Isla Calavera Festival to Host Special Screening of Anime Classic 'Akira'

The tenth edition of the Isla Calavera Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival is building momentum this week with a special event that goes beyond a standard movie screening. Ahead of the main festival, which runs from November 6 to 15, organizers are hosting a screening of the anime classic Akira this Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Multicines Tenerife in the Alcampo La Laguna Shopping Center.

This event offers a rare chance to see the 1988 masterpiece on the big screen. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira is widely considered a cornerstone of science fiction. Since its release, it has helped bring anime to a global audience and set a high standard for urban dystopian storytelling. The film follows two young motorcyclists in a crumbling, government-ravaged Neo-Tokyo, and its influence remains a major subject of study today. Following the screening, a panel of experts will lead a discussion on the film’s lasting impact.

For the Isla Calavera festival, these pre-event screenings are part of a broader effort to celebrate genre cinema and encourage the community to experience classic horror and fantasy films together in a theater.

The festival is organized by the Charlas de Cine Cultural Association, Multicines Tenerife, and TumbaAbierta.com. This year’s event is made possible through a strong public-private partnership, receiving support from the La Laguna City Council, the Government of the Canary Islands, and the Cabildo de Tenerife.