The lights go down for Lanzarote’s 16th annual Festival of International Cinema next week.

This year’s packed program flickers into life on Thursday April 7th at the Jameos del Agua with a special screening of the highly acclaimed Belgian/Spanish co-production Evolution, a production that was shot right here on the island during the course of 2014 and which also recently carried off the Special Jury Prize at the prestigious San Sebastian film festival.

The event is designed to showcase some of the best and latest independent productions, such as the Spanish, French and Bulgarian co-production, Nadie Queire el Noche, starring Juliette Binoche and Gabriel Byrne. Whilst also highlighting the advantages, including generous tax breaks, of basing productions here on Lanzarote and in the Canaries as a whole.

A number of English language films feature in the documentary and short film section of the event, which will be running from March 11th to 17th at the Teatro Insular in Arrecife. Including the American production, Sideshow of the Absurd and more information is available on the official Lanzarote Film Festival website.