Your Guide to Malaga Film Festival 2027

For 11 days each February or March, Malaga transforms into Spain’s answer to Cannes – red carpets unfurl down Calle Larios and Calle Alcazabilla, A-list celebrities flood the city’s plazas, and cinephiles catch tomorrow’s breakout Spanish cinema before anyone else.

The Malaga Film Festival (28 February -7 March 2027) is your chance to experience it all, with nearly 250 films, €6 tickets, and celebrity sightings around almost every corner.

The 11-day event celebrates the very best of Spanish cinema and provides a feast of films, some of the best on screen, as well as cinema-related activities. 2027 is the 30th anniversary of Malaga Film Festival, an event in the city that usually draws crowds in their thousands.

BTW – about the Malaga Film Festival poster 

Note that the poster below belongs to the 2026 edition. Stay tuned for the 2027 poster!

This year’s poster is by Pepo Pérez, a local artist and illustrator who has worked in graphic design, comics and drawing. The poster intends to convey the idea of the different visual aspects to the Festival.

The poster includes several essential elements:

• The red carpet, in reference to the VIP carpets set up in the city for the Film Festival.
• The beach, with the red carpet along it, symbolising the connection between Malaga and Latin America.
• Comic characters (the one in sunglasses is in homage to Fellini and Berlanga

Definitely an unusual take, but we like it.

When is Malaga Film Festival?

Malaga Film Festival starts on Friday 26 February and finishes on Sunday 7 March 2027.

Which films are shown?

There’s a wealth of films (almost 250 in total, 21 in the running for the main prize). This year, the Malaga Film Festival has continued its Latin American theme by including films made in Spain and in Central and South America. Panama was the guest country in 2026.

You can view the programme here. You can also search by date and time, or search for the film category you’re interested in and then buy a ticket via this link.

As well as the official competitors, Malaga Film Festival is screening shorts, documentaries and TV series, as well as films outside the official competition.

Where can I see the films?

You can watch the films at different locations in Malaga city centre including the Cervantes Theatre, Albéniz Cinema and the Echegaray Theatre. The Cervantes Theatre hosts the opening and the closing galas this year, with the closing gala most glamourous night of them all. 

Where can I see the action?

This year, you can watch all the events at the Festival on a giant screen in Plaza de la Constitución. They include the opening and closing galas, photo calls and prize-giving ceremonies. 

How much does it cost to see one of the films at Malaga Film Festival?

Prices cost from €6 at the box office for most films (from €1 more if you buy your ticket online). If you want to see any of the 21 films in the official section, a ticket costs €15. 

There are also discounts – 10% off if you buy tickets for 5 to 9 screenings, 15% off for 10 to 19 screenings and 20% off tickets for 20 or more.

Are the films only in Spanish?

Not all of them, but because the Malaga Film Festival celebrates cinema in the Spanish language, most of the films are in Spanish. Those that are original version (VOSE) say so on their details in the programme.

In 2027, the Film Festival has a foreign movie section, Mosaico Panorama International, showcasing non-Spanish films that have won awards but not yet been screened in Spain. This year, they include several French and Italian films.

Where can I get tickets?

From the box offices at the different venues and online.

Cerantes Theatre box office

You’ll find the box office to the right-hand side of the building. It opens for ticket sales:

February: Tuesday to Friday 11am to 2pm and 6 to 8.30pm; Saturday 6 to 8.30pm (closed on Sunday 28 February).

26 February to 7 March: from 11am to 30 minutes before the last film.

6 and 7 March: from 60 minutes before the start of the films.

Albeniz Cinema (Calle Alcazabilla)

February: daily from 3.45pm until the start of the last film.

28 February to 7 March: daily from 3.30pm until the start of the last film.

Note that any available tickets for the films competing for the main prize go on sale the same day of screening.

Online via Unientradas 

What are the prizes?

The top prize at the Malaga Film Festival is the ‘Biznaga de Oro‘ (typical flower made of gold jasmine flowers) for the best film. There are also several silver biznaga prizes for best actor, actress, director, supporting actor/actress, music… you get the idea.

 Are there any honorary prizes?

