THE FIGURE REFLECTS THE STRONG TURNOUT FOR THE OFFICIAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION SCREENINGS, WHICH ATTRACTED CLOSE TO 200 PEOPLE PER SESSION, AS WELL AS THE HIGH PARTICIPATION IN THE OPENING AND CLOSING GALAS, SIDE EVENTS, AND PROGRAMMES FOR SENIORS, YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN
Laia Costa, City of Huesca Carlos Saura Award. PHOTO-Adela Moreno y Ana Escario (El Estudio)
The 54th edition welcomed 10,841 attendees across more than one hundred events held during the official festival dates and the lead-up programme. These figures underline the solid public support enjoyed by the world’s third-oldest film festival dedicated exclusively to short films and one of only six Spanish festivals recognised as Oscar® qualifying events in this format.
One of the key contributors to this success was the consistently strong attendance at the Official Competition screenings held at the Olimpia Theatre, where audiences remained close to 200 people throughout the festival. “People in Huesca have a genuine appreciation for short films. They come to the screenings, vote for their favourites and exchange views with the more than 80 filmmakers who travelled from around the world to present their work,” explains Estela Rasal.
The HIFF programme extends well beyond film screenings, seeking to engage every sector of society through initiatives that have become hallmarks of the festival.
The “Children at the Festival” programme, organised in collaboration with “Un Día de Cine“, an educational initiative of the Government of Aragon’s Department of Education, welcomed 653 schoolchildren from across the city of Huesca. Through an interactive and participatory experience, they explored the history of sound in cinema.
The festival also continued its commitment to film education through the Third “Cinema in the Classroom” Showcase, sponsored by Fundación Caja Rural. More than 200 students aged between 15 and 17 attended from schools including Pirámide, Lucas Mallada, Sierra de Guara, Ramón y Cajal and the School of Art in Huesca, together with Martínez Vargas (Barbastro), Montes Negros (Grañén), and the delegated sections in Almudévar and Ayerbe.
Another flagship social initiative is “Seniors at the Festival”, sponsored by Amazon – Together We Build Community, a programme aimed at senior centres and care homes which expanded further this year. Supported by film therapy methodologies, the initiative reached 688 residents across the Hoya de Huesca region, including not only the city of Huesca but also municipalities such as Chimillas, Almudévar, Gurrea and Yéqueda.
Eduard Fernández, Luis Buñuel Award. PHOTO-Adela Moreno y Ana Escario (El Estudio)
The Opening Gala, during which Laia Costa received the Carlos Saura City of Huesca Award and the Portuguese Cinematheque was honoured with the Pepe Escriche Award, together with the tribute to Eduard Fernández, recipient of this year’s Luis Buñuel Award, once again became major highlights of the festival, attracting almost one thousand spectators.
The HIFF’s media and social impact continues to reflect its long-standing prestige. The festival secured coverage across all major regional television channels, radio stations, newspapers and online media, while also receiving extensive national and international attention through features, interviews and news reports in both general-interest and specialist publications. Audiences on both sides of the Atlantic followed the festival, with media coverage appearing in countries including Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Greece, Poland, Iran, Paraguay and Portugal, the 2026 Country of Honour.
A GROWING NETWORK OF PARTNERSHIPS
The network of collaborations with local, regional, national and international organisations continues to expand, forming one of the cornerstones of the festival’s long-term strategy.
“With the support of both the community and our institutional partners, we want to continue developing the festival’s role as an economic engine while strengthening the industry platform we are building,” says Estela Rasal.
In 2026, the festival collaborated with organisations including CDAN, Aragón TV, CADIS, Ara Film Fest, ArtLab, Universidad San Jorge, Planetario de Aragón Espacio 0.42, Escuela Superior de Diseño de Aragón, La Colmena, La Habana, Librería Santos Ochoa, Servoelectrico, Tecmolde, Xeryo, Hoya de Huesca County Council, La Catalítica, Asociación Zinentiendo, Institut Français, Huesca Women’s Film Showcase, Huesca Retailers’ Association, Enate, Ultramarinos La Confianza, Círculo Oscense, Oscacine, Huesca Tourist Office, Festhome, Fundación Caja Rural, la Caixa, Huesca School of Art, Hermanos de la Cruz Blanca, Audi, Amazon, Un Día de Cine, Capicua Circus School, Amparo Nogués’ clown workshop, Diario del Alto Aragón, Aragón Alimentos through the Aragón Sabor de Verdad brand, Adheso, Mexican production company Chemistry, BNI HSC Innovación, Eboca, Pastelería Loa and Joyería Cuarzos, among many others.
