The Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest concluded its 16th edition in Palma with a closing ceremony presided over by Queen Letizia, who presented the AMFF Master of Cinema Award to Oscar-winning French composer Alexandre Desplat, creator of the Oscar-winning sound s for *The Grand Budapest Hotel* (2014) , and The Shape of Water (2017), among others.
A special concert by singer Júlia Colom preceded the awards ceremony and the Spanish premiere of the film *El ser querido*, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, who attended the closing ceremony alongside much of the film’s crew. Actors Javier Bardem, Victoria Luengo, Raúl Arévalo, and Melina Mathews, screenwriter Isabel Peña, and producers Eduardo Villanueva and Nacho Lavilla participated in the closing ceremony of the Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest, along with other guests from the cultural scene such as Gael García Bernal, Fernando Trueba, Carlos Bardem, Zoe Stein, Esty Quesada, Jaume Anglada, and the general director of Barcelona’s Liceu, Valentí Oviedo, among others.
The in-person edition of AMFF, which ends today, has broken attendance records, making it the most well-attended edition in its history, with more than 53,500 spectators at its screenings, conferences, and concerts held at iconic venues throughout the Balearic capital, such as Ses Voltes, La Misericòrdia, Museu EsBaluard, Sala Rívoli, CineCiutat, and Hotel Victòria Gran Melià.
The festival set a record for the number of accredited attendees—more than 500—and for the number of films screened both at its in-person venue (Mallorca) and online, with 160 titles from 22 countries.
As is customary, the awards for the festival’s Official Selection were presented during the closing ceremony.
AMFF2026 Awards:
The jury for the National Official Selection—composed of artist Pepa Charro, filmmaker Javier Giner, and actor Miguel Bernardeau, along with young students Andrés Segura, Laia Oliva, and Rosa Bisbal—has awarded the prize for Best Film in the Official Selection to Lionel by Carlos Saiz. For its part, the The Dama Agustí Villaronga Award for Best National Film has gone to Mala bèstia , the debut film by Bà rbara Farr é .
The new Trends Section has awarded the film Blue Film by Elliot Turtle. The jury, composed of journalist Isabel Calderón, actor Alex Monner, and costume designer Pau Aulí, honored this queer drama starring Reed Birney and Kieron Moore, who attended the festival.
The audience in Atlántida was captivated by the documentary The Cycle of Love; the warmth and dedication of its protagonists, Emilie Kira and Pradyumna Kumar-Ann, have earned them this year’s Audience Award, and they will surely be remembered as the festival’s greatest love story.
For its part, the Balearic jury—composed of writer Biel Mezquida, actress Llum Barrera, and designer Claire O’Keefe—has awarded the prize to *La carn* by Joan Porcel as Best Balearic Film. Meanwhile, the Best Short Film award went to La barraca by Júlia Castaño.
The online edition of the Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest will remain available on the Filmin platform through August 24. The Award for Best Online Film in the RAW Official Selection will be presented by the ACEC jury, composed of Marla Jacarilla, Victor Dalmau, and Agus Izquierdo. The winner will be announced on August 14, 10 days before the festival ends.
- The Best Film Award in the Official Selection went to “Lionel” by Carlos Saiz.
- The Dama Agustí Villaronga Award for Best Domestic Film went to “Mala bèstia,” directed by Bàrbara Farré.
- The Best Film award in the Trends Section went to “Blue Film,” directed by Elliot Turtle.
- Joan Porcel’s *La carn* won the award for Best Balearic Feature Film, and Júlia Castaño’s *La barraca* was named Best Short Film.
- Orlando von Einsiedel’s documentary *The Cycle of Love* has won the Audience Award.
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