Benissa dressed up again as cinema this Saturday with the grand closing gala of the 2nd edition of Benissa en Corto, held for the first time in the Maria Crespo Font Square, next to the new City Hall, where the red carpet and awards ceremony took place, bringing to a close a week of screenings that brought together nearly 1.300 viewers.
The square was packed to capacity, with over 700 people and a very enthusiastic audience throughout the gala. Numerous residents of Benissa attended the event, which once again demonstrated the town's commitment to the Benissa en Corto Film Festival. Even before the ceremony began, attendees could watch the arrival of actors, actresses, directors, producers, and other audiovisual professionals as they walked the red carpet.
Among those in attendance were actors and actresses of the series Wild Valley and Valencian faces of L'Alqueria Blanca, in addition to the actress from El Verger Almudena Salort, Melanie Oliveres, Barnabas Fernandez and the actor from Calp Rafael FernándezThey were joined by the godfather of this second edition, Unax Ugalde, other members of the jury, representatives of the business community of Benissa, family members and numerous residents of the municipality.
The festival also featured The El Rall restaurant in Benissa as official sponsor.
A gala that debuts a new stage
The second edition has brought with it one of the main changes compared to the festival's debut in 2025. The gala left the Centre d'Art Taller d'Ivars to move outdoors, to the new Maria Crespo Font square, a larger space with which the organization sought to bring the ceremony even closer to residents and visitors.
The gala was once again hosted by Raul Martinez, a member of the organizing team along with the festival director, Pere Font, and the actress Maria Mas. Pentatonic, CAR (Carmen Palací Ribes), Neus Ortolà and Ezequiel Martin performed.
The gala, hosted by Raul MartinezThe ceremony was marked by a friendly tone and numerous humorous moments that kept the audience engaged throughout. Beyond the awards presentation, the winners' speeches also provided an opportunity to reflect on current social issues, such as the housing problem in Spain, toxic masculinities, the lack of empathy in the society, the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, or the way in which older people are treated in different places.
One of the most emotional moments of the night came from the festival director, Pedro Fontwho dedicated the gala to his late father and grandmother, whom he remembered as the people who instilled in him his love of cinema from a young age. The ceremony also featured special appearances, including one by Maria Almudena, president of the Association of Actors and Actresses Valencians, which added to a night in which cinema also served as a meeting point for the crop, the emotion and the vindication.
The mayor of Benissa, Arthur Pocket, he emphasized that «Benissa en Corto is back and is a key cultural event in the municipality"And he praised the public's response: "Without an audience, there is no cinema.».
The winners of Benissa en Corto 2026
The ceremony finally revealed the winners of this second edition after several days of screenings and jury deliberations.
- Godfather: Unax Ugalde.
- 1rd Pere Bigot Prize: Costumes, by Miguel Bensadón.
- 2rd Pere Bigot Prize: Not youby Marta Albert González.
- 3rd Pere Bigot Prize: Faustino, by German Dominguez.
- Pere Bigot Audience Award: Faustino, by German Dominguez.
- Best actor Pere Bigot: Juan José Ballesta, by Dopamine Zero.
- Best actress Pere Bigot: Melani Olivares, by Tenants.
- Eva Pinera Equality Award: Why not?, by Marina Campos Albiol.
- First Prize Valencian Community: Inside, by Álvaro García Company and Mario Hernández.
- Second Prize Comunitat Valenciana: Video Club 2001by Guillermo Polo. The award was accepted by César Tormo.
- Young Filmmakers Platform Award: Per nadal et convide a sopar, by César Tormo.
- Movibeta Platform Award: MAT (Very High Voltage), by Joan Alamar.
- Special mention: Carlos Santos, by Monte Carlo 67.
The awards include cash prizes that reach... 1.500 euros in the case of the first Pere Bigot Prize, in addition to the statuettes designed for the festival by the sculptor from Benissa Quico Torres.
A second edition with nearly 700 spectators
The gala culminated an edition that had already achieved a significant public response before reaching its final day. Nearly 1.300 people attended the various short film screenings held during the week at the Cultural Center, with full houses at the scheduled showings.
In total, 44 short films They were part of this second edition, selected from among more than 500 works presented to the competition. During the screenings, the festival also featured the presence of various performers and creators of the participating productions, allowing for interaction between professionals and viewers.
The program also reserved a leading role for Unax Ugalde, godfather of Benissa in Corto 2026. On Friday, the actor discovered his own star in the Rector Salvador Fuster square, behind the Basilica Puríssima Xiqueta, an award that sealed his connection with the festival and with Benissa. The day continued afterwards in the Cala La Fustera, where it was projected The good news, directed by Helena Taberna and starring Ugalde himself.
Cinema gives way to music
After the awards ceremony, the celebration continued in the Maria Crespo Font square itself with a closing party open to the public which prolonged the night beyond the cinema.
La The music It started with the help of La Oreja Band, with a tribute to La Oreja de Van Gogh and some of the band's best-known songs. Then the baton was passed Santi Bertomeuwith a session dedicated to reviving the music that defined the years of the legendary Pub La Farola between 2000 and 2010. The closing was left in the hands of Dario Giner, which covered some of the greatest hits of the decade between 2010 and 2020.
Benissa thus bids farewell to a The second edition of Benissa en Corto has reinforced the festival's growth.Expanding its reach to different locations throughout the municipality, the festival combines screenings, meetings between professionals, awards ceremonies, and activities open to the public for an entire week. This commitment demonstrates the festival's continued efforts to establish itself as a meeting point for audiences, short films, and the audiovisual industry.
