Mallorca Film Festival 2024: Highlights and interviews with Ruben Östlund, Luis Tosar, Anthony Dod Mantle and more

Amid Palma de Mallorca’s winter sun and historic 19^th-century theatres, the 13^th Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) continued its mission to connect global filmmakers with the local creative community. Held from 30^th October to 5^th November 5, 2024, this year’s festival showcased its growing scale and vision. As one of Europe’s key film festivals, the event featured screenings and events spotlighting both renowned and emerging talents. Anchoring this year’s expansion is the Evolution Script Lab, where 36 finalists receive personalised feedback from professional writers. Together with the Cinematography Focus, it highlights and celebrates the artistry at the core of filmmaking.

24 awards supported by Palma Pictures were presented, celebrating cinematic excellence. Oscar-winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle received the Evolution Cinematography Icon Award, honouring his pioneering work in digital filmmaking and dynamic handheld camerawork, in alignment with the festival’s emphasis on technical skill alongside storytelling. Other honorary awards included the Evolution Icon Award for Annette Bening, the Evolution New Talent Award for Emilia Schüle and the Evolution Vision Award for Jessica Hausner.

This year, the festival presented a record 144 screenings, featuring a diverse selection of films spanning genres, languages and styles. From intimate Balearic documentaries to bold international shorts, the festival wove together local and global perspectives, showcasing its unique character. Opening with Alonso Ruizpalacios’s La Cocina and closing with Thomas Napper’s Widow Clicquot, the programme underscored EMIFF’s growing influence and refined vision – a testament to the power of cinema to connect and inspire.

Throughout the festival’s seven-day run, The Upcoming had the opportunity to conduct sit-down and red-carpet interviews with a range of figures in the film industry. Ahead of a screening of Slumdog Millionaire (2008) at the Cineciutat, we spoke with Anthony Dod Mantle, who discussed the possibilities of post-apocalyptic cinematography, the evolving tone and atmosphere of the upcoming 28 Days Later sequel, his long-standing partnership with director Danny Boyle and his admiration for longtime collaborator Alex Garland’s Civil War (2024).

At the festival’s official venue, the seafront Hotel Portixol, Angie Vallorí Salas and Rubén Capilla Vida revealed that the idea for their documentary Pinceles y Baquetas, which explores the conflict every artist faces between treating art as a passion and as work, was conceived a decade ago. Salas emphasised the importance of maintaining passion throughout the lengthy filmmaking process and expressed her excitement for the Made in Balearic documentary Mallorca 1983: Signos en la Arena. In turn, the film’s directors, Fores and Mulet, echoed this enthusiasm in their interview, naming Pinceles y Baquetas as the documentary they are most eager to see.

Juan A Forés and Cesc Mulet discussed the story behind the Made in Baleares documentary Mallorca 1983 Signos en la arena, which follows the artistic and musical revolution of Mallorca in the 80s, with a particular focus on the eventful summer of 1983. The duo discussed the film’s eye-catching, graphic poster and the explosion of colour in the art of the decade after the Franco dictatorship. 

Juana Macías, alongside actress Julieta Tobío, spoke about her sixth feature and Tobio’s screen debut, The Girls at the Station. Inspired by real events that shocked the nation, the powerful, coming-of-age drama follows a group of teenage girls who have grown up in a juvenile centre and was filmed in Mallorca and Madrid. They shared the type of research they did to prepare for the film and the cautions they took in navigating its sensitive, but extremely important subject.

Director Rafa Cortés, whose film Amanece en Samaná premiered at the festival, discussed the vital role of such events in supporting independent cinema. Alongside the ensemble cast – Bárbara Santa Cruz, María Luisa Mayol, Luis Tosar and Luis Zahera – he shared insights into the making of the film. Tosar reflected on his experiences working on Miami Vice, and both he and his wife, Mayol, discussed their experiences working together as actors.

Toni Bestard and Ferran Bex discussed why it was the right time to bring the true story of Norats – a tale of a father and son who hid in the Serra de Tramuntana for 13 years during the Spanish Civil War to escape the Falangists – to life. Both natives of Palma, the directors describe the steep mountain range as a key character in the miniseries, drawing on the stories they heard about it while growing up.

The Upcoming also spoke with many of the attendees on the red carpet at the opening gala at the Teatre Principal. Before receiving the Evolution Cinematography Icon Award, Anthony Dod Mantle shared his thoughts on the expansive yet interconnected nature of the film community and expressed his interest in the local films being showcased at the Evolution Mallorca Film Festival.

EMIFF veteran Ruben Östlund, who later presented the award to Mantle onstage, spoke of his long-time admiration for the British cinematographer’s work, particularly his collaborations with Harmony Korine and Lars von Trier, as well as his excitement for the opening film La Cocina.

Finally, festival founder Sandra Lipski reflected on the event’s evolution over the past 13 years, sharing the most rewarding aspects of hosting it each year. She also emphasised how the various networking opportunities and screenwriting initiatives offer valuable support to emerging filmmakers.

Christina Yang

For more information on Mallorca Film Festival 2024, visit their website here.