Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani 2026 – Spain

What to expect

Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani is an international film festival in València dedicated to cinema from the Mediterranean geographical and cultural area. Organised by the Palau de la Música de València, the festival brings together filmmakers, actors, producers, critics, film professionals and audiences around a programme that highlights contemporary Mediterranean cinema and works that are not normally widely available through commercial distribution. The festival is accredited by FIAPF as a specialised international film festival.

The festival’s identity is based on the cultural diversity of the Mediterranean. Its programme can encompass productions from southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and neighbouring Mediterranean territories, creating a broad cinematic conversation between countries with very different languages, histories and filmmaking traditions.

The event is particularly attractive to cinephiles who want to discover independent films, emerging directors and international productions before they reach a wider Spanish audience. The organisers describe the Mostra as a meeting point between audiences and creators, with carefully selected films that are often difficult to find in ordinary commercial cinemas.

The forthcoming edition is expected to present more than 100 titles across its competitive sections, retrospectives, special screenings, professional activities and parallel programmes. The festival has also announced close to $105,000 in prize funding across its principal competitions and awards.

Visitors can combine cinema with València’s Mediterranean atmosphere, historic centre, restaurants, cultural institutions and extensive public transport network, making the festival suitable for both dedicated film travellers and visitors incorporating selected screenings into a wider city break.

Festival dates

3–15 November 2026

The 41st edition of Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani will take place in València, Spain, during the dates officially announced by the festival. The organisers have confirmed that the edition will feature more than 100 titles and a substantial competitive and parallel programme.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venues & festival locations

Mostra de València uses a network of established cinema and cultural venues around the city. The multi-venue structure allows different competitive sections, retrospectives and special activities to operate alongside one another.

Cines Babel

Cines Babel is one of the principal screening locations and provides multiple screens for the festival’s contemporary film programme. Its central location makes it a practical base for visitors attending several screenings.

Filmoteca

La Filmoteca provides another major cinema setting, particularly suitable for retrospectives, special programmes and selected festival screenings. Its location in central València makes it easy to combine with other attractions and venues.

ABC Park

ABC Park has also served as a significant festival screening venue, giving the programme additional capacity and allowing several films to be shown during overlapping sessions.

Palau de la Música

The Palau de la Música is closely connected with the organisation of the festival and hosts important institutional, cultural and ceremonial activities.

Veles e Vents

Veles e Vents is particularly important for professional programming connected with the festival’s audiovisual industry activities and co-production initiatives.

The official venue information identifies the principal festival spaces and provides their locations for visitors planning their screening itinerary.

Full programme

The 2026 programme is built around competitive sections, special screenings, retrospectives, professional activities and educational initiatives.

Official Section

The Official Section is the central competition and focuses on feature-length fiction and non-fiction productions from countries included within the festival’s Mediterranean geographical scope. Eligible films must satisfy the festival’s production and premiere requirements.

Xaloc

Xaloc provides another competitive platform for Mediterranean cinema and broadens the festival’s contemporary selection. The section gives audiences an opportunity to discover films that complement the main Official Section.

La Cabina

La Cabina is the festival’s distinctive medium-length film programme. It gives visibility to works that fall between the conventional short-film and feature-film formats and provides a dedicated space for a form of cinema that is less commonly represented in mainstream festivals.

Finestra

Finestra focuses attention on audiovisual creation from the Valencian Community. It strengthens the connection between local filmmakers and the wider Mediterranean film environment.

Mostreta

Mostreta returns as an educational and family-oriented initiative, with screenings and complementary activities designed for schools and younger audiences.

Special sessions and parallel activities

The festival also incorporates special screenings, retrospectives, professional meetings, cultural activities and programmes connected with cinema music and literary adaptation.

Featured films & premieres

The 2026 selection places particular importance on new Mediterranean cinema and Spanish premieres. The Official Section regulations require eligible films to have not previously been commercially released, broadcast, made available on video-on-demand platforms or screened at another Spanish film festival, meaning selected titles can provide audiences with important first opportunities to see new international productions in Spain.

The festival’s geographical scope includes countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Türkiye, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Cyprus, Malta and other Mediterranean territories specified in the regulations.

The programme is therefore broader than conventional European cinema festivals. Audiences can encounter films shaped by different cultural traditions, languages, political environments and social experiences.

More than 100 titles are expected across the overall programme, covering competitive films, medium-length works, local production, special selections and additional activities.

Directors, actors & guests

Mostra de València traditionally combines film screenings with appearances by directors, actors, producers, composers and other audiovisual professionals.

The festival’s guest programme can include filmmakers whose work is presented through competitive screenings, retrospectives or special events. Previous editions have also used honorary awards to recognise major figures from Spanish and international cinema.

Professional conversations are an important part of the event because they give audiences the opportunity to hear directly from creators about filmmaking, production, artistic decisions and the cultural context of their work.

The industry programme also brings together producers, directors, composers and other professionals through València Film Afers. The Meet the Composer initiative specifically connects composers with filmmakers and projects from Mediterranean countries.

