The 39th Cineuropa Festival: Celebrating Love, Freedom, and Global Cinematic Diversity

The 39th Cineuropa Film Festival is set to illuminate Santiago de Compostela, running for sixteen days from November 7 through November 23, 2025. Various venues across the city will host an extensive program featuring 140 international cinematic works. The official opening ceremony will be marked by the screening of the Iraqi film, *The President's Cake*, a picture that previously secured the prestigious Golden Camera award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The competitive section, titled “Filmmakers of the Present,” will showcase eleven submissions vying for top honors. These selected works represent diverse national cinemas, including contributions from Indonesia, Paraguay, Romania, and Serbia, among others. An international jury, featuring industry figures Eulalia Iglesias Weeks and Ramón Luis Bande, will evaluate the entries. José Luis Loza, the Festival Director, emphasized that Cineuropa aims to reflect the multifaceted evolution of contemporary art.

This year, the central focus is placed on love as a transformative power, echoing the foundational mission established when the festival began in 1987: to address the scarcity of European film distribution and bring deserving, often overlooked, cinematic pieces to the public eye. Since 1988, the festival has been an integral fixture in Compostela's November cultural calendar, traditionally blending celebrated award-winners from major events like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice with more experimental, low-budget, and artistically risky cinema.

Significant attention is dedicated to promoting creative freedom, critical engagement with current realities, and recognizing the essential contributions of women creators. The lineup includes acclaimed titles such as *Father Mother Sister Brother* by Jim Jarmusch. In an era where public discourse is frequently marred by divisive rhetoric, cinema that champions affection serves as a potent counterpoint, affirming human connection and unity.

This edition will also pay tribute to several key figures in filmmaking through honorary awards recognizing their significant contributions. Directors Kamal Aljafari, Jonás Trueba, and Hayone Camborda are slated to receive these accolades. Notably, Aljafari will be honored specifically for his sustained efforts in preserving the memory and narrative of Palestine. Cineuropa continues to solidify its reputation as a vital cultural crossroads where the art of film transcends geographical boundaries. The festival’s current emphasis on creative independence aligns perfectly with the motto of the previous, 38th edition: “The heart of cinema is freedom.” This event positions itself not merely as a showcase, but as a crucial catalyst for fostering a deeper appreciation of cinema as both a tool for creation and a means of profound understanding.