Las Palmas International Film Festival Highlights Asian Cinema for 25th Edition

The 25th Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival, running from April 23 to May 3, is highlighting Asian cinema this year. Organizers have announced a program dedicated to films from China, India, and Japan, reinforcing the festival’s reputation for showcasing unique stories outside of mainstream commercial cinema.

Festival director Luis Miranda and Councilor for Culture Josué Íñiguez recently unveiled the event’s official branding, which features symbols representing the festival’s three main themes. The first is a tribute to Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan, who will receive the honorary Lady Harimaguada award. This retrospective honors a key figure of the last decade and revisits his debut film, Kaili Blues, which premiered at the festival ten years ago.

The focus on India is made possible through a partnership with the Film Heritage Foundation. The Déjà vu section will screen restored films from the 1950s to the 1970s, showcasing the country’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity. Meanwhile, the Camera Obscura program will celebrate Japanese silent cinema, specifically the centenary of Teinosuke Kinugasa’s A Page of Madness. This screening will feature a live performance by benshi Kataoka Ichirô, thanks to a collaboration with the Yanai Initiative at Waseda University and UCLA.

The festival is also a key part of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s bid to become a European Capital of Culture. As Íñiguez explained, the event serves as a platform for diverse cinematic voices and encourages audiences to think critically about today’s cultural landscape.

The festival is now looking for 25 people to join the popular jury, which will decide the Audience Prize. Those interested can apply through the festival’s official website until April 7.