The complete guest and jury information should be checked through the official festival programme as individual appearances are confirmed.

Screening schedule

The festival operates across several venues, so screenings are distributed throughout the day and evening. The detailed programme normally identifies the film, venue, screening time and relevant section, allowing visitors to create a personalised itinerary.

Previous official schedules have demonstrated the scale of the multi-venue programme, with Cines Babel, Filmoteca, ABC Park and other locations operating simultaneously.

Visitors attending several films should allow sufficient time to move between venues, especially when selecting consecutive screenings at different locations.

A practical strategy is to identify priority films first, particularly premieres and limited screenings, then add retrospectives, special sessions and secondary choices around them. Checking the official programme immediately before attending is also recommended because screening information can occasionally change.

Ticket types & accreditation

The festival’s published ticket structure includes standard admission, reduced admission and multi-session options.

Standard ticket

The published general admission price is €2.50, approximately US$2.90.

Reduced ticket

The published reduced admission price is €1.50, approximately US$1.75. Reduced admission applies to eligible groups such as students, Carnet Jove holders, retired people, unemployed people and people with disabilities.

10-show pass

The festival has previously offered a 10-show pass through Cines Babel. The published price has been €20, approximately US$23.20.

Standard tickets can be purchased online through the festival’s ticket system or at participating venue box offices. Reduced-rate tickets and certain pass arrangements may require purchase directly at the relevant box office.

Professional accreditation is handled separately from ordinary public admission and is intended for eligible industry, media and professional participants.

Industry & professional access

The professional programme is one of the strongest reasons for industry visitors to attend Mostra de València.

València Film Afers

València Film Afers is the festival’s international co-production forum. It is designed to connect filmmakers and production professionals from Mediterranean countries and create opportunities for cooperation, project development and financing.

Project development

Selected projects can be presented to industry participants, creating opportunities for producers and filmmakers to establish potential partnerships and co-production relationships.

Meet the Composer

Meet the Composer introduces film music directly into the co-production environment. Selected composers can present their work and meet filmmakers and other professionals, helping strengthen professional networks around audiovisual composition.

Industry networking

Accredited professionals can benefit from screenings, meetings, presentations and selected networking opportunities. The professional programme makes the festival relevant to producers, directors, screenwriters, composers, sales professionals, distributors and cultural organisations.

Red carpet & special events

The festival’s ceremonial programme includes opening and closing activities, special screenings, honorary recognitions and meetings with important figures from the audiovisual sector.

The Palau de la Música provides an important institutional setting for major festival activities, reflecting the connection between Mostra de València and the city’s principal cultural organisation.

Special events can also include filmmaker presentations, discussions, retrospectives and cinema-related music activities.

The festival’s connection with film music is particularly notable. València Film Afers: Meet the Composer is organised alongside the International Film Music Congress, creating a bridge between filmmaking, composition and professional networking.

Visitors interested in gala-style events should check the individual event requirements because some activities can have different admission arrangements from ordinary screenings.

Festival rules

Mostra de València operates under formal competition regulations because it is an internationally accredited specialised festival.

The Official Section accepts feature-length fiction and non-fiction productions from countries included within the festival’s geographical scope. Films must satisfy the required production, completion and Spanish-premiere conditions.

The festival also maintains separate eligibility requirements for Xaloc and La Cabina. Medium-length works are eligible for La Cabina, while Xaloc has its own geographical and premiere conditions.

The principal competitive awards include:

• Palmera de Oro for production: €30,000, approximately US$34,800
• Spanish distribution award for the Palmera de Oro: €15,000, approximately US$17,400
• Palmera de Plata – Special Jury Award: €20,000, approximately US$23,200
• La Cabina production award: €5,000, approximately US$5,800
• La Cabina Spanish distribution award: €5,000, approximately US$5,800
• Ciutat de València Audience Award for Xaloc: €10,000, approximately US$11,600

These amounts are official award endowments rather than visitor ticket prices.

How to get there

València is one of Spain’s principal Mediterranean cities and is accessible by air, rail, coach and road.

By air

València Airport is the city’s principal international airport. It has connections with Spanish and European destinations and is connected with the city by public transport.

By train

València is served by high-speed and conventional rail services. Joaquín Sorolla handles important high-speed services, while Estació del Nord provides additional national and regional connections.

By coach

Long-distance buses connect València with cities throughout Spain and neighbouring regions.

By car

València can be reached by major Spanish road networks from Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Castellón and other cities. Visitors staying in central districts should consider parking arrangements before driving into the city centre.

Public transport & parking

València has an extensive public transport network consisting of metro, tram and city buses.

The Metrovalencia network is particularly useful for airport connections and longer journeys, while EMT buses cover many central and residential areas.

For festival visitors, walking and public transport are generally more practical than driving between screenings because several venues are located in central districts.

Cines Babel, Filmoteca and other principal venues are accessible from central parts of the city, while Palau de la Música is located along Passeig de l’Albereda.

