The 34th Alfàs Film Festival kicks off

The 34th Alfàs Film Festival kicks off

The 34th Alfàs Film Festival kicks off Image: L'Alfas del Pi

The 34th Alfàs Film Festival kicked off on June 30 with a ‘Tourism and Cinema’ conference, organised at Invat-tur.

Responding to the increasing number of people who undertake tourism through what they see on-screen, Víctor Mirete Promotion Manager of the Costa Blanca Tourist Board said: “80 million travellers chose their destination in 2018 based on series of films, so this is a train that we can’t let pass.”

According to the figures provided, more than 83 million foreigners chose Spain as a destination in 2019, making it one most visited countries in the world thanks to its monumental, natural and cultural wealth. But many are also known to visit the country because of its relationship with cinema.

Francesc Colomer. Regional Secretary for Tourism said the Generalitat Valenciana is already working on the creation of Film Offices adding that: “Cinema is a very important lever for promotion.”

The mayor of l’Alfàs del Pi, Vicente Arques, also made the same point. “The Film Festival was born 34 years ago as a cultural event. Today it is the event with the greatest tourist projection in the municipality, which also has a very important role as an element of economic dynamism,” said Arques.

Director of the Alfàs Film Festival, Luis Larrodera, pointed to destinations that have become places of pilgrimage for fans of series such as Game of Thrones. So much so that various studies indicate that 30 per cent of tourists to a place admit that they visit it after having seen it in the cinema or on television.

The event brought together professionals from the tourism sector and political authorities at Invat-tur, including the Director-General of Tourism, Herick Campos, the Alfasina councillors for the Presidency, Mayte García, and Employment Promotion, Dolores Albero, and the councillor for Tourism, Luis Miguel Morant.

The main aim of the festival is to promote Spanish cinema and, in particular, Spanish short films. This year, the Festival has increased the amount of the prizes to €8,000 euros by incorporating a new award with a cash prize for productions made entirely in the Comunitat Valenciana.

A total of 921 short films were received, 23 of which have been selected to compete in the Official Selection. Each year, the selection process has become more complicated due to the quality of the works presented. The Festival is a consolidated platform for discovering new talent, but it is also a tourist attraction of interest for l’Alfàs, which is committed to cinema as an added attraction to a destination that offers sun, beach, heritage, culture, sport and nature

The 34th Alfàs Film Festival will be held from 2 to 10 July.


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Written by

Peter McLaren-Kennedy

Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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