Barcelona, Valencia host film festivals on seniors and Maltese cinema

The eighth edition of the La Gran Pantalla festival runs from 30 June to 4 July 2026 at Cinemes Girona in Barcelona. The event, organized by the elParlante association and the city council, awards an honorary prize to veteran actor Joan Pera and presents 11 feature films and 17 shorts free of charge. Its programme highlights the experiences of older people, social issues from Brazil to Barcelona’s Raval, and aims to break age‑related stereotypes, with director Alfredo Cohen saying the industry must “break the stereotypes that marginalise more than 20 % of the population.”

In Valencia, the Cinema Jove festival debuted the Maltese‑German‑Qatari co‑production Zejtune on 24 June. Directed by Alex Camilleri, the film follows the director’s personal search for his family’s roots and the traditional Maltese folk singing known as għana. The festival also introduced a new Cinema Kids section for young audiences and hosted a panel on youthful representation in contemporary cinema. Both festivals emphasise diverse storytelling and community engagement across Spain’s cultural scene.