Visitors arriving by car should consider hotels with private parking or use public parking facilities before continuing by public transport or on foot.

Accommodation areas

Ciutat Vella

The historic centre is one of the most convenient areas for visitors interested in combining festival screenings with sightseeing. It offers restaurants, cafés, historic buildings and cultural attractions within walking distance.

Ruzafa

Ruzafa is a lively neighbourhood known for restaurants, cafés, bars and independent cultural activity. It is a good choice for visitors looking for an energetic atmosphere outside the immediate historic centre.

Eixample

Eixample offers a central location with a broad selection of hotels, restaurants and transport connections.

Camins al Grau

This area is useful for visitors who want convenient access to Palau de la Música and eastern central València while remaining connected to the main city centre.

Near the railway stations

Accommodation around the main railway stations is practical for visitors arriving by train or planning additional travel around the Valencian region.

Food & dining

València provides an excellent culinary setting for a film festival. Its Mediterranean food culture includes rice dishes, seafood, vegetables, tapas, pastries and traditional drinks.

Paella and rice dishes

Paella is the city’s best-known culinary speciality, although restaurants offer many different rice preparations using seafood, meat or vegetables.

Tapas

Tapas bars provide a flexible option for festival visitors who need to eat between screenings.

Horchata and fartons

Horchata is a traditional Valencian drink commonly served with fartons, a sweet pastry that makes a convenient local snack.

Mediterranean cuisine

Seafood, seasonal vegetables, rice and locally influenced dishes are widely available throughout the city.

Ruzafa, Ciutat Vella and Eixample are especially useful for festival visitors because they offer a wide range of restaurants and cafés close to central cultural venues.

Accessibility

Accessibility can vary between festival venues because Mostra de València uses cinemas, theatres and cultural buildings with different architectural layouts.

Visitors who require accessible seating, wheelchair access, assistance or other accommodations should check the relevant venue before purchasing or attending a screening.

The festival’s educational programme also aims to expand access to cinema for different audiences. Its Mostreta initiative provides activities for schools and younger viewers and forms part of the festival’s broader cultural and educational programme.

People using reduced admission should also confirm eligibility and purchase arrangements with the venue because the official ticket information states that certain reduced-rate applications are handled at the box office.

Best screenings to attend

Official Section

The Official Section should be the first priority for visitors who want the central competitive experience. It focuses on new Mediterranean feature films and provides the strongest overview of the festival’s contemporary international selection.

Xaloc

Xaloc is recommended for visitors wanting to discover additional Mediterranean productions beyond the principal competition.

La Cabina

Film enthusiasts interested in unusual formats should prioritise La Cabina. Its focus on medium-length cinema makes it one of the festival’s most distinctive programmes.

Finestra

Finestra is particularly worthwhile for visitors interested in Valencian filmmaking and regional audiovisual talent.

Retrospectives

Retrospectives are ideal for cinephiles who want to explore the work of a particular filmmaker or understand an important movement within Mediterranean cinema.

Special screenings and filmmaker events

Audiences who want interaction with creators should look for screenings accompanied by introductions, conversations or professional discussions.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition featured a broad programme built around the Official Section, Xaloc, La Cabina, Finestra, special sessions, anniversary screenings, honorary recognitions and a major Focus programme.

The Official Section included films such as Primeira pessoa do plural, Pieces of a Foreign Life, Orfeo, A Second Life, Pizza fritta, Mariscal. La alegría de vivir, Mom’s Pale Flowers, Prometido el cielo, 50 Meters, Cinema Jazireh, The Flying Meatball Maker, Aisha Can’t Fly Away and Broken Vein.

The competition produced a particularly strong result for films centred on migration and women. Aisha Can’t Fly Away received the Palmera de Oro, while Pieces of a Foreign Life received the Palmera de Plata. Gözde Kural won Best Director for Cinema Jazireh, while other acting, screenplay, cinematography and music awards were distributed among the selected films.

The anniversary programme also revisited earlier Palmera de Oro winners and presented a selection of films representing the festival’s history and Mediterranean identity.

The Focus programme was dedicated to Nanni Moretti, while honorary recognitions were awarded to producers Fernando Bovaira and Sol Carnicero.

These previous programmes demonstrate the festival’s combination of contemporary competition, historical retrospectives, local production and international guest recognition.

Official tickets & accreditation

The official source for Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani tickets, programme announcements, venue information and accreditation is the festival’s website.

Mostra de València – Cinema del Mediterrani official website (https://lamostradevalencia.com/)

The official ticket page states that standard screening tickets can be purchased online or at participating box offices, while passes are sold through Cines Babel.

Professional visitors should use the festival’s dedicated industry information when applying for accreditation. València Film Afers provides a specialist environment for producers, filmmakers, composers and other audiovisual professionals, with project presentations, meetings and networking opportunities.

For general enquiries, the festival lists mostradevalencia@palauvalencia.com and provides its institutional contact details through the official website.