The film and thought festival, Silver Film Festival (S/FF), will hold its fourth edition in Bilbao from April 20 to 24, 2026. This year's program will focus on exploring ageless love and sex, prompting reflection on how older adults experience affection, relationships, and new beginnings. The festival's director, Marian Gerrikabeitia, told COPE that the goal is to give visibility to a reality that often remains hidden.
Gerrikabeitia emphasized that society is undergoing a significant demographic shift, leading to previously unknown dynamics. The festival's starting point is clear: real life precedes fiction. The director believes that, although more and more people are finding love in the second stage of life, “the media, advertising, and even cinema, lag behind what is actually happening.” Therefore, the S/FF aims to be “a platform for critical thinking that uses cinema and culture as tools to make silenced realities visible.”
“"Talking means trying to normalize, and when you normalize, judgments begin to disappear a little, and that's what it's about."
The inaugural gala will take place on April 20 at the Arriaga Theatre, where the Silver Saria 2026 Award will be presented to actress Elena Irureta. During the event, the film Dorados 50 will premiere, and a scenic proposal by Ángel Mirou and Pako Revueltas will be offered. The program includes 7 feature films and 9 short films, with titles such as Mi amiga Eva by Cesc Gay, and the Basque film 80 Egunean by Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga.
The festival has also organized several colloquiums. Psychotherapist Luis Muiño will discuss “The Traps of Romantic Love”; experts Maitane San Nicolás, Tábata Cerezo, and Lucía Delgado will address intimacy coordination in filming; and psychologist and sexologist Lorena Berdún will participate in a talk about the distance between life and cinema. Additionally, sociologist Javier Santoro will give a talk titled “How to Manage a Breakup,” analyzing the social pressure to be in a relationship.
As a novelty, this edition will bring audiovisual art to the streets of Bilbao with the exhibition of two works by artist Marilyn Minter on the screens of the BBK Hall and the Library of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia. The event is organized by Tú & Yo Producciones, EDE Foundation, and Silver Revolution Elkarte Kulturala, and is supported by the Bilbao City Council, Basque Government, BBK Foundation, Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and Zineuskadi. Tickets for the main venues will be priced at 3 euros.
