It is an honour for me as mayor and a privilege as a film buff to greet you in this publication of the irreplaceable Ponferrada International Film Festival, which is now in its 22nd edition, no less. This year, the festival continues with the same enthusiasm and excitement as when it began, although with an enviable experience and public support that few cultural activities have.

Throughout this edition, we will be lucky enough to see works that challenge the limits of narrative, that invite us to dream, to question the dynamics of today’s society and to feel. Above all, to feel, which is an extraordinary way of living. Because cinema is, more than ever, a mirror of our realities, our concerns and our hopes.

You will be able to see in this publication that the Festival surpasses itself, opening up new expectations for those who find in cinema many lives in their own lives and great moments of culture, leisure, personal learning and renewed interest in life. This constant improvement of the festival is the result of the well-done work of an organization that knows very well what the expectations of the Ponferrada public are and adapts them to the most varied genres, which constitutes one of the sources of support for the public and a hallmark of the group of Spanish film festivals. This event has become, over the years, an unavoidable reference for those of us who love quality cinema, committed art and the magic of well-told stories.

Ponferrada society is a society open to the world and plural, a space for coexistence with a diversity and richness that did not exist just a few years ago. The people of Ponferrada are more diverse within our common belonging to a municipality that is a welcoming home for culture, and for that reason they also open up more easily to a broader society, to the extent that globalization has also implied new demands for art and cinema in terms of criticism, commitment and narrative.

Ponferrada is during these days not only a privileged stage, but also a symbol of culture and creativity. The Festival is not only an opportunity to discover emerging talent, it is also an occasion to open spaces for reflection, debate and dialogue about the world around us.

I would like to heartily thank the filmmakers who have trusted our festival to show their works, the sponsors and collaborators who make it possible for this dream to remain alive, and, of course, all those who will fill the theaters with their passion for cinema. This festival is also a tribute to the transformative power of art, to its ability to connect us as human beings, to remind us of what unites us and, at the same time, to celebrate what makes us unique by being different.

We will meet in the magical images that will bring experiences and emotions from different places to Ponferrada. I hope everyone enjoys the festival.

Marco Antonio Morala
MAYOR OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF PONFERRADA