Rada Rassimov and Enrique Cerezo receive recognition from AWFF in Tabernas for their link with the history of the western

Almeria Western Film Festival

October 8, 2026

The actress, who filmed 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' 60 years ago, and the producer have been protagonists of the opening gala of the 16th edition

Almeria, October 8, 2026.- Almeria Western Film Festival (AWFF) inaugurated its sixteenth edition this Thursday with a day marked by the recognition of two figures linked to cinema and the western genre: the actress Rada Rassimov, who has received the 'Tabernas de Cine' award, and the producer Enrique Cerezo, distinguished with the award for the 'Dissemination of the Western Genre'.

Sixty years ago, Rada Rassimov played Maria in Sergio Leone's play 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' (1966), a brief but decisive performance that made her one of the most remembered faces of the genre. That same year he returned to the Tabernas Desert to star in 'Cazador de recompensas', by Tonino Valerii, consolidating an artistic link with this territory that continued with titles such as 'Don't wait for Django, shoot!' and 'Django the bastard'.

Rada Rassimov thanked the 'Tabernas de Cine' Award for an entire career and highlighted his link with the town of Almeria, where 60 years ago he filmed 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly': "It is a deep and unexpected emotion. 60 years ago I was here to play Maria. I was young, I was just starting my career and I couldn't imagine that this film would become such an important part of the history of cinema."

The actress also recalled her other shootings in Tabernas and pointed out that the recognition is "not only a recognition of my career, but also a tribute to that era of Italian cinema, of the 'spaghetti western' and of European cinema, which we contributed to building together".

Rassimov had a special memory for Sergio Leone and for those who shared those shootings with her: "Many of them are no longer here, but tonight I feel them by my side." He also thanked being part of the Tabernas Cinema Walk along with other big names who have received this award: "It is an extraordinary honour for me".

The actress closed her words with a message of thanks to Tabernas and the festival: "Thanks to cinema, which has given me encounters, emotions and memories that I will carry with me forever". "A part of me stays here forever," he concluded.

Rassimov has also discovered his chair on the Paseo del Cine de Tabernas, on Avenida de las Angustias. The actress joins the list of winners of the 'Tabernas de Cine' Award, along with legends of the 'spaghetti western' such as Franco Nero, Terence Hill, Gianni Garko and Fabio Testi, and fundamental figures of Spanish cinema such as Sara Montiel, Mónica Randall, Sancho Gracia, Charo López or the director of photography José Luis Alcaine. All of them share an essential link with Almeria as a land of filming, inspiration and legend of the seventh art.

For his part, Enrique Cerezo received the award for the 'Dissemination of the Western Genre' during the gala, in recognition of a career closely linked to the conservation and dissemination of Spanish cinematographic heritage. Over the decades, Cerezo has promoted the acquisition, conservation, digitization, restoration and distribution of thousands of Spanish film titles from Video Mercury Films, including numerous productions of the so-called 'spaghetti western', a genre intimately linked to the cinematographic history of Tabernas.

His relationship with Almeria also dates back to 1974, when he directed the documentary 'The Smile of the Sun: Almeria', a look at the cinema and landscape of the province. At the end of the 90s he also produced the western films 'The Return of El Coyote' (Mario Camus, 1998), 'A Dollar for the Dead' (Gene Quintano, 1998) and 'Justice of the Outlaws' (Bill Corcoran, 1999), shot in the Tabernas Desert and in the western towns.

Through Mercury Films, Cerezo has worked to preserve a fundamental part of Spanish audiovisual memory, with a catalogue of more than 7,000 titles. This work of recovery and conservation, which includes numerous films of the western genre, has helped to avoid the loss of a cinematographic heritage also linked to the history of Tabernas. For this career, the Film Academy awarded him the Gold Medal in 2025.

Enrique Cerezo highlighted the historical link between Almeria, Tabernas and cinema: "To talk about Almeria, cinema and Tabernas is to talk about western spaghetti, the desert, towns, saloons and sheriffs, but also about great titles with worldwide success such as 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly', 'Death Had a Price' or 'A Fistful of Dollars'".

The producer also underlined the impact that cinema had in the province during the 60s, not only as a stage for major international productions, but also as a generator of employment and as part of the cultural heritage: "This industry not only served to make some of the best films, but also created employment and promoted a historical film archive that today is part of our cultural imaginary".

Cerezo, who has worked and produced films shot in Almeria, has defended the need to preserve that legacy: "I learned to look at cinema not only as cinema, but also as heritage, which we all have the responsibility to preserve". In this sense, he pointed out that "producing cinema means taking care of the film memory of our country" and has claimed the restoration and recovery of films as a way to prevent a fundamental part of cultural history from disappearing.

Finally, he compared film production to crossing the Tabernas Desert and vindicated the role of the festival in the defence of the genre: "To receive this award here, in Almeria, and precisely in a festival that keeps the passion for the western alive, is a true and authentic honour". "Let us never let these films, these landscapes and these stories be extinguished," he concluded.

The opening gala, held at the Municipal Theatre of Tabernas and presented by Bego Puentes, has focused on Rassimov's career and his close link with the cinema shot in the Tabernas Desert. The event also included the participation of the actress Eva Almaya and the musical performance of Víctor Guirado. In addition, the Vice President and Deputy for Culture, Almudena Morales; the territorial delegate for Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía, Juan José Alonso; the mayor of Tabernas, José Díaz; and the director of the festival, Juan Francisco Viruega.

During the course of the gala, a minute of silence was held in memory of Rafael Molina, who died just a week ago. Molina, manager of Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood, was also co-founder and co-organizer of the Almeria Western Film Festival and a figure closely linked to the development and promotion of western culture in Tabernas.

The first day of AWFF began with the inaugural parade, which started from Europa Avenue and ended at the Tabernas Tourist Office. Next, the Municipal Theater has hosted the screening of 'Billy and the cowboy hamster', within the Junior Western section, a proposal aimed at family audiences.

The program has continued with the inauguration, in the hermitage of San Sebastián, of the photographic exhibition 'La mar del Desierto de Tabernas', by Pícaro Digit. At 12.30 p.m., the Theatre hosted a new session of the International Film Schools Section.

In the afternoon, La Serrata was the scene of the talk 'Cowboys with wifi. Western Fans and Social Networks', by the Western Saloon collective, followed by the screening of 'Ouro e Oásis', by Sebastião Borges, within the Found Treasures section, with the presence of the director. Another of the highlights of the day was the presentation and signing of the book 'Sergio Leone by himself', by its author, Sir Christopher Frayling, one of the leading specialists in the work of the Italian filmmaker and winner of the 'Desierto de Tabernas' award at AWFF 2021.

After the opening gala, the festival paid tribute to the 60th anniversary of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' with the screening of the film directed by Sergio Leone in 1966. Frayling has been in charge of introducing the session and contextualizing one of the fundamental films in the history of the Western, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of its premiere. With this first day, the AWFF has begun an edition that will have as one of its axes the bridge as an iconographic motif and symbol of the union between different cultures, narratives and cinematographic languages, as well as focusing on diversity within the genre.