D’A Film Festival 2027 – Barcelona, Spain

What to expect

D’A Film Festival, officially known as D’A – Festival de Cinema de Barcelona, is one of Barcelona’s leading events for contemporary auteur and independent cinema. The festival brings together emerging filmmakers, internationally established directors, experimental voices, new discoveries and films that may have limited exposure through conventional theatrical distribution. Its programme is designed around cinematic discovery, artistic risk and different perspectives on contemporary filmmaking. The official festival describes D’A as an international panorama of contemporary auteur cinema that combines emerging talent with established directors and films.

The festival is particularly attractive to audiences who want to see cinema beyond mainstream releases. Alongside feature films, D’A presents short films, premieres, competitive selections, special programmes, retrospectives, masterclasses, filmmaker conversations and professional activities. The atmosphere is less focused on celebrity spectacle and more on the relationship between filmmakers, films and audiences.

A typical festival visit can include watching a new international film, attending a presentation with its artistic team, discovering an emerging director through the Talents competition, joining a masterclass or meeting filmmakers through dedicated discussion activities.

The festival also places strong emphasis on sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. Its sustainability programme includes measures covering transportation, materials, energy, waste, local suppliers and accessibility.

D’A is therefore suitable for several types of visitors:

• Dedicated cinephiles looking for international independent cinema
• Film students and aspiring filmmakers
• Visitors interested in European and world cinema
• Professionals working in film, television and audiovisual production
• Audiences interested in emerging directors
• People looking for premieres and festival discoveries
• Visitors who enjoy filmmaker Q&A sessions and masterclasses

The combination of public screenings and industry activity gives D’A a distinctive position in Barcelona’s cultural calendar.

Festival dates

D’A Film Festival 2027 will take place from April 1 to 11, 2027, in Barcelona, Spain. The official festival has confirmed these dates through its 2027 call for entries and identifies the forthcoming edition as the 17th edition of D’A – Festival de Cinema de Barcelona.

The festival’s call for entries confirms that submissions are being considered for the official sections and that the competitive programme will include Talents, Un Impulso Colectivo and Un Impulso Colectivo – Short Films. Directions and Radar are also included among the festival’s official programme sections.

The complete public programme, individual screening times, full guest list and detailed 2027 ticketing information have not yet been released. These details should be checked through the official festival website when they are published.

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Venues & festival locations

D’A is a multi-venue festival spread across several established cinema and cultural locations in Barcelona. The principal festival venues include CCCB, Mooby Aribau, Filmoteca de Catalunya, Zumzeig and Casa Montjuïc. D’A Film Lab Barcelona uses additional professional spaces, including SGAE Catalunya and CCCB.

CCCB – Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona

The CCCB at Montalegre, 5 is one of the festival’s principal locations. It contains several spaces used for screenings, conversations and festival activities. The venue is centrally located and can be reached through Catalunya and Universitat metro stations.

Mooby Aribau

Mooby Aribau at Aribau 8–10 provides several screening rooms, making it one of the festival’s most important cinema locations. Its central Eixample position makes it convenient for visitors staying around Universitat, Plaça Catalunya or the Eixample district.

Filmoteca de Catalunya

Filmoteca de Catalunya is located at Plaça Salvador Seguí, 1–9. It is an important Barcelona film institution and provides another major setting for D’A screenings.

Zumzeig

Zumzeig is located at Béjar, 53, near the Sants area. It is an independent cinema that contributes to the festival’s alternative and auteur-oriented atmosphere.

Casa Montjuïc

Casa Montjuïc provides another festival setting in the Montjuïc area and expands the festival beyond its central cinema locations.

The official venue information provides public transport connections for each location, including metro, bus, Bicing and Rodalies options.

Full programme

The complete D’A Film Festival 2027 programme has not yet been announced. The official 2027 call for entries is currently the main confirmed programme information, establishing the competition structure and submission requirements.

The main competitive sections are:

• Talents
• Un Impulso Colectivo
• Un Impulso Colectivo – Short Films

The wider official programme also includes:

• Directions
• Radar
• Special screenings
• Industry activities
• Masterclasses
• Filmmaker conversations
• Audience activities
• Professional meetings

The Talents section is especially important because it focuses on new filmmakers and gives selected films the opportunity to compete for the Talents Award. The 2027 Talents Award is listed at €15,000, equivalent to approximately $17,400 USD based on a rounded conversion of €1 = $1.16. The other competitive awards include the Un Impulso Colectivo Award and the Un Impulso Colectivo Short Films Award.

