Mexico and Spain film festivals highlight new formats in August

The third edition of Cine al Margen runs in Mexico City until 9 August, presenting nine feature films and 13 short films, all Mexican. Festival director Rafael Martínez‑García said attendance has doubled since the first edition and the program now includes a new short‑film section. The event is staged at La Casa del Cine MX, the Marco Julio Linares Hall of the Mexican Film Institute and other venues.

Mancha Quality, part of the International Film Festival of Almagro in Spain, continues until 8 August. This year it focuses on artificial‑intelligence‑generated audiovisual works and vertical‑format series popular with younger audiences. The programme features a generative‑AI showcase, a specialised workshop, pitches from the CMMPlay Vertical Awards finalists and a round‑table on the narrative possibilities and industry challenges of the vertical format. Both festivals aim to bring emerging technologies and new storytelling forms to filmmakers and the public.