Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) 2025

Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) 2025 returns to Palma from October 21–29, 2025, with nine days of premieres, industry talks, masterclasses, and citywide celebrations anchored by its fourth annual Cinematography Focus (October 21–24) and bookended by an Opening Night Gala on October 21 and a Closing Night Gala and Awards on October 29. The official festival site confirms dates, program milestones, and key on‑sale moments, including the press conference and full program reveal on October 7 and ticket sales opening on October 8, alongside news that submissions for 2025 are now closed and notifications land by September 10. EMIFF marks its 14th edition this year and celebrates an eighth consecutive inclusion in MovieMaker Magazine’s “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” list, reflecting sustained growth, filmmaker care, and an international spotlight that consistently draws notable guests to Palma’s screens and stages.

What’s new in 2025

• Dates and galas: The festival runs October 21–29, with Opening Night on October 21 and Closing Night + Awards on October 29, as listed in the official “Welcome to EMIFF 2025” notice.
• Cinematography Focus (4th edition): Dedicated panels, talks, masterclasses, and special screenings honor the craft and expand career pathways for DPs and camera teams; 2025’s focus runs early in the week (Oct 21–24).
• Program scale: The 2025 slate features 150+ projects across features, docs, shorts, debut features, and spotlights — the largest feature selection to date at EMIFF — with Q&As and networking designed into the schedule.

Program reveals and tickets

• Timeline:
• Oct 7: Press conference, full program publication.
• Oct 8: Ticket sales open via the festival website and box office partners.
• Oct 21–29: Festival dates across Palma venues.
• Submissions status: Film submissions for 2025 are closed; notification date posted as September 10 on the festival site.
• Social confirmation: EMIFF’s official Instagram reiterates the October 21–29 festival window and promotes the Cinematography Focus week for practitioners flying in to learn and network.

Venues and city footprint

• Historic and contemporary stages: Screenings and events span Teatre Principal de Palma, CineCiutat, and Palau de Congressos de Palma, with additional talks and masterclasses hosted at Estudi General Lul·lià, Es Baluard Museu, and Rialto Living in central Palma — a proven mix from recent editions that the festival profiles in its about and retrospective content.
• Neighborhood flow: Events are clustered to be walkable between the Old Town and contemporary cultural hubs, reinforcing the festival’s “Bridging Cultures – Bridging People” mission in the city’s streets and plazas.

Awards and spotlights

• Bridging Borders Award: EMIFF’s signature €2,000 cash prize recognizes a project that connects people across geographies through the power of film, underscoring the festival’s cross‑cultural identity and selection ethos.
• Industry recognition: The festival highlights its sustained presence on MovieMaker’s “50 Worth the Entry Fee” list and past acclaim from The Guardian’s “Most Exciting Film Festivals,” pointing to a competitive but filmmaker‑friendly curatorial stance.
• Cinematography honors: With returning Cinematography Focus leadership and partners, DPs and camera crews gain a dedicated forum for craft, tools, and creative collaboration during the first half of the week.

What to expect as an attendee

• Programming mix: International Features, Debut Features, Spotlight Screenings, International Documentaries, Shorts blocks, Made in Balearics spotlights, Script and Lab presentations, and kid‑friendly sessions round out a broad program designed for discovery and conversation.
• Daily rhythm: Mid‑afternoon screenings at CineCiutat flow into evening spotlights and Q&As, with industry talks, Women in Leadership panels, Cine Café sessions, and cocktail networking punctuating late afternoons and nights across partner venues and lounges — a recurring pattern described in festival retrospectives and schedules.
• Special events: EMIFF has previously staged drive‑in cinema at Port Adriano and family screenings at Aficine Rivoli, illustrating the playful extras that often flank the main competition and spotlight sections; 2025 ancillary events publish with the October 7 program drop.

For filmmakers and industry

• No premiere requirement: Festagent and festival materials note EMIFF does not enforce a strict premiere status, offering flexibility for international titles seeking European or Spanish exposure with robust Q&As and media presence.
• Networking value: Cafe con Cine meet‑ups, nightly cocktails, and post‑screening discussions are central to EMIFF’s culture, engineered to foster cross‑border collaboration and momentum for works‑in‑progress and future projects.
• Script and lab: EMIFF runs a screenplay competition and Script Lab; 2025 calls emphasized deadlines through spring, with notifications tied to the autumn program timeline and social posts encouraging writers to apply early.

Travel planning and passes

• Where to stay: Old Town (La Calatrava, La Lonja, Sindicat) and Santa Catalina place attendees within walking distance of major venues and evening lounges; the mix of historic and modern venues makes Palma a compact festival city.
• Getting around: Palma’s bus network and pedestrian core handle most trips; taxis fill the late‑night gaps. CineCiutat and Teatre Principal are both central; Palau de Congressos sits a short taxi ride along the bay.
• Passes and tickets: Full festival passes typically bundle access to screenings, talks, panels, and the Closing Night cocktail or gala; individual tickets go on sale October 8 with priority often given to passholders during early windows, as profiled in prior editions.

Why EMIFF stands out

• Bridge to Europe and beyond: EMIFF’s curatorial focus brings global cinema into a Mediterranean capital with a strong creative community, facilitating cross‑cultural dialogue in and around screenings.
• Cinematography Focus: Few festivals give DPs four dedicated days of craft‑specific programming integrated into the main schedule, making EMIFF a draw for camera teams and directors keen on deepening visual language.
• Consistent acclaim: Multiple consecutive years on MovieMaker’s “Worth the Entry Fee” and strong press from The Guardian signal a festival that balances ambition with access and filmmaker care — a rare and valuable mix.

Key dates and actions

• Sept 10: Submission notifications for selected 2025 projects.
• Oct 7: Press conference and full program reveal.
• Oct 8: Ticket sales open for all sections and events.
• Oct 21–24: Cinematography Focus, panels, talks, masterclasses.
• Oct 21–29: EMIFF 2025 screenings, Q&As, industry events across Palma; Opening Night Oct 21; Closing Night + Awards Oct 29.

Verified details at a glance

• Festival: 14th Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF).
• Dates: Oct 21–29, 2025; Opening Gala Oct 21; Closing Gala & Awards Oct 29.
• Program scale: 150+ projects; largest feature‑film selection to date.
• Cinematography Focus: 4th edition, Oct 21–24, with craft‑specific programming.
• Key milestones: Oct 7 program reveal; Oct 8 ticket sales; 2025 submissions closed; notifications Sept 10.
• Venues: Teatre Principal, CineCiutat, Palau de Congressos, with talks at Estudi General Lul·lià, Es Baluard, and Rialto Living, based on recent editions and festival profiles.
• Accolades: MovieMaker “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” 2025; The Guardian “Most Exciting Film Festivals” cited for prior years.

Mark the calendar, watch for the October 7 program drop, and secure tickets when sales open on October 8. Plan a base in Palma’s Old Town, map out a personal schedule that mixes feature discoveries with Cinematography Focus sessions, and leave room for the nightly conversations that define EMIFF’s spirit. This is a week where films spark relationships, and Palma’s streets carry the conversation long after the credits roll.