Yes, every year the Festival awards prizes to actors and directors for their work in film. In 2026, there were the following honorary prizes:

• The Malaga Prize (Premio Málaga) 2026 went to the actor Rossy de Palma (one of our favourites). Watch her in her element below.
• The Retrospective Prize was for the Peruvian director, producer and screenwriter, Francisco Lombardi, for his long career behind the camera.
• The Biznaga Ciudad de Paraíso (City in Paradise) award went to the actor Victoria Vera, known as the Muse of the Spanish Transition (1975 to 1978)
• The Malaga Talent Prize for 2026 was for the director and screenwriter Alanda Ruiz de Alúa. (Her latest film is Los Domingos (Sundays), the story of a teenage girl who decides she wants to become a nun. We highly recommend it – it’s a film you’ll be thinking about for ages afterwards.)

Did you know?
Winners of the Premio Malaga get a special plaque on the Walk of the Stars on the western seafront. The picture below shows Rossy de Palma’s plaque, installed in March 2026.

Is the Malaga Film Festival just about films?

No, there are other events in Malaga too. These include:

Exhibitions

Calle Larios gets a giant red carpet for the duration of the Malaga Film Festival and showcases Spanish films. Last year’s topic was Fuera de Plano (off camera), photos taken by Amparo García of moments of stars backstage at the festival during previous years. The photos line the street during the Festival. 

Free concerts

La Villa del Mar has free concerts every day for the second half of the Festival. Enjoy them on La Malagueta beach (next to Antonio Martin Restaurant – Google map link here).

The programme showcases local musical talents and includes jazz, flamenco, soul, pop and fusion. See the full line-up here.

Movie-themed wine and tapas

In conjunction with the Film Festival, Vinomascope brings you Malaga wine and tapa pairings at 40 restaurants in the city between 26 February and 7 March. Each drink and tapa costs €4-7 and promises the perfect pairing. To see a map and list of participating venues, click here.

Where can I spot celebrities at the festival?

Want to catch a glimpse of Spain’s biggest stars? Here’s your insider guide to where the action happens during the festival.

The hot spots (ranked by sighting probability)

Plaza de la Constitución – giant screen

• When: Daily during opening/closing galas and award ceremonies (check schedule)
• What you’ll see: Live broadcast of red carpet arrivals, interviews, and ceremonies
• Pro tip: Arrive 30 minutes early to claim a spot near the front.
• Bonus: Free to watch, and you might spot celebs doing impromptu walkabouts afterward

Cervantes Theatre – square outside

• Peak times:
  • Opening Gala: February 26, 7:30pm onwards
  • Closing Gala: March 7, 8pm onwards
  • Any premiere screening (check programme)
• The scene: This is the red carpet moment. Stars arrive in designer gowns, photographers swarm, and crowds press against barriers.
• Strategy: Position yourself on the square facing the theatre entrance 60-90 minutes before showtime. Bring a zoom lens if you’re serious about photos.

Albéniz Cinema – photocalls outside

• Address: Calle Alcazabilla, 4
• Why it’s gold: Smaller, more intimate venue means stars often walk right past you on the street. And there’s the photocall outside.
• Best time: 30 minutes before and after screenings
• Insider tip: grab a table at El Pimpi or La Plaza bar and celebrity-watch while you enjoy a drink and a tapa.

AC Palacio Malaga – VIP central

• Address: Calle Cortina del Muelle, 1
• Why it matters: this is where most A-listers stay during the festival
• When to lurk (respectfully):
  • Pre-gala: 6-7:30pm (watch them depart)
  • Late night: 11pm+ (post-event returns)
• Etiquette: hotel guests and diners can enter.

Calle Larios – the red carpet street

• The setup: the city’s main shopping street gets literally rolled out with red carpet and photo exhibitions during the festival
• Celeb factor: moderate—stars sometimes stroll here between events, especially during afternoon breaks
• Your move: combine sightseeing with subtle stake-out. Pop into shops, grab ice cream, and keep your eyes peeled.

Past Festival Regulars

Want to know who might show up? Previous years have featured:

• Antonio Banderas (Malaga native, so there’s a high chance you’ll spot him)
• Penélope Cruz
• Javier Bardem
• Rossy de Palma
• Najwa Nimri (Money Heist star)

2027 confirmed guests: TBA—check the official festival site as announcements roll out.

💡Local Secret: follow @festivalmalaga on Instagram during the event—they post real-time updates on which stars are where.

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