Gibara international film festival kicks off today in eastern Cuba

 The 17th edition of the Gibara International Film Festival (FICGibara) will begin today with a performance by the La Colmenita company in the community of El Güirito, which will run until August 5, in this coastal city, located in northern Holguin.

The event, which pays tribute to the 20 years since it was founded by the outstanding Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solas, will include in its extensive program of activities the screening of films that will compete for awards in the categories of short fiction, feature film, documentary and animation.

At the opening gala, the Lucia de Honor Award will be given to actor Luis Alberto Garcia and costume designer Violeta Cooper, while Jorge Perugorria will receive the award at the closing ceremony for his important role in the revival and relaunching of FICGibara between 2016 and 2022.

Among the special presentations will be "Silvio Rodriguez: My First Task", directed by Catherine Murphy, a documentary that tells the story of the artist's coming-of-age as a volunteer in the youth brigades of the Literacy Campaign, and also, "Fernanda and the Strange Case of the Message to Figueroa", under the direction of Mario Rivas.

The library of the territory will host audiovisual workshops focused on teenagers and young people, while other places in the territory will exhibit local projects as well as troubadours and other cultural events.