We live in strange times. Confusing. Often absurd. And in the face of this landscape, one of the most powerful weapons we have is humor. A kind of humor that doesn’t trivialize, but transforms. That doesn’t diminish depth, but rather makes it digestible. That helps us to face reality head-on… and, at the same time, to open windows onto it.

This is how the motto for this 12th edition is born: “The Art of Disillusionment.”

A disillusionment that is not an end, but a starting point. To continue. To resist. To keep asking questions and provoking reflection. And above all, to do it together. Because humor, when it is lucid, is also a radical way of persisting, despite it all.

This year, the festival is presented in a compact and intense showcase format: four days of cinema with a critical spirit, a committed perspective, and a desire to stir consciences. But also with the intention of doing so with a laugh on our lips—even if, at times, that laughter stings a little, because laughter is not always kind.

The program invites us on a journey through different formats and themes, approaching humor with varying intensity: from satire to domestic absurdity, through social commentary, collective memory, and the kind of comedy that helps us survive when everything seems to be falling apart.

Beyond the films, we offer parallel activities that expand the experience: spaces to learn, share, think, and build community.

This year, we are also giving a very special recognition. We want to honor Queco Novell for his career as a communicator and actor, and especially for his ironic and critical perspective on our country’s reality. But this award is not just for him; it’s for the entire team of the show Polònia, an essential reference point in our cultural and political DNA. Polònia is an example of how to create humor with intention, without losing depth or commitment, and that is precisely what we want to highlight.

We champion the decentralization of quality culture, because everyone should have access to spaces where they can think, be moved, and share. Doing this at a local level is also a form of resistance.

The festival does not seek to provide answers, but to open spaces for conversation, to raise questions, and to build community.

The art of disillusionment is knowing how to look at the world… and to continue being in it.
With cinema, with a critical spirit, and also with humor.
Because humor is resistance.

Marina Saura Olivella
Festival Director