The Films by Women Madrid Festival is an international feature film festival held annually in Madrid since 2018. The 9th edition will take place from 27 October to 8 November 2026.
Its main objective is to raise the visibility of women’s work and perspectives in filmmaking and the film industry. While the festival is aimed at all audiences, it pays particular attention to future generations, offering female role models who can help drive change towards genuine equality.
The festival is promoted by women and men who seek to enrich culture through a diverse and plural perspective, thereby contributing to reducing gender inequality in the film industry. It recognises women directors’ ability to explore a wide range of subjects and styles, without restrictions based on gender stereotypes, where women are not confined to stereotypical roles. In short, it is a film festival made BY women, not FOR women, nor ABOUT women, as no such cinematic category exists.
For the 9th edition, we are preparing a diverse selection of approximately 70 feature films, both international and Spanish, encompassing fiction, animation and documentary. We remain committed to high-quality, plural, diverse cinema with a distinctive identity. The programme includes feature films from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Spain, the United States, France, Mexico, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Sweden, Tunisia, and more.
Most of these films are multi-award-winning, many of them will have their Madrid premieres —and some their Spanish premieres— and all will be screened at 18 prestigious venues in central Madrid. In addition, a significant part of the programme will be available online on Filmin. Television channel 8madrid TV will complement the event with a cycle of films by women directors from its archive.
Each edition features a guest country, offering an overview of recent film production from a specific territory. In this 9th edition, we will present FOCUS MEXICO 2026, a section dedicated to Mexican women directors, made possible through the collaboration of the Fundación Casa de México en España and the Centro de Estudios Mexicanos en España of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM-España).
Juries for the official awards:
- International Competition:
- Pablo Berger (director of, among other films, Robot Dreams), Spain
- Vanessa-Tatjana Beerli (filmmaker and President of the Ciné Tapis Rouge Association), Canada
- Samantha Hudson (actress and singer), Spain
- Spanish Competition and Best New Director Award:
Adjudicated by members of the Blogos de Oro Association.
- Vicky Carras (journalist), Spain
- Daniel Díaz (journalist), Spain
- Ylenia Cañadas (journalist), Spain
Professional and educational activities are a fundamental part of the festival programme. Since the first edition, we have organised industry meetings, round tables, masterclasses and film presentations, with the aim of highlighting the role of women in every stage of film production: creation/production/marketing/distribution/consumption. Taking advantage of the professionals’ presence at the festival each year, we have the opportunity to engage in conversations with the women working in the industry who join us.
Some of these interviews and professional and educational activities, as well as the video highlights of the 8th edition, are available on the festival’s official YouTube channel. Don’t miss them!
