CineXpress Marks 10 Years with New Noir Categories, Youth Focus
Tenerife's CineXpress film competition celebrates its tenth year by revamping its format with new Classic, Comedy, and Fantastic Noir categories, alongside an "Under 25" section, with full details to be revealed on March 4th.
CineXpress, a key film competition for talent from Tenerife, is celebrating its tenth year. This year, it's making big changes to how the competition works, focusing on specific film genres and helping new filmmakers get noticed. The organizers will announce all the new rules and details on March 4th at 7:00 PM. This will happen at the CajaCanarias Cultural Space, and anyone can attend until the venue is full.
The biggest change this year is how films are categorized. Instead of one general competition, there will now be three specific categories: Classic Noir, Comedy Noir, and Fantastic Noir. This new setup aims to help the judges evaluate films more fairly and accurately, while also showing off how diverse the noir genre can be. Filmmakers can only enter their short film into one category.
To really support new filmmakers, the competition now includes an "Under 25" category within each of the three main genres. This is specifically for directors who are 25 or younger. The idea is to make it easier for young talent to enter and gain recognition in the film world. Also, following its success in previous years, the international category is back for the fourth time. You can register for this category through the Festhome platform until March 7th.
Lluís Fe Pérez is directing this year's CineXpress. He's an experienced professional known for his work in film production and coordinating shoots. His past projects include the series 'Balko Tenerife' (2022), the highly praised film 'The Teacher Who Promised the Sea' (2023), which won the audience award at the Gaudí 2024, and the thriller 'American Star' (2024), filmed in Fuerteventura.
Short films must be filmed within seven days. A key rule is that they must feature at least one recognizable location from Santa Cruz de Tenerife or San Cristóbal de La Laguna. The deadline to submit films is March 11th at 12:00 PM (Canary Islands time). Send them to cinexpress@tenerifenoir.com.
Beyond the competition itself, the information session on March 4th is expected to be a vital gathering for Tenerife's short film community. This event is a great chance for filmmakers to network, share ideas, and work together, which is crucial for developing their creative skills and potential on the island.
The awards ceremony, where an expert jury will announce the winners, is on March 14th, starting at 7:00 PM at the CajaCanarias Auditorium. The evening will be hosted by the talented Pablo Carbonell and will include a performance by the band The Corto Marltesser. Winners in each of the six categories (the three main genres and their Under 25 sections) will receive 500 euros, a diploma, and an honorary trophy. There's also a 500-euro Audience Award and a 250-euro Tenerife Noir Motto Award, plus other special mentions.
CineXpress is part of the eleventh Tenerife Noir festival. This festival encourages critical thinking and sees the noir genre as something that goes beyond just literature, inspiring many different art forms. This year's festival also marks 40 years since classic noir works like 'Watchmen' by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins, and 'Shadow: Blood & Judgment' by Howard Chaykin. These works show how the genre can challenge ideas about power, morality, and society.
The festival receives support from several organizations, including the Ministry of Culture, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo de Tenerife, Turismo de Tenerife, and the City Councils of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna. The University of La Laguna, the CajaCanarias Foundation, and the DISA Foundation are also partners, with DS Automobiles serving as the official vehicle sponsor.