Bueu, October 7, 2025 – Last Saturday, September 20th, we brought the 18th edition of FICBUEU to a close, an event that once again consolidated its position as a cultural reference point in the O Morrazo region and on the national film scene.
This edition stood out for its high level of participation, with increased attendance across all competitive sections. Particularly noteworthy was the strong turnout at the daily talks, which saw record numbers and led to enriching exchanges between the audience and the invited filmmakers.
FICBUEU 2025 programmed nearly 80 films, of which 43 were premieres in Galicia and over 10% in Spain; more than thirty nationalities were represented in this edition. Throughout the festival, we welcomed over forty guests from both Spain and abroad, who took part in screenings as well as in parallel activities.
The opening day was very well received: the Galician trio Furanchology filled the atmosphere with music before a packed theatre enjoyed the opening speech and the premiere of Romería, by Carla Simón. The screening was followed by a talk with part of the film’s team: Ferrol-born director and actor Alberto Gracia, actress Marina Troncoso, and the film’s editor Ana Pfaff.
On the first Saturday, we hosted the Film Seminars, dedicated this year to the relationship between music and cinema. Throughout the day, various activities brought top-level audiovisual music professionals to Bueu. These sessions, increasingly followed by both specialised and general audiences, are now available in the digital repository on our YouTube channel.
On Sunday, short film screenings began with the Galician and International Film School Sections, created with the aim of building synergies between the educational community and new filmmakers. The Discoveries Section was also screened, showcasing innovative works with a distinctly experimental nature, as well as the GZ_00 Section, dedicated to emerging Galician creators who shared their works with the audience in a packed post-session talk.
On Monday the 8th, the Official Section began, running across six sessions until Saturday. For the third consecutive year, it was accompanied by a film review booklet inviting viewers to reflect on and revisit the shorts after watching them. These six sessions featured daily attendance by filmmakers and post-screening talks that encouraged dialogue with the audience. During that week, we also hosted a conversation with Anxos Fazáns, winner of the Best Galician Short Film award at FICBUEU 2024, who gave us an exclusive preview of her upcoming film As liñas descontinuas. In addition, we presented FICBUEU Notebook #6 and the Retrospective Section linked to this publication. Its author, José Manuel Mouriño, delves into the relationship between exile and cinematic imagery through the work of creators María Luisa Elío and María Zambrano, and the philosopher María Zambrano.
The final week focused on new generations with MiniFIC, a children’s and youth programme that brought together around 2,000 girls and boys in screenings adapted to different age groups. The festival concluded on Saturday the 20th with a festive day that included the School Gala, where the finalist works were screened and awards were presented, an artistic installation exploring the history of optical toys, and, as usual, a family short film screening that filled the theatre.
Social commitment once again permeated the festival’s programming, both through the socially conscious editorial line of the films and the discourse of the FICBUEU Association, as well as through concrete actions. These included the continued offer of a free childcare service, the participation—once again—of the Juan XXIII Association, whose members not only joined the volunteer team but also led daily workshops in the childcare area. The collaboration with the Vigo-Pontevedra Food Bank was also maintained, with a collection of food, hygiene, and menstrual products that reached its highest figure to date, with over 450 kilograms collected. Additionally, this year’s volunteer team included participants from the ACCEM NGO.
FICBUEU continues with a year-round programme, including both national and international collaborations, and activities in the fields of education and social action. We thus bring the 18th edition to a close, consolidating FICBUEU as an unmissable event every September, both for the local community of O Morrazo and for international film enthusiasts.
