Ull Nu Festival 13th Edition Kicks Off in Andorra with Record Local Films and Leticia Dolera

The 13th edition of the Ull Nu Festival, dedicated to emerging voices and audiovisual innovation, runs from May 20 to 24 in Andorra la Vella, with record Andorran involvement, actress-director Leticia Dolera as special guest, Albania as the featured country, and the return of an open-air stage in Plaça del Poble.

Co-directors Héctor Mas and Marc Camardons presented a lineup of around 20 activities, encompassing screenings, discussions, installations, and performances. The programme highlights 25 short films, 20 of which compete in fiction, experimental, animation, documentary, and videoclip categories. About a quarter of the finalists—five in total—are Andorran productions, with the remainder mainly from Catalonia, alongside entries from Occitania and Navarre.

Dolera joins actress Betsy Túrnez for a session on May 23 at 18:00 in the Andorra la Vella Congress Centre auditorium. The talk covers her creative workflow, directing techniques, actor partnerships, and depictions of adolescence alongside intergenerational themes, addressing challenges in crafting authentic youth stories without clichés.

A "Cristianisme Pop!" roundtable on May 21 at 20:00 in the Congress Centre examines the reworking of Christian motifs in contemporary pop culture, spanning music, film, fashion, and visual art, and their shifts into cultural, political, or aesthetic roles. Contributors are art expert David G. Torres, critic Elisabeth Trulla of HARTES, and art historian Gerard Zamora.

The Plaça del Poble stage hosts open-air audiovisual displays, concerts, and public gatherings. The installations route drew 50 international entries, selecting seven—including four Andorran pieces: *Interferència humana* by Lluís Casahuga, *El cos que desperta el cos* by Mireia Martos, *Reflexar’t* by the SEE collective of Col·legi Sant Ermengol, and *Miríades mirades* by the Ull Nu collective in Galeria Pilar Riberaygua. These create a free evening trail on May 22 and 23 from 21:00 to midnight.

The professional jury—Betsy Túrnez, Ivana Miño of Tabaca Film Fest, and Andorran Claudia Riera—announces winners on May 23 at midday. The Carnet Jove youth jury features Eric Escabias, Nora Pérez, and Roger Sánchez.

Awards surpass several thousand euros: €1,500 for best short (Government of Andorra); €1,000 each for best script (General Council), best direction (Andorra Youth Forum), best editing (Government), and historical memory (National Archive); €500 for health-themed (Health Ministry); €1,000 youth jury prize; audience award; plus two €500 Ull Nu Lab script awards.

Mas stressed promoting alternative, diverse, inclusive audiovisual works in local languages to elevate Andorran talent abroad. Joan Marc Joval, director of Culture, Youth, and Sports, called it the country's premier audiovisual event, blending varied content, gender views, and platforms that connect with younger audiences.