On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the light of the Levantine sun mingles with that of the film projectors that fill the small Alicante town of l'Alfás del Pi with cinema in the 36th edition of its film festival, one of the oldest in Spain and one of the most prestigious in the world of short films. Pedro Almodóvar, Miguel Bosé, Victoria Abril or Rossy de Palma have all attended previous editions.
Among the audience, there is also a mixture of different accents. It is not surprising, since here, in this remote coastal town, resides the largest community of Norwegians and Britons in Spain. Contrary to what some might think, they arrived in the 1960s, attracted by the mountains that surround the coastline. A few decades later, this event was created with them as inspiration.
Hollywood has its Oscar, the Berlinale its Bear and Alfás has its Silver Lighthouse, an award inspired by tall tower that illuminates this small municipality in the same way that the films hope to illuminate the minds of the spectators. In the years that it has been held, the festival's selection has been critically acclaimed and it also plays a vital role in the short films pre-selected for the Goya awards.
Many nationally and internationally renowned filmmakers have posed on the Alfasino walk of fame with the Silver Lighthouse prize. Spanish film stars such as Pedro Almodóvar, Luis García Berlinga, Carlos Saura, Álex de la Iglesia and Enrique Cerezo have been recognised for their work in the seventh art. Some of the great performers have also passed through the streets of Alfás to collect their awards: Carmen Maura, Maribel Verdú, Rossy de Palma, Victoria Abril and Sara Montiel are just some of the names on the list of celebrities who have received awards in Alfás.
In this year's edition, comedy has been honoured. In fact, 'Cacharrico', the winning short film, which has been shortlisted for the Goya Awards, is an ode to female sexuality, comedy and anti-ageist.
Among those present was the former Minister of Culture, writer and presenter Máximo Huerta, who has been named ambassador of the festival. He gave a moving speech on receiving the award about the influence of cinema on his childhood through the stories that his mother, an extra in Joselito's films, told him about those shootings.
The festival's mix-and-match approach appears increasingly popular with the public and professionals and amateur filmmakers, who are also encouraged to dive into the whole world of film and photography. As the sounds of the sea echo in the background, the award winners from this year's edition are unlikely to forget their moment in the spotlight.
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