The 10th Skyline Benidorm Film Festival breaks records for short films received, scripts submitted and ‘Shortpitch’ projects

The tenth edition of the Skyline Benidorm Film Festival, which will take place from April 18 to 25, has once again broken records in terms of submissions. A total of 756 short films, 760 screenplays, and 61 projects were submitted through the Shortpitch competition, representing the festival's best results in its entire history.

In this regard, the Festival Director, Beatriz Hernández, stated that "these are record figures for the festival, but beyond the numbers, what is truly impressive is the quality of the submissions. Every year, we feel the bar is raised, and this year has been no exception." According to the director, "receiving these figures is also a responsibility because it means there is a creative community that trusts Skyline, and that motivates us to continue nurturing the festival and to live up to expectations."

The festival has already announced its Official National Section, one of the most anticipated parts of the program, and the feeling from this first selection is clear: Spanish short films are experiencing one of their strongest periods, both creatively and internationally. This Official Section brings together a combination of established voices and new perspectives, with names that are shaping the current audiovisual landscape, such as Mabel Lozano, Lara Izagirre, Carmen Córdoba, Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, Javier Marco, and Nacho Solana, among others, in a program that champions diversity in cinematic languages ​​and themes.

Among the selected titles are ‘10 Metros sobre la tierra’ by Irene Baqué, ‘Hoy no es invierno’ by Mabel Lozano, and ‘Casi septiembre’ by Lucía G. Romero, which comes after its screenings at Berlinale Shorts and Seminci. Also noteworthy are works with a strong international presence, such as James A. Castillo's 'El fantasma de la quinta', shortlisted for the Oscars, and Joecar Hanna's 'Talk Me', executive produced by Spike Lee and awarded at the Málaga and Toronto Film Festivals.

The selection is rounded out with titles that explore social and personal themes from different perspectives, such as Marina Velázquez Benítez's 'El color gris', Rodrigo Márquez's 'La huella del barro', Marta Albert González's 'Tú no', and Polo Menárguez's 'Una vocal'.

Valencian talent and premieres will also have a prominent place in this edition, with works such as Adán Aliaga's 'Cotton Candy', Coke Arijo's 'La hora escrita', and Juan Barbazán's 'María Rita', in addition to Lara Izagirre's 'El regalo', which will premiere in Alicante. Joining them is ‘Pálpito’ by Marisa Crespo and Moisés Romera.

Animation and formal experimentation find their place with titles such as ‘Cap al ce’ by Nicolás Sole, ‘Lucus’ by David Fidalgo Omil, and ‘Porque hoy es sábado’ by Alice Eça Guimarães, in a section that confirms the breadth of perspectives in the current scene.

Completing the selection are works such as ‘Pipiolos’ by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo; ‘Polígono X’ by Néstor López; ‘Tenéis que verlo’ by Nacho Solana; ‘Ingrid’ by Raquel Colera; ‘Insalvable’ by Javier Marco; ‘Pinchu es así’ by Carmen Córdoba; ‘Retrato de un hombre en perspectiva abstracto’ by Pedro González Bermúdez; ‘Los chicos con las chicas’ by Claudia García de Mateos; and ‘La última canción’ by María Lorente-Becerra, among others.

Beatriz Hernández emphasised that the selection process was “especially difficult” because the level of submissions “was extremely high,” which is why she expressed her “great happiness and satisfaction” with this year's choices.

The announcement of the Official Selection marks the beginning of the festival's full rollout, as the rest of the program will be revealed leading up to its opening. Thus, in the coming days, the Ibero-American Official Selection, the International Selection, and the special features of this edition, which will feature Mexico as the guest country, will be announced.

“When we started, Skyline was a very small showcase, almost a meeting point, and ten years later, it's exciting to see what it has become, but it also compels us to continue paying attention to every detail. This tenth edition is very special, and we want that to be evident, to be experienced, and for the audience to feel that the festival is now an essential point of reference for short films,” concluded Beatriz Hernández.