The exact 2027 film titles should not be treated as confirmed until the festival publishes its official selection.

Featured films & premieres

No complete list of featured 2027 films has been announced yet. This is normal at this stage because the festival is still progressing through its selection process.

D’A has a strong premiere profile. Films competing in Talents must be at least Spanish premieres, while films submitted to Un Impulso Colectivo, Un Impulso Colectivo – Short Films, Directions and Radar must meet the festival’s Catalan premiere requirements.

This means the festival can provide visitors with access to films that have not previously received broad exposure in Catalonia or Spain.

Previous editions demonstrate the scale of this premiere strategy. The 2025 programme contained 121 films, including 21 world premieres, two European premieres, 24 Spanish premieres and 66 Catalan premieres.

The festival’s selection has also consistently mixed major international directors with first features and emerging filmmakers. This makes the programme useful for visitors who want both established cinematic voices and new discoveries.

The 2027 lineup should be considered provisional until the official programme is released.

Directors, actors & guests

The 2027 guest list has not yet been announced. D’A traditionally invites directors, actors, producers and other members of artistic teams to Barcelona to introduce films and participate in audience conversations.

Previous editions have included major figures from contemporary cinema. The 2025 festival welcomed Bruno Dumont, Joanna Hogg, Béla Tarr and Roberto Minervini, alongside many Spanish, Catalan and international filmmakers and actors.

Filmmaker participation is an important part of the D’A experience. Audiences can encounter artistic teams during film presentations and take part in discussions after screenings.

The festival also organizes Meet the Directors activities, which provide opportunities to hear filmmakers discuss their work in a less formal setting. Masterclasses and career conversations add another dimension for audiences interested in the creative and professional side of filmmaking.

The names of directors, actors and special guests for 2027 will be confirmed through the festival’s programme announcements.

Screening schedule

The detailed screening schedule for D’A 2027 has not yet been released. Once programming is finalized, the official festival website is expected to publish film titles, screening times, venues, filmmakers and ticket information.

D’A’s previous online programme has shown how extensive the schedule can become, with multiple films playing simultaneously across several venues. A recent programme, for example, listed screenings at Aribau, CCCB and Zumzeig within the same evening period.

Visitors should therefore plan their schedule carefully rather than selecting films only by title. Venue location, screening time and travel time between cinemas can all affect how many films can realistically be seen in one day.

The official programme system is the best place to check the final schedule because films and screening arrangements can change. The festival also warns that the programme may be subject to last-minute changes.

Ticket types & accreditation

The 2027 ticket prices have not yet been announced. As a reference, the latest published D’A ticket structure provides useful previous-edition pricing.

Single tickets

• Standard screening: approximately $9.28
• Opening, closing and special galas: approximately $11.60
• TRESC, Zumzeig and Biblioteques holders: approximately $8.12
• Carnet Jove holders: approximately $5.80
• +65 and Filmoteca season-pass holders: approximately $5.80
• CCCB Friends, students, unemployed people and people with certified disabilities: approximately $8.12
• Masterclasses and D’A Awards: approximately $5.80
• Cinema students: approximately $3.48
• Short-film screenings: approximately $3.48
• Filmoteca de Catalunya screenings: approximately $4.64
• Selected special programmes: free with advance reservation

These figures are converted from the latest published euro prices and should be treated as previous-edition reference prices rather than confirmed 2027 prices.

Festival passes

• 6-Ticket Pass: approximately $52.20
• VIP Pass: approximately $104.40
• VIP+ Pass: approximately $232.00
• Under-25 Pass: approximately $46.40

The 6-Ticket Pass is non-nominal and can be shared. The VIP Pass includes individual accreditation, unlimited access, advance booking, selected opening and closing invitations, masterclass access and a festival bag. VIP+ adds further benefits and includes a 6-Ticket Pass.

Industry & professional access

D’A has a significant professional side through D’A Film Lab Barcelona. The Film Lab supports emerging audiovisual talent and provides opportunities for filmmakers and producers to develop projects, make professional connections and access industry expertise.

