This October, Western movie fans will be excited to hear that Almeria is hosting Europe's only film festival dedicated to the genre.
The lunar landscapes of Tabernas desert, with its dramatic, barren slopes and rocky outcrops which so resemble the North American Wild West, were the location for such classics as A Fistful of Dollars, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West, and brought international film stars to Almeria. The stated mission of this film festival is to promote the Western genre, and as a meeting point for Western cinema worldwide.
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There are 10 films in competition during the Almeria Western Film Festival (AWFF), part of the Official Selection of films released during 2011 and 2012 which also includes short features. The Retrospective section features Cannon For Cordoba, the 1970s film starring George Peppard about the Mexican Revolution, with a musical score by Elmer Bernstein. Special Selection has classic European westerns (spaghetti westerns) with a panel of actors, directors, scriptwriters, authors and journalists.
Venues for screenings and other events include the atmospheric Fort Bravo, one of Almeria's famous Western theme parks, complete with Wild West town, stockaded fort, Mexican pueblo with church and square, and Indian settlement with teepees. It is located near Tabernas village.
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The Almeria Western Film Festival takes place from 11-13 October 2012.