Isla Calavera Film Festival Secures Increased Funding as It Celebrates Decade of Genre Cinema
The Isla Calavera Fantastic Film Festival in La Laguna concludes its tenth edition with increased municipal funding and a star-studded finale honoring genre icons like Christopher Lambert and Sean Young.
The Isla Calavera Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival in La Laguna is reaching its final days, cementing its status as a key destination for genre cinema in Spain. Ahead of the closing ceremony at the Leal Theatre, Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez announced that the City Council has increased the festival’s budget to help raise its international profile. This support, alongside backing from the Tenerife Island Council and Tenerife Tourism, highlights the event's growing cultural and economic importance after ten years.
The festival’s finale features several legendary guests. The Isla Calavera Honorary Award will be presented to Christopher Lambert, star of Highlander (which will be shown in a special screening), and Blade Runner icon Sean Young. The festival is also honoring figures like Troma Entertainment co-founder Lloyd Kaufman and Spanish-Danish actress Lone Fleming, a staple of Spanish horror cinema.
Winners of this year’s awards will be announced at Multicines Tenerife, joining a list of honorees that includes director Alejandro Amenábar—marking the 30th anniversary of his film Tesis—and versatile actor Carlos Areces. The final days of the festival offer a packed schedule, including the documentary Occupy Cannes!, the "Made in the Canary Islands" showcase featuring works by Víctor Catalá and Joel de León, and classic screenings like The Fly and Howl's Moving Castle.
The festival concludes this Sunday with a focus on film analysis and industry discussion. Highlights include presentations of Clint Spain Connection by Víctor Matellano and Woman in Fan by Mònica Garcia i Massagué, as well as a panel on the influence of content creators. The closing ceremony will also feature the Isla Calavera Fantastic Social Award, presented to the Activoz association. The festival continues to balance a love for classic cinema with a commitment to supporting new voices in the genre. Full schedules and details are available on the festival’s official website.