The Teatro Principal of Alicante hosted the opening gala of the Alicante Film Festival at night, an event in which the actors Héctor Alterio and Javier Pereira, and the film director Javier Fesser were honored.
As usual, the event was hosted by the actor and presenter Luis Larrodera, and on this occasion it was enlivened by the music of the Alicante singer-songwriter, Inma Serrano.
Javier Pereira was the first of the night’s honorees. Distinguished with the City of Alicante Award, he was received after a video that reviewed his filmography and showed his first appearance on television when giving the Gordo de Navidad in 1993 and 1994.
“Life has given me a profession, a vocation… I feel privileged. Thanks to the Festival and Vicente for this award that I want to dedicate to my family and friends. And dedicate it to me for the effort and work done,” Pereira commented after receiving the award.
The award was presented to him by the actor Alfonso Bassave and the director Javier Ruiz Caldera. Additionally, in a surprise video the actors Raquel Pérez, Chema Tena and Cristina Alcaraz congratulated him.
The City of Light Award, which distinguishes Spanish directors, went to Javier Fesser, winner of seven Goya awards and with an award-winning career. He received it from the director of Ciudad de la Luz, Fermín Crespo.
“I receive and collect this award in the name not only of my feature films, but also of advertising, of the shorts… of so many works that I have done and above all to congratulate those who have supported me and worked with me. I also want to thank my soul friends and my daughter Claudia who are here with me today. And to my mother, who left us a week ago after 101 years, from whom I have inherited the joy of living,” Javier Fesser thanked.
Fesser also spoke about the wars that are ravaging and stressed “I want to support and join everything in life that is dedicated to building and illuminating. “Movies are bombs that build where darkness is.”
And the most anticipated award of the night, for his extensive career as a film and theater actor, which could be seen with an emotional video, was the Honor Award for Héctor Alterio. An award that was presented by surprise by his son, actor Ernesto Alterio, after a video by his other daughter, Malena Alterio, who could not attend for work reasons.
An excited Héctor Alterio, with the entire theater standing, expressed his gratitude for this award: “Alicante is a land where we enjoy its beach and light from very early on. I like it and it flatters me a lot and this way I can collaborate with the promotion of cinema and young filmmakers who are making a big splash,” declared the actor.
“From a very young age I knew that I wanted to entertain others. And theater was the cradle of my training. Madrid was my prison and my salvation in exile. Today is my luck, my home. I’m lucky. I want to dedicate this award to my Argentine compatriots, to the Ukrainians and to the Palestinian people,” he concluded.
With the awards ceremony, the 21st edition of the Alicante International Film Festival has been inaugurated.
The Alicante International Film Festival has the support of the Alicante Provincial Council, the Alicante City Council, the Alicante Film Office, the Valencian Institute of Culture, À Punt Radiotelevisión Valenciana and other collaborating companies.