Professional activity can include:

• Project development
• Post-production support
• Pitching
• Workshops
• Professional meetings
• Networking
• Consultations
• International industry connections
• Producer development

The festival’s accreditation system is intended for active professionals and journalists working in media and the audiovisual sector. The latest published industry accreditation cost €45 plus VAT, equivalent to approximately $52.20 plus VAT using the same rounded conversion.

The latest accreditation rules allowed accredited professionals to request invitations for selected festival sessions, subject to venue capacity and other restrictions. Accreditation did not guarantee a seat, and an additional ticket or reservation process was required for screenings.

The 2027 accreditation fee and conditions should be confirmed when applications open.

Red carpet & special events

D’A is primarily an auteur and independent film festival rather than a conventional celebrity red-carpet event. Its special events are generally built around cinema, filmmakers, awards and cultural discussion.

The festival has previously presented opening and closing events, award ceremonies, masterclasses, special screenings, retrospectives, filmmaker dialogues and artistic-team presentations.

Previous guests have included internationally recognized filmmakers such as Bruno Dumont, Joanna Hogg and Béla Tarr. The 2025 edition also featured a Focus D’A programme dedicated to Roberto Minervini.

The festival’s awards are another important part of the programme. Competitive awards include the Talents Award, Un Impulso Colectivo Award, Green Talents Award, Un Impulso Colectivo Short Films Award, Critics Award and audience awards.

Specific 2027 special events and guests have not yet been announced.

Festival rules

Visitors should familiarize themselves with the festival’s ticketing and access rules before attending.

Tickets purchased through D’A are generally non-refundable and cannot be changed, except in circumstances such as event cancellation or force majeure conditions covered by the festival’s policy.

Late entry is not normally permitted once a screening has started because of the disruption it can cause to audiences already seated. Visitors should arrive early enough to locate the correct cinema and enter before the session begins.

Free sessions can still require advance reservations because capacity is limited. If a free screening is sold out, the festival may operate a queue for remaining seats.

The festival also has a protocol for dealing with harassment and sexist or LGBTI-phobic violence. Visitors who need assistance or wish to report an incident can approach an information desk at a festival venue.

How to get there

Barcelona is one of Spain’s best-connected cities and is accessible by air, rail and road.

International visitors will generally arrive through Barcelona-El Prat Airport. From the airport, travelers can continue into central Barcelona by public transport, airport bus, train or taxi.

For visitors arriving by train, Barcelona Sants is the city’s principal long-distance rail station and provides connections across Spain and Europe.

Once in Barcelona, public transport is particularly useful because D’A operates across several venues rather than one centralized festival site.

Visitors attending several screenings should check the distance between venues before purchasing consecutive tickets. The festival’s central locations are well connected, but moving between different districts still requires planning.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is one of the easiest ways to move between D’A venues.

CCCB is served by Catalunya and Universitat metro stations, with extensive bus connections and Rodalies services available at Plaça Catalunya. Mooby Aribau is close to Universitat and is also served by numerous bus routes.

Filmoteca de Catalunya can be reached through Liceu on L3 or Paral·lel on L2, while Zumzeig is close to Tarragona, Hostafrancs and Sants Estació metro connections. Sants also provides extensive regional and suburban rail connections.

Bicing is another option around several venues.

Driving is less convenient because the festival’s main locations are within busy central areas of Barcelona. Visitors staying in the city will generally find metro, bus, walking and cycling more practical than moving between screenings by car.

Accommodation areas

Barcelona offers accommodation across a wide range of neighborhoods and budgets. For D’A visitors, location near a metro station can be more important than being directly beside one cinema because the festival uses several venues.

Eixample: A convenient choice for visitors attending Mooby Aribau and exploring central Barcelona.

Universitat and Plaça Catalunya: Particularly useful for CCCB and Mooby Aribau, with excellent public transport.

El Raval: Convenient for CCCB and Filmoteca de Catalunya and suitable for visitors who want to remain close to the central cultural district.

Poble-sec and Paral·lel: Practical for visitors attending Filmoteca or Casa Montjuïc while remaining close to central Barcelona.

Sants: A strong choice for visitors who expect to use Zumzeig frequently or need convenient rail connections.

