Spanish Film ‘La Lucha’ Wins Special Jury Prize at Bafici Festival

Spanish cinema has once again made its mark on the international stage at the Bafici festival in Buenos Aires. The feature film La lucha, directed by Tenerife native Jose Alayón, was awarded the Special Jury Prize in the international competition. This honor highlights the film’s technical quality and proves that Spanish auteur cinema can resonate with global audiences through deeply local stories.

Produced by El Viaje Films, La lucha has been well-received on the festival circuit, winning awards in cities including São Paulo, Toulouse, Palermo, and Punta del Este. At Bafici, the film also picked up two additional honors: the Best Art Direction award for Silvia Navarro, presented by the Argentine association AADA, and the Signis Grand Prize. The Signis jury praised the film for its honest and understated portrayal of grief and family bonds, using the sport of Canarian wrestling as a backdrop for emotional storytelling.

The project, supported by the ICAA, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo of Tenerife, and the Media program, features cinematography by Mauro Herce and a screenplay by Samuel Delgado and Marina Alberti. Starring Tomasín Padrón, Yazmina Estupiñán, and Inés Cano, the film explores the fragility of family relationships following a traumatic loss. Since its commercial release on January 30, it has reached nearly 10,000 viewers.

For Alayón, the award reinforces his commitment to using regional identity to tell complex, meaningful stories. After its screenings in Buenos Aires, La lucha will continue its journey at the Las Palmas International Film Festival and will open at the Cineteca in Madrid on May 15. Since its debut in the New Directors section at San Sebastián in 2025, the film has become one of the season’s most notable titles, proving that powerful stories from the geographical periphery can capture the attention of critics worldwide.