The show must go on and Alfaz will have its Film Festival despite the effects of the coronavirus pandemic

IT will take place two weeks later than usual and have fewer days but Alfaz will have a Film Festival this year.

The Festival will be held from July 18 to July 25 with showings split between the Casa de Cultura and the open-air cinema at Albir beach where there will one session each day in order to comply with health regulations.

“This post-Covid edition will have a smaller budget and not so many parallel activities, but it maintains its essence along with its one competitive category, the short film section,” announced Alfaz mayor Vicente Arques.

A total of 865 filmmakers have submitted entries, hoping to win the €7,500 first prize, he added.

Arques explained that €100,000 of the Festival’s original budget had been allocated to the town hall’s Social Welfare to lessen the effects of Covid-19 on vulnerable residents, leaving just €50,000 for the event.  This has now been supplemented with a €35,000 grant from Alicante’s provincial council, the Diputacion, he said.