Malaga Film Festival 2026: high-speed rail cancellation jeopardises arrival of attendees
The event organisers are studying alternatives, including a combined high-speed train to Antequera and private road transport to Malaga
The suspension of the high-speed train line in Malaga province until at least 23 March has come as a blow to the organisers of the 29th Malaga Film Festival.
More than 4,300 accredited guests and participants are to attend the festival from 6 to 15 March. Among them are celebrities, filmmakers, students, journalists and critics. For many of them, coming to Malaga will be a challenge, which is why the organisers are currently studying alternatives.
"We have been working on alternatives that will allow us to take care of our guests," director of the festival Juan Antonio Vigar told SUR on Wednesday.
They have already tested the air transport option with the presentation of the festival in Madrid on 12 February. However, 4,300 people are difficult and costly to transfer from elsewhere to Malaga by plane for one event, so the organisers are exploring an option similar to what state railway operator Renfe is offering these days.
The Malaga Film Festival's travel department is considering using the high-speed train (Ave) service to Antequera and combining it with their private transport by road from there to Malaga.
"We are working on the possibility of bringing charter trains at the most crowded times, such as the opening or closing ceremonies, and then using vans to pick up our guests in an orderly fashion," Vigar said.
There is no hesitation whether Malag Film Festival will go ahead this year. The organisers are going to adapt "to any new developments that may arise", which might require an increase in the planned travel budget.
The stumbling blocks of previous festivals
Worrying about how Festival de Málaga will go is a common part of the event every year. Usually, what concerns the organisers is the weather forecast, with spring rains threatening to paint the red carpet a darker shade.
The biggest obstacle was six years ago, when the start of the Covid-19 lockdown forced the organisers to cancel the event.
This year, the serious rail incidents of Adamuz (18 January) and then Álora (5 February) are what complicates travel for the attendees.
