The Cabildo of Lanzarote, through the Society for the Promotion of Foreign Affairs of Lanzarote (SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote), and Aluciflipo Entertainment S.L., organizer of the renowned FesTVal (Television Festival), have signed a general protocol of action to promote audiovisual activities on the island within the framework of FesTVal 2025.
The signing, which took place during Fitur 2025, was attended by Oswaldo Betancort, president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote; Héctor Fernández, CEO of SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote; and Joseba Fiestras, director of FesTVal. In addition, Jakes Aguirrezabal, Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Basque Government, Cristina González, Provincial Deputy for Tourism, and Felipe García, Provincial Director of Tourism, attended, who highlighted the relevance of this agreement.
The protocol establishes the continuity of the project initiated in 2024 with the celebration of the second edition of Meetings FesTVal Lanzarote, an event that will take place during the second week of June, with Arrecife as the main venue for the audiovisual conferences. This agreement consolidates the presence of Lanzarote in the national and international audiovisual scene, promoting its image as an innovative and sustainable destination.
According to Betancort, "this collaboration reinforces our strategy of tourism diversification and cultural promotion, showing the versatility of Lanzarote as a destination for high-level events." "With initiatives like this, Lanzarote reaffirms itself as a preferred destination for the development of the audiovisual industry, supporting sustainable filming and generating opportunities for both tourism promotion and the promotion of the creative and cultural sector," he added.
For his part, Héctor Fernández, explained that "the agreement, sponsored by the Basque Government, includes that Lanzarote has a presence in the main event, the Television Festival that is held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, and that the 2025 edition will include activities that promote both the professional and training fields, with round tables, masterclasses and meetings for future talents, in addition to a press trip to show the unique scenarios of our island."
Joseba Fiestras, director of FesTVal, stressed that "the success of the first edition is proof of the enormous potential that this alliance has to continue growing and position the festival and Lanzarote at the forefront of the sector."
What is FesTVal?
FesTVal began in 2009 as an initiative of several journalists led by Joseba Fiestras. They all knew the format of film festivals in depth. But while it is true that they were passionate about cinema, television was not far behind. Their restless minds kept turning the matter over and they created this festival.
And the festivals were not oriented to the viewer and it was impossible to visualize the impact that television exerted on the audience. There were statistics, of course, but they were not translated into images, into cries of emotion, into smiles, into selfies.
Precisely, that dedicated and grateful public made the professionals of the sector want to be part of this initiative. They had the support of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council and the originality of the format was essential for the commitment of the channels and producers: this festival was something that benefited everyone. They pulled contacts and the support they gave them was key to closing fringes. Things were going smoothly, but the icing on the cake was missing: every festival worth its salt has to give prestigious awards.
The name of Joan Ramon Mainat, who died years before and creator of Crónicas Marcianas, Lluvia de estrellas and Operación Triunfo (among other formats), deserved to be present on television, for ever and ever. This is what they considered from FesTVal. That's why they went to Barcelona, to present the idea to his brother, Josep Maria Mainat.
The Mainat family gladly accepted the proposal and the prestigious awards were created. The channels also turned, offering the best of their programming and, from there, the FesTVal began to roll, grow and consolidate.
"Today it is a reality, an unmissable event for producers, channels, television professionals and viewers. Everyone wants to be here. It has become a benchmark for the sector," they conclude.
