The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) will hold its 15th edition from October 28 to November 4, consolidating Mallorca’s position as one of the emerging hubs of international independent cinema. The festival will open with Club Kid, by American filmmaker Jordan Firstman, and will close this year’s edition with The End of It, the highly anticipated feature film debut of Spanish director María Martínez Bayona.
The selection of these two films defines the spirit of this year’s festival from the first day to the last: a firm commitment to new voices, contemporary narratives, and cinema capable of transcending borders.
The opening film will be Club Kid, a queer dramedy that has become one of the most notable independent films to emerge from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. After its world premiere on the Croisette and subsequent screenings in Toronto, New York, and San Sebastián, the film will arrive in Mallorca, brought to the island by Avalon and Bteam Pictures in Spain, to officially open EMIFF 2026.
The film follows a New York nightclub promoter whose life, marked by excess, takes an unexpected turn when a ten-year-old son he never knew existed appears. Jordan Firstman, Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Reggie Absolom lead a cast that blends established names with new talent.
Screen Daily has already hailed the film as one of the year’s great revelations in independent cinema, a reception that bodes well for a festival edition with a particular focus on discovering and showcasing new voices.
“Kicking off the festival with this film reinforces Evolution’s commitment to independent cinema and to supporting diverse voices. Plus, it has it all: it’s hilarious, moving, wild, and sincere,” says Sandra Lipski, director of the EMIFF.
A finale that showcases Spanish talent with an international perspective.
The closing ceremony will present The End of It, the debut film by María Martínez Bayona, which will make one of its main stops in Mallorca after its world premiere in the Premiere section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Starring Rebecca Hall — a British actress, director, and producer — the film offers a reflection on some of the great dilemmas of our time: aging, privilege, creativity, and the nature of human connections. A look at the future that, far from being based solely on science fiction, uses the genre as a vehicle to explore deeply human questions.
Screen Daily has described it as “a striking portrait of mortality set in the future,” a description that encapsulates the ambition of a film conceived to combine reflection, visual elegance, and a distinctive auteurial voice.
The presentation will be given by the Mallorcan designer Pau Aulí, who will also take center stage at one of the most significant moments of the closing gala when he receives the Evolution New Talent Award.
The award, which the EMIFF gives each year to professionals with an international career, will this time have a distinctly local flavor. Aulí, a costume and production designer, has received three Gaudí Award nominations for Best Costume Design for El vientre del mar, La abadesa, and Polvo serán, as well as a nomination for the Max Awards for Mujercitas.
Also new in short films
The festival’s international focus will extend to the International Short Film Competition, which this year will feature the directorial debut of Oscar-winning actress Renée Zellweger with THEY, an animated film that explores identity and the importance of being true to oneself.
The section will also include Sweetwater, directed by Michael Keaton, a futuristic family tale that expands the scope of the entries in a competition characterized by the diversity of genres and styles.
Beyond the cinemas, the EMIFF continues to extend the cinematic experience to other spaces across the island. As part of this, Cine con Coche, Mallorca’s official drive-in cinema organized by Port Adriano, will hold a new edition on October 23 and 24, with music as the central theme. The program will include four films with a strong connection to contemporary music culture: La La Land, Moulin Rouge!, Happy Feet, and A Star Is Born.
The initiative, promoted by the Calvià City Council and funded by the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS), reinforces an idea that is increasingly becoming a central pillar of Mallorca’s cultural strategy: cinema not only as an industry and a form of artistic expression, but also as an experience capable of fostering a sense of community, attracting talent, and raising the region’s international profile.
With fifteen editions under its belt, the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival thus embarks on a new chapter from an increasingly established position in the international film scene. This year’s festival combines renowned names, emerging talents, and a clear commitment to independent cinema, with Mallorca as a meeting point between local creativity and global cultural dialogue.
