‘Lionel,’ Cleans Up at Málaga’s WIP, ‘The Queers Riot,’ ‘Tenants,’ ‘A Decorous Woman’ and ‘Goodbye Berta’ Each Score MAFF Doubles

variety.com:

Jamie Lang The Málaga Film Festival held the closing ceremony for its MAFIZ industry section on Friday evening. Industry-accredited representatives attended, celebrating the culmination of five days of intense networking and pitching.

The big winner from this year’s MAFIZ Work in Progress section was Carlos Saiz’s “Lionel,” produced by Bluconic Films, Blur and Icónica in Spain and Promenade Films in France.

The film won the Cine y Tele, Sideral, Yagán and REC Festival prizes. “‘Lionel’ is a story of reconciliation between a father and son after two decades apart.

Through an intimate road trip, the film explores the complexity of family bonds and the lasting scars of Lionel’s paternal absence,” Saiz explained to Variety ahead of this year’s MAFIZ. “Inspired by the real-life story of my friend Lionel and his family—who portray themselves in the film—this project originated from a journey he once recounted to me.