November 9, 2025.- The Festival de Cine Fantástico de Canarias Ciudad de La Laguna Isla Calavera kicked off its first day of screenings and parallel activities yesterday with a book signing of the book The Soft Stone by Rodrigo Cortés, a reference in Spanish fantastic cinema and winner of the Isla Calavera Honorary Award, at the Multicines Tenerife.

The morning continued with a new edition of the Industry Meeting: Filming in the Canary Islands, a networking space developed with the support of the Tenerife Film Commission. It counted with the interventions of the director of titles such as Grease (1979) or The Flight of the Navigator (1986), Randal Kleiser; the actress and director from Tenerife Sara Sálamo; the Goya winner, director of films such as Cell 211 (2009), Daniel Monzón; the aforementioned Galician filmmaker Rodrigo Cortés, and the journalist and moderator Miguel Angel Rodríguez Villar. The professional forum brought together numerous national and local film industry professionals who were able to share their knowledge and interests and attend the presentation of filming opportunities in the Canary Islands to promote the audiovisual sector in the archipelago.

Feature films in competition

Throughout the day, eight films competing in the Official Feature Film Section 2025 were screened. Mother's babyby Johanna Moder; Singularwhich was presented by its director Alberto Gastesi; The Legend of Ochiby Isaiah Saxon; Lugerby Bruno Martín, with the presence of its protagonist David Sainz; Dysphoriaby Christopher Cartagena; Blood Shineby Emily Bennet and Justin Brooks; and Dracula: A Love Taleby Luc Besson.

Simon Weisse

Set designer, visual effects specialist and prop designer Simon Weisse offered the highly anticipated masterclass Miniatures for Wes Anderson's films. "I've been in the business for over 30 years and would love to talk about all my projects, but I will focus on my most recent work with director Wes Anderson, such as The Grand Budapest Hotel," he commented. After the event the model maker shared moments with fans as he signed autographs.

Classics return to the big screen in Isla Calavera

Another of the key moments of the day was the reunion of Randal Kleiser and actress Veronica Cartwright on the occasion of the screening of the youthful science fiction adventure Flight of the Navigator (1986). Both gave an emotional presentation of the film and recalled anecdotes from the making of the movie that thrilled the audience, which included many young people who were watching the film for the first time.

Yesterday also featured the claustrophobic experience of Buried (2010). The film's director, Rodrigo Cortés, participated in an enthusiastic discussion after the screening of the feature film that, 15 years after its theatrical release, once again took the audience's breath away.

Short Film Session

The first session of screenings of the Official Short Film Competition 2025 began at 8:15 pm. The following films were presented Mierdaby David Fernández Pastor; The Callby Kiko Prada; Vulturesby Santi Alvarado; Land of the Dead Deerby Anahita Gharcheh and Souroush Javadzadeh; Tinieblasby Raúl Cerezo and Carlos Moriana; Uncleanby Simon Chouinard; Listenby Javier Prada, and From Madrid to Heavenby Pablo Pérez.