The Diputación de Córdoba, through its Culture Delegation and as part of its Singulares programme, is set to host the 24th Rural Film Festival of Dos Torres and the 7th Instant Film Marathon from 23 to 25 October at the Casa de la Cultura. This year's theme, 'Women’s perspectives in rural cinema: past and present', aims to position the municipality of Los Pedroches as a hub for audiovisual creation and reflection on rural life.
Gabriel Duque, the provincial Culture delegate, stated, "This festival is pioneering not only in our province but in many other places. We support it to enable participants to showcase their work in venues like the Filmoteca de Andalucía." He emphasised the initiative's goal of bringing cinema to local communities and fostering dialogue between creators and audiences, while also using audiovisual media to highlight the realities, heritage, and identity of rural areas.
Manuel Torres, the mayor of Dos Torres, noted the significance of the festival, mentioning that this year’s programme includes a documentary from Radio Televisión Española dating back to 1971, underscoring the town's connection to the film industry.
Festival highlights and programming
Miguel Coleto, the Culture technician for the town, detailed the festival's programming, which includes the opening presentation of the short film 'What do dragons eat?' by Córdoba's Álvaro León. This will be followed by a discussion with the director and lead actress, Cristina Mediero, moderated by film journalist Manuel Bellido, aimed at demonstrating opportunities for women in the film industry.
The festival will also feature a screening of 'Manuela', directed by Gonzalo García Pelayo, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of this landmark film in Andalusian cinema. The film, which adapts Manuel Halcón's famous novel, includes a soundtrack that contributed to the rise of Andalusian rock and stars Charo López and Máximo Valverde, who will be honoured during the event.
On Saturday, the festival will kick off with an informational session for the 7th Instant Film Marathon, where participants will begin filming their short films. A highlight of the day will be a tribute to Córdoba filmmaker Josefina Molina, a Goya de Honor recipient in 2012 and a pioneer in Spanish cinema. The festival will also screen the 1971 documentary 'El retablo del Valle de Los Pedroches', produced by RTVE, which explores the cultural heritage of the region, particularly Dos Torres.
The festival will continue to focus on female representation with the screening of 'What remains of you' by Gala Gracia, part of the IX National Cycle of Women in Rural Cinema. Following the film, there will be a forum with the director and a roundtable discussion on the vital role of women in maintaining rural life, economy, and conservation.
7th Instant Film Marathon
During the festival's presentation, Eduardo Lucena, the Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport delegate of the Junta de Andalucía in Córdoba, also introduced the 7th Instant Film Marathon. This event challenges participants to create their own short films throughout the festival. The final gala will showcase the completed works and include a jury deliberation, with musical performances by JULIA & Cuarteto, featuring Bernardo Benítez, Manu Torres, Javier Rabadán, and Julia García. The jury's decision will be announced, and awards will be presented at the conclusion of the event.
