Santa Pola film festival expands national reach in 14th edition

Santa Pola has taken a step forward for the development of its film industry with the announcement of the new edition of its Film Festival, now in its 14th edition. This year’s event will expand the reach of the town on the national audiovisual horizon. The competition will be held in October, in the House of Culture and is promoted by the Santa Pola Town Council’s Youth and Culture Departments.

Santa Pola puts Alicante and Spanish short films in the spotlight this October

One of the main draws of this edition of the competition is the opportunity for creators from all over Spain to participate, allowing local talents to shine but also strengthening its reach across the province of Alicante and beyond. The competition will focus on national, regional, and local youth categories. Collaborative projects with other countries will also be featured.

Young filmmakers will be able to submit works of various genres, including fiction, animated films, and documentaries. Short films of up to 59 minutes in duration will be allowed, reflecting restrictions of other, international short film competitions.

The prize money for the awards has also been increased, and recognitions will be awarded for the best national film, the best regional film, the best Alicante short film, the best film in Valencian, and other local and public recognitions. 

A renowned audiovisual professional forms part of the organising team

Another exciting aspect of this year’s edition is the participation of Miguel Herrero, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who is forming part of the organising team. Herrero is an experienced professional in the audiovisual sphere, with several feature films and around twenty short films under his belt. Founder of the Sax International Film Festival, he has accumulated more than 400 official selections and more than 100 awards.

Competition already sees record participation from young filmmakers

Additionally, in only a week and a half since the opening of the registration, the festival has already seen record participation. More than 60 works have been submitted so far, representing the industry’s excitement to participate in Santa Pola’s newest edition of its Film Festival.

Registration will be open until September 6, 2026. Officials anticipate an edition with highly competitive films, a diversity of works, and a wealth of new artists on the Alicante audiovisual scene and beyond.

With the new edition of this competition, Santa Pola establishes its role as a cultural and audiovisual benchmark on the Costa Blanca South.