The Cine Capitol-Sala Globalcaja in Albacete hosted a new day of the educational programmes Abycinitos and Mi Primer Abycine, initiatives from the International Film Festival of Albacete, in collaboration with the provincial government. These programmes aim to introduce audiovisual language and the cinematic experience to thousands of schoolchildren.
Provincial deputy for education and culture, Miguel Zamora, and Abycine director, José Manuel Zamora, attended one of the scheduled sessions for students from the Escolapios, San Fernando, José Prat, and Francisco Coll schools. They engaged with the children in an activity that transforms the cinema into a space for discovery, learning, and interaction.
This year's edition includes 46 educational sessions, with 35 for Abycinitos and 11 for Mi Primer Abycine, expecting participation from between 15,000 and 16,000 students aged 3 to those in secondary education, baccalaureate, and vocational training. José Manuel Zamora explained that this year's programming includes a new specific proposal to better differentiate content by age, particularly for secondary students, and to adapt films to various developmental stages.
The aim is for children and young people to discover the world of cinema through a carefully curated selection of national and international short films, combining animation with live action and addressing themes relevant to their interests and experiences. Proposals for younger audiences prioritise imagination, visual expression, and discovering new storytelling methods, while those aimed at teenagers incorporate more complex content related to current issues, family relationships, coexistence, and respect for diversity.
José Manuel Zamora emphasised the educational dimension of these programmes, which go beyond merely screening films. They seek to awaken curiosity, stimulate artistic sensitivity, and help students develop their own perspectives on the images and stories they consume. He also highlighted the importance of allowing schoolchildren to experience cinema in a screening room, sharing the emotions and discoveries offered by the big screen.
The sessions include animation proposals and elements that make the experience more participatory for younger viewers. Among these is the creative work of Francis Zafra, who is involved in activities aimed at children. Zamora also pointed out the potential of cinema to open professional horizons and inspire vocations related to audiovisual creation.
The programming is complemented by educational materials and activities that allow classroom integration of the film content, including subtitled short films in their original language, which facilitate their use as educational resources for language learning.
Deputy Miguel Zamora highlighted the educational aspect of Abycine, noting that the festival develops this key line of work for children and youth alongside its film programming and activities related to the audiovisual industry. The programmes enable many children to have their first contact with cinema in a screening room, while discovering quality short films, exploring different audiovisual languages, and engaging with content related to values education.
The educational activities of Abycine take place in four venues across the capital: Teatro de la Paz, Cine Capitol-Sala Globalcaja, Vialia, and Yelmo Imaginalia cinemas. Students from various educational centres in different municipalities and districts of the province, including Santa Ana, Aguas Nuevas, Munera, Madrigueras, Lezuza, Fuente-Álamo, Tarazona de la Mancha, Ossa de Montiel, Pozo Cañada, Balazote, Minaya, Mahora, Hellín, Yeste, Villalgordo del Júcar, Robledo, Alcaraz, and Villamalea, attend the sessions. Participation also includes the town of Minglanilla in Cuenca, expanding the geographical scope of the activities.
The educational programmes of Abycine originated in 2006 and have developed over two decades with the support of the Albacete provincial government. José Manuel Zamora recalled that this trajectory has allowed several generations of schoolchildren to engage with the festival from an early age, to the extent that many who participated in its first editions are now adults. Looking ahead to 2027, which will mark the 20th anniversary of this educational initiative, the festival director highlighted the journey of a project that has accompanied successive generations of young people in their discovery of cinema.
