By Kevin Fullerton
Available on The List’s website: https://list.co.uk/news/edinburgh-spanish-film-festival-returns-for-13th-edition-49200
The celebration of Spanish language film will tour cinemas in Edinburgh, Tranent, Glasgow, Stirling, Ayr and Manchester throughout October and November
The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF) is returning for another round of films from Spain, Latin America and the Basque, offering a snapshot of brand-new Spanish-language cinema for 2026. Taking place from Thursday 1 October to Thursday 5 November, screenings will take place across Edinburgh, Tranent, Glasgow, Stirling, Ayr and Manchester, offering 16 films alongside guest appearances and cultural events.
This year’s opening will feature two films, Band Together (pictured above) by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo and Lust for Life by El Langui, which both (according to a press release) ‘show how people can support and elevate one another and achieve much greater things together.’ Arévalo will be in attendance at both screenings on Friday 2 October and Saturday 3 October at Edinburgh’s VUE Omni Centre, while Lust for Life’s producer Rodrigo Espinel will present and discuss his documentary on Thursday 1 October at Edinburgh Filmhouse.
The importance of community across Spanish history is a prominent theme throughout the programme, particularly the Spanish Civil War drama Karmele; the discussion of parenthood and Alzheimer’s in I Won’t Die For Love; and the exploration of the business world The Righteous.
In the Latin American strand is A World For Julius by Rossana Díaz Costa, an adaptation of the book by the late Peruvian author Alfredo Bryce Echenique,while the Basque strand will include queer dramedy Maspalomas, and folk horror fantasy Gaua.
Marian A Aréchaga, director of ESFF, said: ‘Spanish cinema is on a high, with the number of films produced in Spain rising steadily in the past few years. At ESFF we are delighted to bring the best of those titles alongside some of the most exciting features from Latin America. It has been and is an incredible experience to share thoughts, views and ideas with directors, colleagues, students and wonderful interpreters who make the whole thing possible.’
