“Alternativa has always championed auteur cinema, films you can't see in traditional venues. Our philosophy has stayed the same, but over the years we've tried to evaluate the changing needs of both professionals and the public,” Tess explains. “We've worked hard to create a festival that's not just a temporary platform for film screenings, but also a space for debate, reflection, discovery... a long-lasting event that the public can actively take part in.”

The festival is a truly international one, uniting the work of directors from all over the globe in its three competitive sections, and now organizing additional projects both in Spain and overseas. “L’Alternativa gives viewers a chance to discover up-and-coming international directors, the cinema of the future,” says Tess. She recommends in particular the Parallel sections dedicated to French auteur Alain Cavalier and Chilean documentary filmmaker Patricio Guzmán, two prolific directors whose films are rarely screened in Spain.

Naturally, the festival also supports Spanish artists, with the Panorama section inviting national directors and producers to introduce their latest works. Barcelona has often been called the indie film capital of Europe, and in recent years has seen a number of its young filmmakers make their mark at international festivals.

“That's partly thanks to some brave producers who have taken a chance on unconventional projects,” notes Tess. “For this to continue, the funding needs to keep coming and we have to keep fighting for new projection spaces, so that the public can have access to cinema that is provoking and not just entertaining.” This is just the type of cinema l’Alternativa provides, with its varied nine-day program encouraging viewers to discover the creative richness that lies beyond the boundaries of commercial cinema.

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