it is very important to vindicate the value of solidarity within the framework of the festival, helping those who need it most”. Finally, he invited “everyone to enjoy the cinema in Calzada de Calatrava from 1 to 11 October, in a town that breathes cinema”.
The provincial delegate, Agustín Espinosa, stressed the importance of this event as a cultural and economic driving force for the region. “It is an honour for the Government of Castilla-La Mancha to be once again at the opening of this festival, which promotes not only Calzada, but also the province and the region. Cinema is culture, but it is also industry, employment and economic dynamisation”. In addition, this year, “with the solidarity initiative, the focus is on topical issues such as poverty in Africa or emigration. And we cannot forget the innovation that this festival brings with activities such as the breakfast routes with cinema, which highlight our gastronomy in a very creative way”, he remarked.
From the regional level, David Triguero, president of the Association for the Development of Campo de Calatrava, remarked on the impact of the festival. He thanked “the work of the Calzada Town Council to keep this festival alive, which is becoming more and more important on the national scene. Culture generates identity, wealth and employment, and that is why we support it from the Local Action Group”. In addition, Triguero explained that “this year we are collaborating with a sponsorship of key festivals in the region, and without a doubt the Calzada de Calatrava film festival is a reference, also because of its link with the international figure of Pedro Almodóvar”.
For his part, the director of the film, Antonio Cuadri, expressed his satisfaction at inaugurating the festival with a solidarity event. “This festival grows in prestige and impact every year. It is an honour for us to present a film that reflects the harsh reality of poverty in Africa and the migratory phenomenon, but with a hopeful outlook. On behalf of the whole team, I would like to thank you for the affection we have received”, he said. The protagonist of the feature film, Ibrahima Kone, expressed his emotion and gratitude, and remarked that Te protegerán mis alas “es a tough film, although necessary, that shows another side of the reality that is not always talked about. Thank you to the festival for welcoming us and allowing this message to reach the public.”
Finally, Antonio Gómez, representing Salesian Missions, praised the solidarity dimension of the event. “We would like to thank Calzada de Calatrava for thinking of us. In Africa we have 27 presences and more than 1,300 missionaries working on various issues: social exclusion, poverty, immigration, promotion of women and support for minors in vulnerable situations. This gesture of the festival reinforces our commitment to all these realities”.
With this start full of emotions, solidarity and quality cinema, the XII Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival began its journey until 11 October. An edition that not only highlights the value of short films at regional level, with 12 works selected from more than 70 works participating in the competition in the section ‘Made in Castilla-La Mancha’, and the National Competition with 25 short films in collaboration with CortoEspaña and the Fugaz Awards, but also opens up to new sections, such as the first Spanish Film Showcase – Feature Films awarded in prestigious international festivals. The programme is completed with food and wine tastings, educational workshops, tourist routes, gastronomic routes, exhibitions and children’s sessions.
In short, Calzada de Calatrava once again became the cultural and cinematographic epicentre of the region, demonstrating that this small town in La Mancha is, in its own right, a true film town.
Calzada de Calatrava, a small town in La Mancha, is, once again, a true film town.
In this twelfth edition, the Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival is sponsored by the Association for the Development of Campo de Calatrava, within the framework of the LEADER programme, co-financed by the European Union, the Government of Spain, and the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha.
The festival is also subsidised by the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha and the Diputación Provincial. It also receives financial support from the Producer el Deseo, Finca La Rosala, Fundación Globalcaja and Carpintería Calatrava.
The festival also receives financial support from the Producer el Deseo, Finca La Rosala, Fundación Globalcaja and Carpintería Calatrava.
And has the collaboration of the Public Schools Ignacio de Loyola and Teresa de Jesús of Calzada de Calatrava, the IES Eduardo Valencia of Calzada de Calatrava, groups and cultural associations of the town, JR Fotografía, Mi Escapada Favorita, CortoEspaña, Premios Fugaz as a Festival friend, and the platforms Movibeta and Festhome.