THE STUDENTS GUILLERMO VILLÉN & DAVID PALOMO, WINNERS OF THE FANCINE 2025 COMIC AND ILLUSTRATION COMPETITION

Buzzheart’, ‘Self-Help’ and ‘Silencio’ headline the final premieres of this edition’s lineup on the eve of the closing ceremony.

The 35th Fancine enters its final stretch with new screenings such as ‘Buzzheart’ and ‘Self-Help’, while Eduardo Casanova’s ‘Silencio’ closes its section, alongside the Korean thriller ‘Harbin’. On the eve of the closing ceremony, the jury held its final deliberation as the awards for the 17th Comic and Illustration Competition were presented. In the comic category, the top prize went to ‘Recortes’ by Guillermo Villén Alba, a student at the Escuela de Arte de San Telmo, with mentions for works such as ‘Energía divina’, ‘Mr. Cockroach’, and ‘Sartra’. In illustration, the winner was David Palomo Martín, from IES Mediterráneo, with ‘Sin título’, alongside finalists such as ‘El mundo cruel’  and other notable entries. The winners will receive drawing materials worth €150 for the students and €300 for their schools, reinforcing the educational focus of the competition.

In collaboration with the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the University of Málaga (UMA), the results of the 10th Fantastic and Horror Micro-Story Competition were announced in a session led by vice dean Miguel Ángel González, where the jury highlighted the texts’ ability to create unsettling atmospheres around the theme of energy. The first prize went to ‘Mala energía’ by Ainara Quesada Retamero, second prize to ‘Carga contactless’ by María del Pilar Cortázar Gutiérrez, and third prize to ‘Descuidos’ by Alba Quintero Atel. More than 200 entries were evaluated by a jury that emphasized the participants’ ingenuity and concision, while the winners will receive cash prizes ranging from €100 to €300 along with official festival merchandise.

The festival’s closing will take place with a sold-out screening of ‘No Other Choice’, directed by Park Chan-wook, preceded by the gala at the Albéniz where the awards will be announced, including the main €6,000 prize. The final day will also feature additional screenings such as ‘A Useful Ghost’, ‘ChaO’, ‘Bamboo Revenge’, and ‘Touch Me’, bringing to a close an edition marked by diverse programming and strong participation in its parallel activities.

About FANCINE

FANCINE is a film festival organized by the University of Málaga through its Vice-Rectorade for Culture. This year, the event celebrates its 35th edition, taking place from 12 to 18 November, in partnership with the Málaga Film Festival and with the support of various public and private institutions. Over its long history — and within its thematic scope — it has become a benchmark on the international festival circuit, thanks to its strong commitment to fantasy, horror, science fiction, and related genres. With a program that balances international releases and innovative works of independent and auteur cinema, FANCINE continues to offer a contemporary and open perspective on the genre, featuring premiere screenings at Cine Albéniz alongside a range of parallel activities in other venues across the city.

This year with the collaboration of the Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA), the Fundación Unicaja, Ayuntamiento de Málaga, Delegación Territorial en Málaga de la Consejería de Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, la Diputación de Málaga, ProMálaga, Polo Digital Málaga, la ESAD (Higher School of Dramatic Art), Cervezas Victoria, Centro Cultural Coreano en España, Clínicas Rincón Dental, Famadesa, Aula Magna, Nics Lab y Fundación General de la UMA