DOCanarias Festival Showcases Growing Maturity of Canary Islands Documentary Cinema
The DOCanarias International Reality Film Festival will showcase the regional premieres of El mapa para tocarte and La Berma, highlighting the creative growth of Canary Islands cinema while underscoring ongoing challenges in local film distribution.
The Canary Islands’ documentary film scene is reaching a new level of creative maturity, which will be on full display at the upcoming DOCanarias International Reality Film Festival. Held in Puerto de la Cruz from September 8th to 12th, the festival will host the regional premieres of two acclaimed films: El mapa para tocarte (The Map to Touch You) by Mercedes Afonso and La Berma (The Berm) by Agustín Domínguez.
Both films, which will screen at Sala Timanfaya on September 10th and 11th, were supported by the "Tercera Orilla" (Third Shore) initiative. Managed by Canary Islands Film, this program provides comprehensive backing—from training to funding—to help local filmmakers connect with global audiences. Natacha Mora Yanes, head of the department, notes that this model is designed to professionalize the local industry.
El mapa para tocarte (2026), a Spain-Uruguay co-production, is a deeply personal documentary. Director Mercedes Afonso explores the challenges of motherhood while raising her son, who lives with ASD and PANDAS syndrome. The film, which won the Silver Biznaga for Best Documentary at the 29th Malaga Film Festival, uses the camera as a way to navigate the unpredictability of her son’s condition.
La Berma (2026) shifts focus to a major geopolitical issue: the Western Sahara. Agustín Domínguez’s film follows Yauguiha Mohamed Embarec as he works to clear landmines from a 2,700-kilometer military barrier—one of the most heavily mined areas in the world.
Despite the high quality of these films, the industry still faces significant hurdles. Agustín Domínguez has highlighted a frustrating paradox: while local cinema is creatively thriving, it struggles to reach audiences. Because local films often lack visibility in commercial theaters, filmmakers are calling for new forums to discuss how to better distribute their work and overcome the challenges of getting completed projects in front of the public.