English 
Puerto Banus is all set to host the 9th Marbella International Film Festival this week (1st – 5th October). More than 60 independent feature-length films, shorts, animated films and documentaries made by film makers from around the world will be presented on specially erected screens at the both H10 Andalucía Plaza Hotel just outside the Port and the Palacio de Congresos on the Golden Mile.
The films will all be shown in their original languages with English subtitles, or if they are already in English, Spanish subtitles will be displayed. The festival’s organisers have lofty ambitions for the event, which they hope eventually will become Europe’s equivalent of America’s influential Sundance Film Festival.
They also see the festival as the ideal vehicle to promote Marbella as a viable area in which to produce movies and in doing so, generate potential long-term investments for the region. As well as the film screenings, there will also be talks given by film producers and – to encourage movie makers of the future – a 24-Hour Film Challenge in which competitors are invited to script, shoot, edit and submit a 3-4 minute short film which will then be shown on the last day of the festival.
The event will conclude with a black tie Gala Awards Dinner held at the H10 Andalucia Plaza Hotel with cocktails, live music and the closing ceremony. Tickets to all film screenings are free and if you fancy checking out what’s on offer, you can apply for your passes by visting the festival’s official website here.