The city of Irun will host the 26th edition of the FICAB (International Festival of Archaeological Cinema of the Bidasoa) this November. The poster for this year's event has been revealed, designed by local graphic designer Juantxo Tolosa from the Soroxarta studio.
Nuria Alzaga, deputy mayor and culture delegate, alongside Mélanie Doré, FICAB director, and Ander Arrese, director of the Oiasso Museum, presented the poster. The festival showcases productions specializing in historical and archaeological documentaries, as well as smaller, high-quality archaeological research projects.
Delegate Alzaga highlighted that FICAB "has grown with our city and become an important event in our cultural programming." She added that it "reflects our relationship with history and archaeology, and brings these fields closer to citizens through cinema, allowing us to discover past eras and cultures and better understand our origins."
This year, 24 films have been selected for both the official and educational sections, chosen from a total of 60 submitted films. Productions from countries such as France, Italy, and Chile stand out for their quality and interest.
The delegate also noted that "FICAB is not just for specialists. It's a festival open to anyone curious about history, cinema, or simply discovering something new. This ability to bring knowledge to diverse audiences is also one of its great strengths."
Screenings will take place in the Amaia KZ auditorium: morning sessions for the Educational Section (open to all) and afternoon sessions at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM for the Official Section. The Donostia-San Sebastián Aquarium will host a session on underwater archaeology, and films will also be available online via the Festhome platform during the festival week.
Invitations will be available on the municipal website and at the Tourist Office in the Luis Mariano gardens starting Friday, November 6th, at 10:00 AM. They can also be collected at the Amaia KZ box office before the sessions begin.
This year, the jury will be presided over by Lourdes Herrasti, director of the archaeological team for the Cuelgamuros Valley remains recovery project. She will be joined by Beatriz Agramonte (History), Valentina Porcheddu (Ancient History, Languages and Literatures, journalist), Giorgio Studer (speleologist, audiovisual creator), and Mertxe Urteaga (archaeologist).
This year's awards include the Festival Grand Prize (2,000 euros), the Audience Special Award (1,000 euros), the EITB Award for Gender Perspective (1,000 euros), the Educational Section Award (750 euros), and the Arkeolan Award for Scientific Dissemination (without monetary prize).
