Almeria Western Film Festival Closes 13th edition awards ceremony

 Almeria Western Film Festival

October 14, 2023

Almería Western Film Festival closes its 13th edition with the award ceremony and the Desierto de Tabernas award.

·         'Godland', in feature films, 'Chi para pre primo' and 'Sacrilege', in shorts, have been the great winners by the jury, while the recognition of the public has been for the documentary 'Call Me Mule'

·         Paco Ardura has been recognized for his contribution to the shootings as coordinator of semovimientes

Almería Western Film Festival (AWFF) has closed its 13th edition with the traditional gala where the winners of the contest take place. This year it has once again been led by the comedian and actor Santi Alverú and has had the performance of 'Yellow Rose Trio'.

The presenter took stock of these four intense days in which directors, actors, producers and other industry professionals participated, not only nationally but internationally. In addition, it has been a record attendance at the activities developed in the towns of Oasys MiniHollywood, Western Leone and Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood, as well as in the town of Tabernas.

The protagonists of this night have been the teams of the awarded works in the sections that make up the festival. The award for best film has been for 'Godland' by Hlynur Palmason, this feature has also received the award for best performance to Elliot Crosset Hove. The Carlo Simi Award for the technical-artistic contribution to the Western genre has gone to Felipe Gálvez and Antonia Girardi for the script of 'Los Colonos', and the audience award has been for the documentary 'Call Me Mule' by John McDonald.

As for the short films, the best of this edition has been 'Chi para pre primo' by Emanuele Palamara and the RC Service award for the best direction of photography of a Spanish work has been for César Hernando for the short film 'Sacrilege', this short has also received a special mention from the jury as best short film. The Canal Sur Radio and Television award for Andalusian audiovisual creation went to 'Velox' and the audience award for best short film went to 'Bounty for Bernadette'.

During the closing gala at the municipal theater of Tabernas, the mayor of Tabernas, José Díaz, has presented the 'Desierto de Tabernas' award to the coordinator of semovimientes Paco Ardura for his contribution. "I thank above all this award to the people of Tabernas, I have known it for 65 years, its desert that I have traveled in hundreds of shootings. When I was called to make a film here I was very excited, I have stepped on it from the Rambla del Búho to Cabo de Gata, I still remember when we did 'Cleopatra' with 1,200 horses and their specialists, "said Ardura with great emotion.

The film critic and journalist, Alejandro G. Calvo, has interviewed him where he has had the opportunity to talk with him about his long career. Paco Ardura (Madrid, 1933) is a legend of the seventh art, a life dedicated to supplying horses and carriages to thousands of productions. Through his company 'Animals and Carriages' he provides horses, carts and stagecoaches to hundreds of films for five decades. Also linked for years to the Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood sets, its collection today reaches 2,000 saddles and more than 200 carriages from all eras.

The gala was attended by the deputy of Cinema, Culture and Identity of Almeria, Almudena Morales, and the delegate of Development, Articulation of the Territory and Housing, Dolores Martínez. Santi Alverú has finished by inviting us to the next edition of Almería Western Film Festival in 2024: 'Until next year, which will be the fourteenth edition of the Almería Western Film Festival. Long live the western and long live Tabernas!'

Almería Western Film Festival will be held from October 11 to 14, 2023, in Tabernas and the western towns of Oasys MiniHollywood, Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood and Western Leone, with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports of the Junta de Andalucía, co-financed with European funds. In this edition the outstanding sponsors are Senator Hotels & Resorts, Torrecárdenas Shopping Center, Cajamar, Construcciones Contreras and Vellsam. RTVE and Canal Sur Radio and Television are the collaborating media.