Canary Islands Market Boosts Documentary Global Reach
Canarian documentary films are gaining international attention and industry connections through the Canary Islands International Reality Film Market, part of the Afro-Indigenous Gaze Festival, which features screenings, industry meetings, and development labs.
Canarian documentary films are gaining international attention. A good example is the Canary Islands International Reality Film Market, part of the Afro-Indigenous Gaze Festival, which runs until Saturday in Puerto de la Cruz. The market gives a prominent platform to island filmmakers, companies, and institutions.
At the market, the Tenerife Island Council, through its Tourism department and the Tenerife Film Commission, helps local filmmakers access the Miradas Market, which started yesterday and ends tomorrow, Friday. The Tenerife Film Commission supports the 'One to One Tenerife' space. This area allows local creators and production companies to meet directly with representatives from TV networks, funding bodies, festivals, streaming platforms, distributors, and sales agents. The aim is to help these projects get produced and reach audiences through distribution agreements. This space also promotes the Film Commission and the services it offers to film productions.
Canarian documentary films can connect with the global film industry at this market, thanks to these institutional partnerships. The Afrolatam laboratory has selected two Canarian productions: La tempestad (The Storm) by Fernando Alcántara, and Caminos de arena (Paths of Sand) by Julio Díaz.
In addition, the Canary Islands Reality Film Festival, working with several other festivals and associations (Festivalito La Palma, the Lanzarote Film Showcase, the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Film Festival, the Lanzarote Film Festival, the La Orotava Short Film Festival, and the Vértigo Film Association), has chosen five films for its D. O. Canaria section, where they will be screened and compete.
After the screening of Miguel Velázquez, el catedrático del ring (Miguel Velázquez, the Professor of the Ring) by David Cánovas (2024), the D. O. Canaria section continues today, Thursday. At 5:00 PM, El prado y la luna (The Meadow and the Moon) by Cayetana H. Cuyás (2025) will be shown. In this film, the director pays tribute to her uncle Antonio, who was Valentino's chief designer behind the scenes. Later, at 9:00 PM, the Canary Islands premiere of En silencio (In Silence) by Sara Sálamo (2025) will take place. This film reflects on male vulnerability through the experience of footballer Isco Alarcón during an injury.
On Saturday at 12:00 PM, the festival will screen Escuchar la sombra (Listening to the Shadow) (2024). In this film, Miguel Morales explores the story of thousands who traveled from Cuba across the ocean to fight fascism and defend the Second Republic. Also showing is Cartas desde el zoo (Letters from the Zoo) (2024), where David Pantaleón reflects on freedom and confinement by examining the connections between prisons, zoos, and society.
Additionally, this Thursday afternoon at 7:00 PM, in the Timanfaya Hall, there will be a discussion about the richness, diversity, and challenges of Canarian documentary cinema. This "Conversation with D. O. Canaria" will be moderated by critic and journalist Eduardo García Rojas, and will feature Cayetana H. Cuyás, Sara Sálamo, and David Cánovas. While tickets for film screenings must be bought on the festival's website (miradasafroindígenas.com), access to these discussions is free until the hall is full.
The Government of the Canary Islands runs CreaDoc, a creative documentary development laboratory. Its thirteenth edition is holding its final meeting at Miradas Afroindígenas. Representatives from the six chosen projects are taking part in various sessions with coordinators Rolando Díaz and Domingo de Luis. CreaDoc is divided into two categories: Professional and 'Debut Film' (Ópera prima).