From
September to November four events specialising in different areas of the film industry
are taking place in Tenerife: two film festivals, a market and a film music festival.
The season starts with Tenerife International Film Music Festival (FIMUCITÉ). It opens on 20 September with the concert Cinema Morricone and closes on 28 September with live-to-picture dedicated to the iconic film Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola.
Next comes Canary Islands International Film Market (CIFFMarket) from 8 to 12 October at Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This market offers a business place for films that have not been screened and those at the development stage, including fiction and documentary features, tv movies and series. They can all seek funding at this event.
From 8 to 10 November, DocuRock (International Documentary Festival) will be screening a selection of the best documentaries focusing on the recent international scene of the world of music. The event takes place at TEA, Tenerife Espacio de las Artes in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and starts with the premiere in the Canary Islands of Ara Malikian. Una vida entre las cuerdas, directed by Nata Moreno.
And last, but not least, from 23 to 30 November we can enjoy Isla Calavera, Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival. The call to submit feature films and short films is open until 10 October. Productions of every nationality, both animation and real image included in the fantastic genre can take part in the event (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller…).
Tenerife
Film Commission collaborates in all these events.
Films for the international, national and Canaries competitions are accepted up to 15 October
MiradasDoc call for entries is now open to films wishing to compete in the official section until 15 October 2017. You can register in the Guía de Isora International Documentary Film Festival through the website festival.movibeta.com. The factual film meeting will be held from 26 January to 3 February 2018 in the municipality of Guía de Isora in the south of Tenerife (Canary Islands).
February fills Tenerife with colour and joy especially the capital Santa Cruz
A previous Santa Cruz Carnaval Queen
Think of February and you always think of a cold, sombre month but that image has nothing to do with February in Tenerife, where, as well as enjoying spring temperatures, they celebrate one of the funniest parties in the world: Carnival. The colour, the music and, above all, the good atmosphere and safety, make this an unmissable event for anyone who loves having fun and I mean FUN.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival is a Festival of International Tourist Interest and is undoubtedly the most famous, with its galas and competitions between the different groups, the crowd-pulling dances every night and the Day Carnival, perfect to enjoy with the family. Although other municipalities on the Island also join in the party and celebrate their own smaller carnivals. The key to experiencing Carnival one hundred per cent is to get dressed up and let the reigning revelry and joy carry you away….
Day Carnival photo: Jesús D’Sousa
Design your Carnival plan
Carnival gala photo: Jesús D’Sousa
If you have not experienced the Carnival in Tenerife before, it is not unusual to get a bit confused when choosing the best dates to come to the island and enjoy this party to the full. Here are some important details that will help you to plan.
Although the official Carnival begins with the contests between the different groups (murgas, comparsas, rondallas), the real show begins with the Gala to elect the Carnival Queen. The event always falls on a Wednesday, and two days later, on Carnival Friday, the streets overflow with joy at the colourful, light-hearted Opening Cavalcade. You should be on the island for this.
From that same night the streets of downtown Santa Cruz are filled with music and costumes. Although this is not an official figure, maybe only one person in a thousand or ten thousand will be at those dances in normal dress. So if you want to go unnoticed among the crowd, get a disguise as soon as you can.
Cheerleaders with hairy legs
Photo: Jesús D’Sousa.
It is normal to meet groups of hairy men dressed as cheerleaders or someone wearing a spectacular costume inspired by a fantastic film. In fact, there are as many disguises as people taking to the streets to enjoy themselves, running into the hundreds of thousands and I’m not exaggerating. Did you know that Santa Cruz holds the Guinness Record for the number of people dancing under the stars? It happened in 1987 when Cuban salsa star Celia Cruz got a crowd of over 250,000 to shake their hips in the central plaza and surrounding areas (the figure remains unbeaten).
For almost two weeks of Carnival, in Santa Cruz a charming mix of good fun and craziness is unleashed – another thing that make this party unmistakable. This is in spite of the huge crowd that meets at the dances of by night and the Day Carnival, which by the way is ideal for the whole family.
El Coso, La Sardina and La Piñata
Photo: Jesús D’Sousa
On Carnival Tuesday, the Grand Parade, El Coso, along Avenida Anaga represents the high point of the celebrations. The procession attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees including those taking part in the cavalcade and the public.
The night of Ash Wednesday is another date for your diary. The Burial of the Sardine is by far the most amusing funeral you will ever attend in your life. The finishing touch to the “sad” event is a massive dance in the streets of Santa Cruz until the wee hours of the morning.
And then the following weekend (called Piñata), the dances transform the city again with the Day Carnival and the night dances. But everything that begins must end and on Sunday the party says good bye until the following year … but only in the capital. Many other places on the island are about to start their own peculiar carnival, just as lively and surprising.
Join in and mingle with the crowds
Photo: Jesus D’Sousa
It is really easy to join in the carnival atmosphere. It’s as simple as getting g yourself a costume that suits your taste. You can find disguises at affordable prices in specialty stores, which offer whatever you need to become a superhero, gladiator or sexy nurse, including wigs, ornaments and all kinds of extravagant makeup.
Just add one more ingredient: your desire to have fun. Fool around by exaggerating the character that you are playing in your fancy dress. The key is to laugh and make people laugh with your feather boa, your huge fake eyelashes and your glittering face. That’s all!
