SPAIN, FRANCE, BELGIUM, ARGENTINA, AND MEXICO ARE THE MOST REPRESENTED COUNTRIES IN THE OFFICIAL SECTION AWARDING THE DANZANTE PRIZES, QUALIFIERS FOR THE HOLLYWOOD OSCARS
THE NUMBER OF DEBUT FILMS RISES TO 37, NEARLY HALF OF THE TOTAL, WITH A NOTABLE INCREASE IN FEMALE DIRECTORS, ESPECIALLY IN THE INTERNATIONAL AND DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONS
The official section of the 53rd Huesca International Film Festival will include 76 productions from a total of 34 countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. This year saw record-breaking numbers in the preselection process, with over 2,000 short films submitted from 101 countries. The official selection will consist of 31 films in the Ibero-American competition, 30 in the International, and 15 in the Documentary section. In detail, Spain will have the highest representation with 23 selected works, followed by France with 15, Belgium with 5, and Argentina and Mexico completing the top five with 4 each. “The Festival has enormous international prestige, as seen in the record submission numbers this year,” said Estela Rasal.
One of the artistic pillars of this Aragonese event is its role as a launching pad for future filmmakers, which is clearly reflected in 2025 with a notable rise in debut films compared to last year—from 30 to 37 in this 53rd edition. Almost half of the films to be screened are the debut or second works of their creators.
Also important is the number of women directors in the competition: 28 in total. In the international and documentary competitions, their presence is particularly strong—14 of the 30 international films and 6 of the 15 documentaries are directed by women. “Female voices are making their way into the audiovisual world on their own merits, and this is an important development that enriches the discourse, the perspective, and brings us closer to a more just and equal world,” stated Rasal.
The diversity of themes and genres is one of the main features of the selection. “Drama and comedy are well balanced. There are stories about family, religion, adolescence, some with ‘queer’ themes, and even a few biopics. These trends reflect our society; over the years we’ve seen them evolve alongside the world we live in,” explained the director of Aragón’s longest-running film event.
ON THE ROAD TO THE OSCARS
The international prestige of the Huesca event is backed by over 50 years of history. For two decades, The Academy has recognized it as a qualifying festival for the Oscars. This endorsement has been renewed for 2025, and only six film festivals in Spain hold this honor, making it a globally appealing platform. Additionally, the HIFF awards over €24,000 in prizes through its award list, in which the audience also plays a key role by voting for the Audience Award, sponsored by Aragón TV.
The competing short films will be screened at the centennial Teatro Olimpia in the capital of Alto Aragón, with two free daily screenings in a large format and under the highest quality standards. Filmmakers from around the world travel to Huesca each year to present their works—projects into which years of teamwork and hopes for the future have been poured. For many of these productions, the capital of Alto Aragón could be the first step in a fruitful career or the final push needed to break into the festival circuit.
