Granada International Film Festival
Although autumn in Granada already offers a rich agenda of music, theater, and culture, one of the highlights of the cultural calendar arrives with the 6th Granada International Film Festival – Lorca Awards, taking place from November 21 to 29, 2025.
Founded in 2020, this festival has quickly established itself as the city’s main annual cinematic event, bringing together filmmakers from over 80 countries and turning Granada into an epicenter of international cinema. Its setting couldn’t be more inspiring: a city that has served as the filming location for legendary movies like Doctor Zhivago, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Intemperie, and series such as Isabel and Black Mirror.
A Global Platform for Emerging Talent
The festival’s mission is to support and give visibility to new directors from Spain and around the world. Each year, more than 150 titles are screened, including short films, documentaries, and feature films, selected to compete in various categories.
Its flagship section is the Official Selection, complemented by specific categories such as the New Directors Competition, launched in 2022 to reward the first and second works of emerging filmmakers.
Lorca Awards: Granada’s Recognition of Talent
The festival presents 22 official awards, each represented by a bronze statuette of Federico García Lorca, crafted by the Moreno Brothers and valued at €3,000 each.
Awards cover both feature films (Best Film, Debut Feature, Direction, Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score, Documentary, Best Actor/Actress, and Ensemble Cast) and short films (Best International, National, Andalusian, Granada, Social, Comedy, Animation, plus acting awards).
In total, over €60,000 in prizes are awarded, recognizing artistic excellence while also boosting the international projection of winning works by opening doors to other partner festivals in Europe and Latin America.
Voices That Endorse the Festival
In its five previous editions, the Lorca Awards have featured recognized figures such as Pedro Casablanc, Enma Suárez, Antonio Dechent, Pablo Puyol, Rosario Pardo, Sara Sálamo, and Salva Reina, alongside nominations for big names like Belén Rueda, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, José Sacristán, and Marisa Paredes.
The festival has also garnered praise from the industry:
- “The Granada International Film Festival – Lorca Awards has been key in supporting and promoting international filmmakers” – Specialized Critique
- “A festival with elegance and strength. A statuette that carries responsibility because of its significance” – Manolo Gago, film director
- “Incredible festival, majestic, fantastic. An honor to attend” – Marta Cora Castro, film director (Uruguay)
- “This is one of the best festivals in Spain, destined to become one of the greats in Europe” – Tuti Fernández
More Than Cinema: An Experience in Granada
The festival is not only a celebration of the seventh art but also a perfect excuse to explore the city from a new perspective. Attending screenings, workshops, and conferences allows visitors to discover Granada’s autumnal atmosphere: the historic neighborhoods of Albaicín and Sacromonte, the Alhambra illuminated at night, and squares that become meeting points for filmmakers and cinephiles from around the world.