The International Film Music Festival of Tenerife (FIMUCITÉ) is turning ten and in these past years has managed to position itself in the international calendar as a key event in the sphere of film soundtracks. Its guests this year include HowardShore, composer of the music for “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The closing concert will be dedicated to him. The two theme lines of the festival, as shown in the official poster, are the main science fiction productions, from “Star Wars” to “Star Trek”, under the generic title “Space Opera: a journey to the stars”, and the work by Howard Shore, who penned the score for “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”.
We’ll be there to explain the 35% tax rebate from 14th to 17th May
Tenerife Film Commission will be at “Marchè du Film” in the umbrella stand “Canary Islands Film” situated in the Cinema from Spain stand (A5). We´ll be there to tell you all about tax incentives for feature films, drama series, documentaries and animation in the Canary Islands. Besides, we’re presenting the services offered by 33 local companies and the wide range of locations available on the Island.
Tenerife, La Palma, and Gran Canaria Film Commissions will be present at the Canary Islands Film stand this year with the support of the Government of the Canary Islands.
To arrange a meeting please write to film@webtenerife.com or call us on +34 647346462.
The island is hosting one of Europe’s most important hiking events: March 29 to April 2, 2016
The second edition of Tenerife Walking Festival (TWF 2016) is just around the corner. One of the most important hiking events in Europe and attracting more than a hundred participants from across the continent, TWF will be based in Puerto de la Cruz from March 29 to April 2.
Featuring internationally and nationally renowned speakers plus a grand finale with the island’s cuisine and wines, TWF will highlight adventure and outdoor activities on Tenerife.
“The Tenerife Walking Festival returns with the same strengths and qualities which made it a benchmark last year notably the quality and variety of footpaths, the complementary activities and Puerto de la Cruz hosting the event,” says Tenerife Cabildo’s Tourism chief, Alberto Bernabé.
“In just two editions, the festival has become a reference for ramblers, and we want its promotional philosophy and respect for the environment to be present in other initiatives that we plan to implement on the island during the year.”
The festival offers the chance to hike up to 15 trails, which are a selection of the most striking on Tenerife. If you wish to enroll, you can still register online at www.tenerifewalkingfestival.com
Complementary activities: talks and a grand food and wine party
The whole Island and specifically Puerto de la Cruz will be focusing on hiking during the week-long TWF 2016 and local residents are also invited to take part in the parallel activities such as presentations on Wednesday 30 March, Thursday 31 March and Friday 1st April taking place in the San Felipe Castle at 20:30. All are welcome to join in the grand closing party on Saturday 2 April in the Plaza de Europa from 12:00 noon. All these activities will be free of charge and open to everyone.
On Wednesday 30 March there will be a talk by José María Nasarre, Head of Nature of the Spanish Mountaineering Federation (FEDME), who will speak about safety on the trails. The next day, Juan Jesús Ibáñez, a member of the International Union of Mountaineering and Climbing (UIAA), will speak about the project Respect the Mountain, which will restore a footpath on Tenerife in June.
On Friday, 1st April Sebastian Alvaro, the legendary adventurer and director of Spain’s TVE programme “Al Filo de lo Imposible, who is once again the festival’s “godfather, will offer one of his keynote talks combining his life story with spectacular photographs and videos of his expeditions.
The grand finale to the TWF 2016 will be a bustling, lively celebration with tapas, tasting the local wines, show cooking sessions and a fair featuring a sample of the wide range of outdoor and adventure activities on offer for visitors to Tenerife.
Tenerife Film Commission will be at Cannes Lions, the advertising festival, from 24th to 25th June. With the aim to remind or present all Tenerife has to offer as a shooting location to commercial producers we shall be joining The Location Guide at their event “Cannes Soireè” on the Plage Goëland.
We will be in the good company of Blackstone Film Company and Sur-Film Production & Services, all of them with their businesses and headquarters in Tenerife. To meet us at Cannes Lions please write to film@webtenerife.com
We will be there to explain our new tax incentive: 35% tax rebate for foreign productions
After attending the Berlinale last February, Tenerife Film Commission will be at Cannes International Film Festival from 16 to 19 May. We will be at the Cinema from Spain stand (A5) in the Marché du Film where we will be happy to meet all the producers wishing to shoot on the Island and give them information about our very interesting new tax incentive: 35% tax rebate on expenditure in Spain. We will also be showcasing Tenerife’s unique locations and our experienced local companies. In short, the unmatchable experience of shooting on the Island. We collaborate with Canary Islands Connection and Gran Canaria Film Commission and have the support of the Canary Islands Government too. Meetings can be arranged via e-mail at film@webtenerife.com or calling +34 647 346 462.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Tenerife Film Commission
Turismo de Tenerife
film@webtenerife.com www.tenerifefilm.com
T.: +34 647 346 462 | +34 922 236 962
Fax: +34 922 237 872
The ninth Tenerife International Film Music Festival will be holding the third Fimucinema from July 3rd to 11th. This event seeks to highlight the role that music plays in films. The deadline is May 15th
All feature films, short films, documentaries and TV shows, which were produced after 1st January 2013, and have no previous commercial distribution in Spain, can be submitted for the Official Section Competition of FIMUCINEMA 2015. Films that have not been screened in any Spanish festival will also be especially considered. They will be screened in 35mm or digital format.
The works will be selected by the Festival Selection Committee, which will be formed by professionals of both fields (film and music) and representatives of the Organization. The ones selected will be screened at the Audiovisual Room of TEA (Tenerife Espacio de las Artes) and will compete in five different categories:
– Alex North Award for Best Original Score in a Feature film
– Best Original Score in a Short Film
– Best Original Score in a Documentary
– Best Original Score in a TV Show
– Best Original Song
For further information and entries, please visit:
