Eleven years ago, a dream was forged in Calzada de Calatrava, a project that would begin to walk until culminating this summer with the presentation of the X Edition of the International Film Festival of Calzada de Calatrava, a dream that has meant the effort of the different government teams that have succeeded each other, as well as the commitment of the Department of Culture and the Cultural Association of Cinema Pedro Almodovar.
During the last decades, Calzada de Calatrava has faced an incessant depopulation that makes us part of the wrongly called Empty Spain, far from accepting this defeatist concept, in Campo de Calatrava we have been able to develop a joint strategy for the economic and social development of our region and today we feel clearly part of that other Spain, we clearly feel part of that other Spain, the Spain of opportunities, in a rural environment, still connected to nature, on which we depend and which we value, breaking down barriers and demonstrating that a man or woman born and educated in Calzada de Calatrava can have the same opportunities for the future as in the cities. For this we rely on all the tools available to the City Council, the Association for the Development of Campo de Calatrava, the Diputación de Ciudad Real, the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha and the Government of Spain.
In this strategy we put in value what makes us unique, Calzada de Calatrava is the kilometric point 0 of the cinematographic route “Pedro Almodóvar” because it is his hometown, to which he returns again and again in so many resources of his cinematography, thus gaining value the Cinema and the cinematographic industry, not only for the cultural and economic development of our town, but it also opens a window of employment opportunities for young people in a developing industry such as the film industry, which is currently demanding new locations also in rural areas, which can encourage the return of talent to the villages.
A no less important aspect has to do with the promotion of inland tourism that this Festival represents, inspired by the figure of the most internationally renowned Spanish film director, our fellow countryman Pedro Almodóvar, and which has the support and collaboration of the production company “El Deseo”, which has accompanied us in this adventure since its origins.
Finally, I would like to refer to the Poster of the 10th Edition of the International Film Festival, a clear plea for the love of cinema, once again designed by our friend Antonio Merinero, a poster designer with an international career. In the words of Merinero himself: “The celebration of the 10th Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival culminates ten years of work, sweat and tears, but, above all, it ratifies the love for cinema of all of us who, happily struck by Cupid’s arrows, visit this magical universe where the days are always like a film”.
Gema García Ríos
Alcaldesa – Presidenta
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