The 29th Festival de Cine de Málaga opens today and runs through March 15. Most people living on the western coast have never been.

It is one of the largest film festivals dedicated to Spanish-language cinema in the world: 263 films this year, from 71 countries, across ten days. The main screening venue is Cine Albéniz on Calle Alcazabilla, in Málaga's historic centre, a fifteen-minute walk from the Málaga Centro-Alameda train station.

Not because it is difficult to get to. Not because it is expensive. The Cercanías C1 runs from Fuengirola through Torremolinos and Benalmádena directly to Málaga city centre. The journey from Fuengirola takes approximately 45 minutes. A standard screening at Cine Albéniz costs €8. (Confirmed March 2026)

The festival is on your doorstep. It just does not feel that way from Marbella.

The Festival de Cine de Málaga is not a fringe event. It has serious industry accreditation, a full competition programme for Spanish-language feature films and documentaries, and international reach, with filmmakers from 71 countries this year. Films that premiere here typically reach streaming platforms a year or more later. The 2026 programme includes a Neópolis strand on technology and AI in cinema, a retrospective on Argentine cinema, and eight screenings and a masterclass under an "Asserting Women's Rights" focus. (Confirmed February 2026)

What it is not: a tourist event. The programming is in Spanish. Subtitles vary. The audience is a mix of industry, film students, and Málaga residents. The red carpet evenings, when Spanish film and television names arrive for competition premieres, are public events where you can watch arrivals from street level outside Cine Albéniz without a ticket.

Getting there without a car: The Cercanías C1 runs the full length of the coast from Fuengirola to Málaga. Current fares and timetables at renfe.com. The Málaga Centro-Alameda stop is the one to use. It is a short walk to Calle Alcazabilla and the historic centre. Our public transport guide covers the full Cercanías network.

Tickets: Individual screenings at Cine Albéniz are €8 for features and €6 for short films. Tickets are available online at festivaldemalaga.com and at the Cine Albéniz box office (Calle Alcazabilla, Málaga). Book in advance for evening screenings. Competition films on weekends sell out. (Confirmed March 2026)

Red carpet events: Free to watch from the street, no ticket required. The opening gala this evening (March 6) and subsequent competition premieres take place at Cine Albéniz throughout the week. Arrivals typically happen 30-45 minutes before the stated screening time.

Parking: If you are driving, the Málaga historic centre is congested during the festival. Parking Alcazaba (underground, Calle Alcazabilla) is the closest to the main venue. Expect it to be full on Friday and Saturday evenings. The train is the better option.

The festival is concentrated around Calle Alcazabilla, the Alcazaba, and the Teatro Cervantes, a compact part of the historic centre worth a few hours, regardless of whether you see a film.

This is also the part of Málaga that tends to remind long-term coast residents why they chose southern Spain in the first place, before the admin settled in.

Festival de cine — film festival

Sesión de tarde — afternoon screening (typically 17:00-19:00 )

The 29th Festival de Cine de Málaga runs today through March 15, based at Cine Albéniz on Calle Alcazabilla in Málaga city centre. Screenings cost €8. The opening gala is tonight. The Cercanías C1 from Fuengirola takes 45 minutes and drops you a short walk from the venue. If this has been on your list for a few years, this is the weekend to go.

Enjoy the weekend — A. and the WaypointSur team, who are currently arguing about which film to see first.