Juanjo Artero and Ana Turpin received the Saraqusta Award at the opening of the Zaragoza International Film and History Series Festival, which began with the premiere of the documentary about Roque Joaquín de Alcubierre, precursor of modern archeology.
The fifth edition of the Saraqusta Film Festival officially kicked off this Friday in Zaragoza with an opening gala at the Fundación Ibercaja Patio de la Infanta. Spanish actors Juanjo Artero and Ana Turpin received the Saraqusta 2025 Awards, a recognition that highlights their outstanding performances in historical audiovisual productions such as “El río que nos lleva”, “Amar es para siempre” and “El florido pensil”.
The ceremony was conducted by journalist Ana Benavente and included the special participation of actor Alfonso Palomares. José Ángel Delgado, director of the festival, and Sara Fernández, Councilor for Culture, Education and Tourism of the Zaragoza City Council, were in charge of presenting the awards. Delgado highlighted the role of these productions stating that “although they are fictionalized, they have a real historical framework that fits perfectly with the philosophy of the festival”.
Artero highlighted during his speech the importance that the historical genre has had for him since his childhood, expressing his future commitment to this type of roles. For her part, Ana Turpin underlined the relevance of an event that promotes historical memory: “It is necessary to remember our past in order to decide where we want to go”.
The opening gala also included the premiere of the documentary “Roque Joaquín de Alcubierre. Discovering Pompeii and Herculaneum”, directed by the Zaragozan filmmaker Silvia Pradas. This film highlights the little-known figure of Alcubierre, the 18th century military engineer from Zaragoza responsible for the archaeological discoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum, fundamental for modern archaeology.
Over the next few days, the festival will continue with special screenings out of competition, highlighting both national and international works. Among the most anticipated events is the tribute to German actress Nastassja Kinski, the first foreign woman to be awarded the Saraqusta Prize, who will close the festival with a screening of Roman Polański’s classic, “Tess.”
The Saraqusta Film Festival, which is supported by the City Council of Zaragoza and the Government of Aragon, has established itself as a key event for historical cinema, strengthening the cultural link between the city and the national and international audiovisual industry.