For a multi-day festival visit, accommodation with easy metro access can make it easier to attend screenings in different parts of the city.

Food & dining

Barcelona has an extensive food scene, making it easy to combine festival screenings with meals and coffee breaks.

The areas around CCCB and Raval contain numerous cafés, casual restaurants and international dining options. The Universitat and Eixample districts offer an especially wide range of choices, including quick meals suitable for visitors moving between screenings.

Poble-sec is another useful dining area, particularly for visitors attending screenings or activities around Montjuïc and Paral·lel.

Visitors with tightly scheduled screening plans should consider eating near the next venue rather than returning to their accommodation between films.

Barcelona’s traditional Catalan cuisine also gives festival visitors an opportunity to experience local food alongside the international cultural programme. Tapas, seasonal Catalan dishes, bakery cafés and modern Mediterranean restaurants are widely available throughout central neighborhoods.

Accessibility

Accessibility is part of D’A’s stated festival commitments. The festival says that all festival venues are accessible and that its website is also accessible.

The festival also states that its opening and closing screenings include subtitles adapted for people with hearing disabilities.

Accessibility is included within D’A’s wider sustainability and inclusion policy, which identifies diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion as core elements of the festival’s identity.

Visitors with specific requirements should still check the individual venue arrangements before attending, particularly when planning a complex schedule across several locations.

For additional assistance or questions about access arrangements, visitors can contact the festival through its official contact channels.

Best screenings to attend

Because the complete 2027 programme has not yet been announced, it is too early to recommend individual 2027 film titles as confirmed choices.

However, several programme types are likely to be particularly worthwhile.

Talents competition: A strong choice for discovering new filmmakers and films competing for one of D’A’s most important awards.

Un Impulso Colectivo: Recommended for viewers interested in emerging and independent cinema, particularly films with distinctive artistic approaches.

Short-film competition: Ideal for discovering directors working at the beginning of their careers and experiencing a broader variety of cinematic forms.

Directions: A good choice for audiences who want films from recognized contemporary filmmakers and major international names.

Radar: Useful for viewers looking for new discoveries and films positioned around the festival’s broader contemporary cinema programme.

Masterclasses: Particularly valuable for film students, aspiring directors, writers and anyone interested in filmmaking craft.

Meet the Directors: One of the best options for visitors who enjoy hearing filmmakers explain their creative decisions.

Opening and closing events: These are likely to be among the most significant festival occasions and can provide a strong introduction to the overall atmosphere of D’A.

Previous year’s highlights

The latest completed edition was particularly successful for D’A. The festival reported 31,102 attendees, representing a 13% increase in spectators compared with the previous edition. It presented 127 films across 165 screenings, including 58 films directed by women and 22 first features.

The edition also included 27 projects connected with D’A Film Lab Barcelona and welcomed 67 artistic teams who presented their films to audiences.

The awards programme recognized a diverse selection of filmmakers. The Talents Award went to Kingdom by Michał Ciechomski, while other awards recognized films including Llenya, Dalia and other works from the competitive programme.

The festival also continued its focus on major international directors. The latest programme included filmmakers such as Mia Hansen-Løve, Claire Denis, Lucrecia Martel, Alice Diop, Joanna Hogg and Milagros Mumenthaler.

The previous edition therefore demonstrated the festival’s characteristic mixture of established filmmakers, emerging talent, international cinema, premieres, competitive films and professional activities.

Official tickets & accreditation

The official D’A website should be used for 2027 ticket purchases, programme information and accreditation. The festival recommends purchasing tickets online, while physical box offices are also operated during the festival period.

The festival’s ticketing system allows visitors to purchase tickets through individual film pages or through the general ticket-sales area. Filmoteca de Catalunya has separate ticket arrangements, while other festival venues have operated centralized festival box offices.

The 2027 ticket prices have not yet been published. The previous published prices should therefore only be used as planning estimates until the official 2027 ticket page is updated.

Professional visitors should monitor the accreditation section for eligibility requirements, application dates and access conditions. Previous accreditation was aimed at active audiovisual professionals and journalists and was personal and non-transferable.

Official website: D’A Film Festival Barcelona (https://dafilmfestival.com/)

Official email: info@dafilmfestival.com