Her short film selected at the Cannes Film Festival 15 years ago was the seed for the director, producer and scriptwriter, Helher Escribano, to create the Ibiza Film Festival – Ibicine. “That coastal city, with its promenade, the Mediterranean climate and that breathed cinema, where you could make contacts, move projects and share moments with the most important figures in the international industry had an impact on me and I thought why didn’t Ibiza have something like that, being the paradisiacal place that it is.”
When she returned to the island in 2016, she set up his photography studio, where she screened short films and, given the success, it occurred to her to hold audience awards to promote short films. When looking for support, responses such as ‘you’re crazy’, ‘that’s never been done in Ibiza’ or ‘you’re too young’ didn’t stop her from getting several luxury sponsors and that first edition became something glamorous: “I wanted the sponsors to feel proud, to return the favour”. In just two months the Astarté Awards were born.
This year, Ibicine celebrated its 7th edition with a great programme and guests such as producer Axel Kuschevatzky, actors Leonardo Sbaraglia, Jon Plazaola and Santi Vaca Narvaja, actress and presenter Nerea Garmendia and comedian Eva Soriano. Precisely, Helher highlights Axel Kuschevatzky as the guest who has left the deepest mark on her over the years: “He is a person with more than 100 films behind him, with the first one he won the Oscar, everything he produces is a success. I was so sad to see him go that I even cried when we said goodbye, he is a very special person.”
The first years were difficult; “The first three editions of Ibicine I did practically alone, the first one all by myself.” On the difficulties faced by women in the industry, she does not deny that there is still a long way to go. “It is difficult to be taken into consideration in positions of power. I started the festival when I was 30 years old and when I went on company visits, sometimes with my father, people addressed him as if I was his secretary. It’s sad because you always feel you have to prove yourself.”
Over the years she has built up a great team, which she considers her greatest achievement and which has allowed her to expand the festival in terms of quality and content. Ibicine focuses on the diversity of genres, with themes that generate debate and inspire and educate the public. They try to prioritise ‘mistreated’ genres, such as comedy or horror, and works that deal with gender equality, social issues or education. The philosophy is to offer a platform to emerging talents, giving them visibility and tools to make contacts and create new projects. One of the most satisfying moments in these years for Helher was precisely achieving funding for the feature film of a short film, ‘Ama’, the award-winning debut film by Júlia de Paz. The short films screened are of professional technical quality, and the feature films are unreleased on the island. “This is the festival I wanted to make: the one I would like to experience as a filmmaker and as an audience.”
Today, national and international media are talking about Ibicine to millions of readers, but the main challenge for Helher was to make institutions and companies understand that attracting film tourism is a job of years. She seems to have succeeded. Ibicine has the support of the Consell d’Eivissa, several town councils, Ibiza Travel and Adlib Ibiza. Also from companies like Nobu, Nassau or ME Ibiza that pamper the guests, making them always want to come back. Helher can’t help but feel proud: “Ibicine is considered one of the leading festivals in our country. The whole sector wants to come and visit us, even on an international level.”
Asked about her contact list, which fills each edition with stars, Helher laughs and explains: “In 2017, when it all started, I had been working in film for years, I had shot with Álex de la Iglesia and I knew many actors and actresses, I just had to pick up the phone.” Regarding the most moving moment she has experienced over the years, she fondly recalls the posthumous presentation of an award to the actress Terele Pávez. “Her son Carolo (may he rest in peace) came and gave me one of his mother’s watches on the red carpet. Then he gave such a beautiful speech…I was so moved…I miss them.”
Helher’s vocation for cinema was early: “My father used to show classic films to my sister and me when we were little. My friends would come to my house because they said my father had a ‘video store’. My favourite films are Hitchcock films… I hope one day to do something suspenseful”. Although her favourite role is directing, she enjoys all aspects of filmmaking. She even dreamed of being an actress as a child to emulate Penélope Cruz, who she would like to bring to the festival one day, as well as Almodóvar, Amenábar, Coixet or even Robert De Niro. “We’re always joking that one day “el tito Rober” will come.”
In addition to organising Ibicine, Helher is writing the script for ‘Deu’, her first feature film as a director. She is also immersed in the post-production of ‘Boliche’, a short film she has been working on for more than 11 years and shot in Ibiza last December, and she has just directed ‘La gente no tiene principios’, with Bárbara Hermosilla and Santi Vaca. She laments the fact that the housing problems that have made prices so high mean that filming abroad is infinitely cheaper: “It’s the worst of the evils we have in Ibiza.” In spite of this, the future of Ibicine, an already consolidated event and an essential rendezvous, looks bright. “I never imagined I would achieve what we have achieved, although I am a person who never stops fighting until I get what I want. Fifteen years ago I dreamt that Ibiza deserved a Film Festival like the one in Cannes… They have 77 editions… we have 70 editions left, so the limit is the moon…”
