The conference was the initiative of Àlvar Peris-Blanes, professor of audiovisual communication at the UV and member of the Audiovisual Council of the Valencian Community, in response to the realisation that there is “no tradition of academic studies or open lines of study on Valencian cinema”. “The aim is to take up again from the university a series of reflections and analyses that have already been raised on previous occasions by institutions and professionals,” explains Peris-Blanes. “Basically, we want to discuss whether Valencian cinema exists, historically and currently, and if so, how we could define it. In recent times, there has been a revival of Valencian and Valencian-language cinema, in terms of the quantity and quality of films, which forces us to reflect on whether it is true that we are facing a 'new Valencian cinema', as some people claim”.

The conference is aimed at students and the audiovisual sector. It can be accessed free of charge by registering at https://events.fundacio.es/e/2037/el-nou-cinema-valencia-a-debat. The Cultural Observatory of the UV, the Department of Language Theory and Communication Sciences, the Film Club and Valencia City Council collaborate in this initiative.

Conference Schedule

The sessions will begin at 09:30 with the inauguration by José María Vidal, president of the Audiovisual Council of the Valencian Community; Guillermo López García, professor of Journalism at the UV and coordinator of the CAPA; and Raúl Albeledo, from the Cultural Observatory.

The first of the panel discussions, led by Àlvar Peris-Blanes, will answer the question “What is Valencian cinema?” with Marta García Carrión, professor of Contemporary History at the UV, who has reflected on Valencian cinema at the beginning and during Franco's regime; journalist and writer Xavier Aliaga, member of the Valencian Council of Culture (CAC); and actress Rosana Pastor, also a member of the CAC. Both have been the driving force behind a recent report by the CAC on Valencian fiction production.

This will be followed by the panel discussion entitled “Making films from the periphery”, led by Francesc Felipe. Film producers Felipe Lage (Zeitun Films, Galicia) and Ariadna Dot (Lastor Mèdia, Catalonia) will participate and talk about how filmmaking has evolved in the Spanish territories with their own language, where they come from and where they work, and what their main characteristics are.

To discuss “The upcoming Valencian cinema”, a panel led by Gabi Ochoa, will feature Valencian film directors Jordi Núñez, director of 'Valenciana' (2024); Sergi Miralles, director of 'L'àvia i el foraster' (2024); and Laura García Andreu, director of ‘Domingo, domingo' (2023). Professionals who have recently been able to make their debut films and are some of the most representative voices of this new batch of creators.