Julio Medem, honored at the 22nd Alicante Festival

The Teatro Principal of Alicante has hosted the opening gala of the 22nd edition of the Alicante International Film Festival, in which the director Julio Medem and the actresses Ana Fernández and Adriana Ugarte have been honored.

The presenter Luis Larrodera has welcomed one more year to the event and this contest that for a week will fill the city with Alicante of short films, feature films, meetings, forums and presentations. The gala had as its high points the distinctions of the night, which began with the City of Alicante Award awarded to Adriana Ugarte from the hands of the theater actress Petra Martínez. The actress has praised Martínez, whom she has described as "a symbol of the team, a companion, something essential in this profession. Sometimes we forget the importance of bonding, uniting, transforming, not just pursuing a product. On filming this is essential."

The Honor Award at the 22nd Alicante Film Festival has gone to the Goya-winning Sevillian actress for Solas, Ana Fernández. The actor Pedro Casablanc has been the one who has given this recognition to a great career in the world of cinema. "Thanks to all the teams, directors who have entrusted me with the characters that I have been able to make throughout my life. And thanks to this Festival and thanks for betting on short films that are a wonderful pool," explained Ana Fernández after collecting her award. The actress concluded her speech by asking the world of culture to “support the Palestinian cause, which is experiencing a true genocide.”

Finally, the Ciudad de la Luz Award, which honors Spanish directors, went to the award-winning director Julio Medem. He received it from the director of Ciudad de la Luz, Fermín Crespo. "I want to confess to you that I receive this award as the Alicante spirit, because I need it. Continuing is increasingly difficult, it has cost me a lot to get up 8, my last film. But I'm moving forward and this encouragement is very good for me and I need it, so I'm very grateful," said Medem, who said that this award will serve as an impetus for him to do new projects. "And I hope one of those projects is to be able to film the story of Aspasia, the story of my novel, and I would do it here, in the City of Light," Julio Medem concluded.

He Alicante International Film Festival, which will be held from May 17 to 24, cuenta con el apoyo de la Universidad de Alicante, Diputación Provincial de Alicante, el Ayuntamiento de Alicante, Alicante City & Beach, Instituto Valenciano de Cultura, À Punt Media y otras empresas colaboradoras.