Eva Libertad’s poignant debut feature Deaf has emerged as a standout at the 2025 Málaga Film Festival, securing four major awards, including Best Spanish Film and the Audience Award. This success follows its earlier triumph at the Berlin Film Festival, where it received the Audience Award.
The film explores the complexities of a relationship between a deaf woman and her hearing boyfriend, a dynamic tested by the arrival of their baby. Featuring a stellar performance by Miriam Garlo, the director’s sister, alongside Álvaro Cervantes, Deaf captivated audiences and critics alike. Garlo and Cervantes were honored with the festival’s Best Actor awards, sharing the prize with Ángela Cervantes for Fury and Mario Casas for Away, respectively.
The international sales of Deaf are being handled by Latido Films, with the film already secured for distribution in multiple territories, including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy.
In addition to Deaf, the Best Latin American Film award went to The Dog Thief, the debut feature of Chilean-Bolivian director Vinko Tomičić. Premiering at Tribeca, the film tells the emotional story of an orphaned shoeshine boy who steals the dog of his best customer—a lonely tailor whom he views as a father figure. Luxbox is managing its international sales.
Gemma Blasco’s debut feature Fury also took home multiple accolades, including Best Supporting Actor for Àlex Monner, Best Editing, and the Best Actress award for Miriam Garlo. The film, which deals with a young actress processing her trauma after a sexual assault at a New Year’s Eve party, was sold by Filmax.
The Special Jury Prize was awarded to The Exiles (formerly The Turtle), the second feature by Belén Funes. Funes, whose previous work includes A Thief’s Daughter, also won Best Director and Best Screenplay alongside co-writer Marçal Cebrián. The film, which offers a poignant look at the lives of Andalusian immigrants in Catalonia, is being sold internationally by Film Factory.
In the festival’s industry section, The Reborn by Santiago Esteves won the Málaga Festival Prize for Best Spanish Production. The film, produced by Spain’s Zabriskie Films and Argentina’s Le Tiro, follows two estranged brothers involved in a business that helps people fake their deaths to cross borders. The Best Ibero-American Work in Progress Award went to No Journey Without Return, the debut fiction feature by Carlos Sánchez Giraldo. This film, produced by Peru’s Rima Rima Cine, follows a man returning to the Amazon jungle to seek answers from his grandparents.
Carlos Saiz’s road movie Lionel was another big winner, claiming four awards: Cine y Tele, Sideral, Yagán, and REC Festival prizes.
In a look ahead to next year, Panama was announced as the focus country for the Málaga Film Festival’s industry section in 2026.
2025 Málaga Official Competition Winners:
- Best Spanish Film: Deaf (Dir: Eva Libertad)
- Best Latin American Film: The Dog Thief (Dir: Vinko Tomičić)
- Special Jury Prize: The Exiles (Dir: Belén Funes)
- Best Director: Belén Funes for The Exiles
- Best Actress (ex aequo): Ángela Cervantes for Fury and Miriam Garlo for Deaf
- Best Actor (ex aequo): Álvaro Cervantes for Deaf and Mario Casas for Away
- Best Supporting Actress: María Elena Pérez for Dogs
- Best Supporting Actor: Àlex Monner for Fury
- Best Screenplay: Belén Funes and Marçal Cebrián for The Exiles
- Best Original Score: Felipe Raposo for Remnants of You
- Best Cinematography: Alván Prado for Sugar Island
- Best Editing: Didac Palou and Tomás López for Fury
- Critics’ Award: Away (Dir: Gerard Oms)
- Audience Award: Deaf (Dir: Eva Libertad)
Zonazine Awards:
- Best Spanish Film: Esmorza amb mi (Dir: Iván Morales)
- Best Ibero-American Film: Olivia y las nubes (Dir: Tomás Pichardo)
- Best Director: Matías Szulanski for Buenas Noches
Mafiz Awards – Málaga Work In Progress:
- Málaga Festival Prize (Spain): The Reborn (Dir: Santiago Esteves)
- Málaga Festival Prize (Ibero-America): No Journey Without Return (Dir: Carlos Sánchez Giraldo)
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