Every spring, Malaga rolls out the red carpet. It’s the Malaga Film Festival, the big showcase of Spanish-language cinema. Note: it’s not an international festival like San Sebastián. Here they celebrate the cinema of Spain and Latin America, Ibero-American cinema. It has run since 1998 and has grown year after year. For about ten days, it transforms the whole old town, five minutes from the hotel. You cross paths with film crews on the terraces and photocalls on street corners. And you don’t need to speak Spanish to feel the festive energy. It has become, indeed, one of the great cinema events in Spain.
When is the Malaga Film Festival?
The festival is usually held in March, over about ten days. But the exact dates and the edition number change every year. So check the current year’s programme on the official site before you book. It’s an ideal time to come. The days grow longer, the terraces reopen, and the city comes alive without the summer crowds. If you’re aiming for these dates, book early. The hotel fills up fast when the festival is in town. In March, too, the light is soft and the rates gentler than in high season.
The Teatro Cervantes and the other venues
The heart of the festival is the Teatro Cervantes, a 19th-century theatre. And good news: it’s a two-minute walk from the Casa Beatas hotel. It hosts the opening gala, the red carpet and the closing ceremony. It’s where you come to watch actors and directors go by. The competition screenings, meanwhile, are split between the Teatro Echegaray, close by, and the Cine Albéniz. Other venues are added each year, right up to the Picasso Museum. The Cervantes is worth a look even outside the festival, with its Italian-style auditorium and painted ceiling. During the festival, its facade fills with screens and the red carpet comes down to the street. It all fits within the old town. So you move from one venue to another on foot.
The Biznaga de Oro, a symbol of Malaga
The top prize is called the Biznaga de Oro. The name comes from the biznaga, that little posy of jasmine mounted on a stalk. Vendors sell it in summer: it’s the emblem of Malaga. Since 2017, two Biznagas de Oro have been awarded. One rewards the best Spanish film, the other the best Ibero-American one. The Biznagas de Plata, for their part, honour directing, acting and cinematography. I love the idea of a prize named after a local flower. Each year, the awards ceremony closes the festival in style.
The city in festival mode
What I like best is what happens outside. Photocalls go up on the Muelle Uno, the Plaza de la Constitución and the Plaza de la Merced. The festival posters dress the facades. The cafés fill with people from the industry. And there’s always a little crowd somewhere, because a crew is passing. Even without a ticket, you enjoy the atmosphere just by strolling. In the evening, people gather behind the barriers for the walks up the steps. By day, you come across open-air screenings. It’s, for me, the best time to see Malaga in its finery.
Experiencing the Malaga Film Festival as a visitor
Part of the screenings is open to the public. Tickets are sold at the venues’ box offices and on the official site. The Cervantes galas, however, are by invitation. Note: the films are in Spanish, often without subtitles. So come first for the atmosphere, the red carpet and the city in celebration. And since everything happens in the centre, a central base like Casa Beatas changes everything. For a trip for two during the festival, take a look at our superior double room in the heart of the old town. One last tip: check the Cervantes red-carpet times the day before. They’re the easiest moments to enjoy without a ticket. Think too of the open-air screenings, often free and open to all. A question about the day’s programme? Write to me on WhatsApp, I’ll tell you where to catch the red carpet.
