The twelfth edition, held from 1 to 11 October, recorded a massive public attendance and a first-class programme, consolidating Calzada de Calatrava as a cultural reference in Castilla-La Mancha
Calzada de Calatrava as a cultural reference in Castilla-La Mancha.
Calzada de Calatrava, 14 October 2025. Calzada de Calatrava has experienced eleven intense days of cinema, culture and emotions with the celebration of the XII Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival, which took place from 1 to 11 October in the town. The event has concluded with an “extraordinary and very successful” balance, as valued by the mayoress Gema García, who has highlighted the high citizen participation, the quality of the screenings and the festive atmosphere that has flooded the streets of the municipality for almost two weeks.
“We have had a magnificent festival, with an audience attendance that has exceeded all expectations and confirms the wisdom of holding the festival in October. This change of dates has been a complete success, because we have seen that the public has responded better and we have filled a month that previously had no cultural programme in the municipality,” said the mayoress. García stressed that the twelfth edition “has strengthened Calzada de Calatrava’s commitment to film and culture, in a festival that has already established itself as an essential event in the regional calendar”.
A multitudinous and colourful closing gala
A multitudinous and colourful closing gala
<p
The mayoress highlighted the participation of the local groups and associations, whose involvement “has been essential for the closing gala to become a multitudinous, colourful and very emotional spectacle”. In this sense, Gema García thanked the collaboration of Amigos de la Danza, the Agrupación Musical Santa Cecilia, the Asociación Nuestra Señora de los Remedios and the Theatre Group of the Universidad Popular, “whose performances filled an unforgettable night with talent and joy”.
The councillor also highlighted “the commendable work of the residents of the streets General Aguilera, Pilatos and Plaza San Sebastián, who, once again, have demonstrated their creativity and commitment to culture”. Thanks to them, the festival once again featured an open-air exhibition in homage to Pedro Almodóvar, with a symbolic journey through his filmography. “It has been a real marvel and a very special tribute to the most universal filmmaker of our land”, added García.
Parallel activities and participationóin the local fabric
Parallel activities and participationin the local fabric
The 12th Film Festival has gone far beyond film screenings, with a wide range of parallel activities that have involved a large part of the social and business fabric of Calzada de Calatrava. Among them, the mayoress highlighted the participation of local bars and restaurants in the ‘Tapas de cine’ and ‘Desayunos de cine’ competitions, which “have brought flavour, atmosphere and dynamism to the programme, making the public experience the festival with all their senses”.
One of the most celebrated novelties was the wine tasting, initially planned for the Plaza, but moved to the Casino due to inclement weather. “The tasting brought together more than a hundred people and was a fantastic activity, with a great response from the public. It is here to stay, because it has shown that gastronomy and cinema can coexist in a very special way,” the mayoress stressed.
Cinema and educationón: a resounding success
Gema García also highlighted “the success of having presented the festival in the auditorium of IES Eduardo Valencia” and of having included “children’s sessions during school hours at the Rafael Serrano Cultural Centre, so that students could enjoy films adapted to their ages”. “We wanted our children to see films on the big screen, to be excited and to learn to love the seventh art from a young age, and we have achieved this,” he said.
The mayoress also wanted to thank “the work of all the people who have been part of the organisation, because thanks to their efforts we have enjoyed an extraordinary programme in which no detail has been lacking”. As he added, “we are already thinking about the next edition, the thirteenth, in which we will include new proposals and surprises to continue to grow”.
Finally, Gema García had words of recognition for the festival’s director, Hernán Valdés, and his entire team. “Their dedication and professionalism have been essential for the festival to reach this level. Nothing has been lacking and we have all been able to enjoy a brilliant programme,” he remarked.
A programmeóof an ambitious and high level
.
The director of the festival, Hernán Valdés, has coincided in highlighting the success of this twelfth edition, both in terms of the quality of the screenings and the audience’s response. “We have had an ambitious programme, which has combined the best cinema with parallel activities of great interest, and this has been noticed in the attendance and enthusiasm of the spectators”, he pointed out.
Valdés especially praised the first Spanish Film Festival – Feature Films, which included titles such as Sirat, by Óliver Laxe; Romería, by Carla Simón; and Sorda, by Eva Libertad. “It has been a very special showcase, with films of enormous quality. In fact, Sirat has been selected to represent Spain at the 2026 Oscars, so we couldn’t be happier”, he commented.
The director also highlighted the great reception of the audience to the national short films, with four screenings during the festival that “have had an extraordinary response, showing the variety and richness of the current Spanish short film scene”. He also praised the works presented in the ‘Made in Castilla-La Mancha’ section, which, in his words, “have demonstrated the great talent that exists in our region and the importance of continuing to support local creators”.
Hernán Valdés also recalled the success of this year’s tribute to the brothers Carlos and Roberto Valle, both from the region, who gave us an unforgettable night with the screening of their works ‘Semillas de Kivu’ and ‘Kairós’. Not forgetting that “we held the tribute ceremony with a total collection of 1,063 euros for the children’s homes of the Salesian Missions in Togo”. At the ceremony we were able to enjoy the film ‘My wings will protect you’, narrating the difficulties experienced in Togo, and the attendance of its renowned director Antonio Cuadri, as well as the film’s producer, Carlos Díaz del Río, and the main actor, Ibrahima Kone.
Presence of professionals and luxury exhibitions
Another of the most valued aspects has been the presence of film industry professionals, such as the actor Carlos Santos, “a well-known and much-loved figure in Spanish cinema, whose participation has enriched the festival along with many others who have not missed the opportunity to take to our stage”, Valdés stressed.
The director also praised the ‘Atrezzo’ exhibition, one of the jewels of this year’s edition, “a real luxury and an honour, with objects on temporary loan from the Almodóvar brothers’ production company El Deseo”. Among the pieces on display were Kika’s bar and Eusebio Poncela’s shirt, iconic elements in the filmmaker’s filmography. “It has been a real treat and a privilege to have these pieces here in Calzada”, he acknowledged.
Valdés also highlighted the importance of the film training and workshops held during the festival, “with a great reception by the participants, demonstrating that interest in learning about film is growing every year”.
A festival that is already looking to the future
The director assured that “the thirteenth edition is already underway” and that “next year we will return to enjoy new emotions and the best Spanish cinema”. Valdés closed his assessment by thanking “the audience for their presence and their commitment to each screening held at the Rafael Serrano Cultural Centre, because without them, this festival would be meaningless”.
With the curtain down and the satisfaction of a job well done, Calzada de Calatrava has once again demonstrated that cinema is part of its identity. Eleven days that have turned the town into the cultural epicentre of the province and have made it clear that the Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival continues to grow, with more strength and more enthusiasm than ever.