ALMERIA WESTERN FILM FESTIVAL

Overview

The 16th edition of the Almería Western Film Festival (AWFF), organized by the City Council of Tabernas, aims to promote and disseminate cinematic works within the western genre, in its broadest sense, contributing to the knowledge of world cinema. At the same time, the Festival highlights the territory where it takes place: the Tabernas Desert and the municipality of Tabernas, which have served as inspiration and setting for an important international film production across different genres for more than 75 years. This represents a valuable cultural heritage that was recognized as a Treasure of European Film Culture by the European Film Academy in 2020. The 16th edition of the Almería Western Film Festival will take place from Thursday, October 8 to Monday, October 12, 2026, in the municipality of Tabernas and at the film sets Oasys MiniHollywood and Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood. All film works (feature films, short films, and documentaries) must be submitted between Monday, March 16 and Sunday, June 14, 2026, exclusively through the platforms Festhome and FilmFreeway. Submissions made through other channels will not be accepted under any circumstances. Submitted works may not be withdrawn during the selection process, nor after having been officially selected for the Festival. Logline of the 2026 Edition Almería Western Film Festival has a dual commitment: on the one hand, to recall the major milestones of the western genre throughout history; on the other, to reclaim and connect the traditional themes and iconography of the genre with today’s socio-cultural and environmental reality. The 2026 edition will focus on diversity and the bridge as a symbol of intercultural connection between narratives and cinematic languages from different geographical regions: the neo-western as a reinterpretation of the archetypes and foundational plots of the classic western; the contemporary western set in the present and portraying the clash between tradition and modernity, as well as rural and war conflicts and their migratory implications; the existential western in Northern Europe and Eastern European countries; the revisionist American western that questions the colonial narrative; the rural and creole western, the revolutionary western, and the Argentine gaucho western in Latin America; and the hybridization of genres present in western-chanbara and/or martial arts westerns from Japan and Korea. Works that offer a renewed, experimental, and disruptive perspective on these elements will be particularly valued.

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

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Festival Details

FilmFreeway communityGold festival

• Filmmaker

  AWFF is a fantastic film festival. Excellent movies screened in Tabernas. Good communication. We were been honored to be part of the festival with our spaghetti western “THE ECSTASY OF GOLD”. Thank you for selecting it and for having us.

• Filmmaker

  Adrama-Strong Film Distribution

• Filmmaker

  The Almeria Western Film Fest is a truly exceptional festival. Wonderful communication, programming and events. The fest took exceptional care of us filmmakers in attendance and curated a wholly life affirming festival experience. Amazing location to screen alongside amazing films and filmmakers. AWFF2025 was a event I shall cherish personally always. Can't wait to come back if I'm lucky!

• Filmmaker

  An amazing film festival! This festival is a must for fans of the western genre, and I consider having our western accepted here to be a greater honour than at any of the world's top film festivals. It is "THE" western film festival, in my opinion. Other filmmakers we met here were all in agreement that this was the best film festival they had ever experienced, so as my first time attending a film festival, it has set the bar incredibly high. The organisers put a lot of effort into making the experience the best that it could be for us. One example of this was the free buffet we were given in MiniHollywood, where we got to sit down, eat, and socialise with the other filmmakers in attendance. Special thanks goes to festival staff, Cristina and Ana, who provided excellent communication (especially as we only spoke English) and were always on hand to help whenever we had questions. This festival is unique in that many of the films it celebrates were actually shot in the surrounding area, and it is a goldmine for lovers of the spaghetti western. It was always a dream of mine to be able to stand in the same locations where the Leone films were shot - 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' is my favourite film of all time. The people we met were all so passionate, friendly, creative, and supportive of one another. There was a genuine sense of camaraderie among us filmmakers, and I feel I've left having made lifelong friends. There were some genuinely amazing westerns on show this year, across all categories - both features and shorts - that I eagerly look forward to rewatching when they are made publicly available. It's hard to put into words just how great this festival was. Whether or not I'm fortunate enough to have another film accepted here in the future, I definitely intend to return. It has really motivated me to make more westerns!

• Filmmaker

  It was an honor to be selected for the Almería Western Film Festival and to have my short “The Bounty Hunter” screened in the mythical city of Almería. The festival grows year after year, driven by people who truly love the western and understand cinema at its core; it honors the past while offering a powerful perspective on the present and future of film. An inspiring and thrilling experience.

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