The 6th edition will count with 70 multi-awarded films, most of them absolute premieres in Spain and Madrid
Films by Women Madrid was born in 2018 to turn into an annual date in the calendar of Spanish film festivals. It is promoted by women, men, organisations and businesses that want to enhance visibility of women’s cinematogrpahic work, because it does not always achieve the same impact or arrives to the public equally. We also want to bring to light women’s points of view in cinematographic creation. Our festival is aimed towards a generalist audience, making clear that women directors can make all types of movies, either comedy, mystery, war movies, terror, science fiction or adventure.
In this 6th edition, we have programmed a varied international selection that makes us travel from Chile to Lithuania, by also going through Austria, Belgium, Slovakia, France, Israel, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, UK, Switzerland, Sweden and -obviously- Spain.
Altogether, 70 full-lenght films that vary from fiction to animation and documentary, all of them multiawarded, will be screened in 19 prestigious venues in the center of Madrid. Most of the programme will be available in Filmin, and -supplementary- 8madrid TV will broadcast a cycle dedicated to films directed by women from their catalogue.
International Competition - Cine Estudio del Círculo de Bellas Artes
The International Competition is formed by 10 recent films, produced in the last few years. It will count with an outstanding jury, shaped by the spanish actress Natalia de Molina, the panamanian director Ana Endara and the writer, critic and film director Vicente Molina Foix. They will be in charge of selecting the award-winning film to the Best International Movie of the Films by Women Madrid 2023 Festival. Within other surprises, the newest films of the chilean Maite Alberdi (winner of the Sundance Film Festival), the salvadoran/mexican Tatiana Huezo (winner of two awards in Berlinale) and the british director Molly Manning Walker (award-winner in Cannes). All of them will be premiered in Madrid. ¡Don’t miss the opportunity to catch up to the best international films!
Spanish Competition - Sala Berlanga de la Fundación SGAE
The Spanish Competition is formed by 10 recent movies, produced in the last two years and all of them directed by Spanish authors. The category will be evaluated by a jury shaped by Verónica Dávila, María Cabal and Diego Da Costa, members of the Blogos de Oro association. After viewing the 10 selected films by our programming committee, they will decide and give the award to the Best Spanish Movie of the Films by Women Madrid 2023 Festival. ¡It has been hard to choose between all the recent Spanish female directed films!
Focus Germany
The Focus 2023 section will be dedicated to German female directors and counts with the collaboration of the Federal German Republic Embassy, German Films and the Goethe Institut. Within the 6 projected titles, you may watch a documentary about Angela Merkel and the prize-winning in Sitges and Austin Festivals, Katrin Gebbe’s “Pelican Blood”.
Parallel sections
We have prepared a vast programme beyond the official competition and the Focus Germany, that will be projected in the rest of the venues of the festival: Cine Doré - Filmoteca Española, Cines Verdi, Cinemateca Pedro Zerolo, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Goethe-Institut Madrid, Casa Árabe in Madrid, Institut Français of Madrid, Casa de América, Fundación Casa de México in Spain, Biblioteca Nacional de España, Sala Equis y DAMA’s headquarters.
Among others, you will be able to enjoy:
International Panorama: China, France, Netherlands and Sweden
This new section starts due to the collaboration of the Institut Français, with the premiere of
the latest french movie to win at Cannes Festival in 2023 “Anatomie d’une chute”, directed
by Justine Triet. Five other excellent full-lenght films will also be projected, directed by
Chinese, Dutch and Swedish women.
Featured sessions
With the ambition of taking into value the latest work of international creators, the documentary “Trained to see, three women and the war” will be screened at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum. This piece reflects the work and the mission of female war photographers and reporters during the Second World War.
In addition, on November the 2nd, the Spanish National Library will host a special screening
of a documentary on the uruguaian poet Ida Vitale, to celebrate the centenary of her birth.
At Sala Berlanga, we will also host a special session, followed by a debate, of the award-winning documentary dedicated to the austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek –winner of the
Literature Nobel Prize in 2004–, in collaboration with the Teatro de la Abadía and the Austrian Cultural Forum.
At Cine Doré - Filmoteca Española, the conference “A story of Hollywood: north american directors in silent film and spanish in the north american industry (1920-1960)” will be imparted, as well as a retrospective of the american director Dorothy Davenport. Her films will be projected with a live piano show, thanks to the collaboration of the Fundación Consejo España-EEUU.
Opening and closing galas - Palacio de la Prensa
Other treasures of this edition’s programme will be the films premiered in the opening and closing galas: the latest Isabel Coixet’s launch “Un amor” starring Laia Costa; and the newest Paula Ortiz’s film “Teresa” starring Blanca Portillo. Both films have been highly awaited this season.
Nevertheless, the award-winning films of this edition, will be revealed at the closing gala on
November 3rd, will also be projected on November 5th in a special double session at Cine
Estudio del Círculo de Bellas Artes. Don’t miss the date!
Professional and formative activities
As always, complementing the films, numerous professional and formative activities have
been organized to debate and consider today’s cinematographic industry, with the participation of prestigious experts from all around the globe. These events will take place at Espacio Fundación Telefónica, DAMA’s headquarters, Cinemateca Pedro Zerolo, Camilo José Cela’s University postgraduate school, Casa de México and Casa de América, among others.
Last but not least, we want to thank the constant and repeated support of the public and private entities that stand up for this project and embrace culture and equity on each festival edition. They all make possible the celebration of 13 excellent journeys, dedicated to cinema by women.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE 6TH EDITION POSSIBLE, SEE YOU SOON!
