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Valladolid International Film Festival Director on Embracing Spain’s Evolving Indie Scene, the Rise of Genre and the Importance of Retrospectives

Thanks to director José Luis Cienfuegos' progressive outlook, Seminci 2024 promises the most modern and international lineup in the fest's history.

One area in which Valladolid has stayed ahead of the curve is its willingness to embrace genre cinema, such as Pedro Martín Calero’s well-reviewed trans-Atlantic horror feature “The Wailing,” playing in this year’s Special Screenings. Whereas previous editions would often reflect on decades-long resumes from superstar Hollywood filmmakers, the festival now focuses on a more diverse group of indie directors, many of whom will accompany their films as they screen in the official program. This year’s Punto de Encuentro (Meeting Point) section, for example, features a lineup of U.S. indies that includes the Spanish premieres of Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain,” Constance Tsang’s “Blue Sun Palace,” Carson Lund’s “Eephus” and Sarah Friedland’s “Familiar Touch.”

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