From La Laguna to Cannes.
Not a bad journey for a festival that started in Tenerife and has grown into one of the Canary Islands’ best-known events for fantasy and sci-fi cinema.
The Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival Ciudad de La Laguna – Isla Calavera has officially presented its 10th edition at the Fantastic Pavilion of the Marché du Film in Cannes, one of the biggest international meeting points for the film industry.
And yes… they took the trophy with them too.
A Festival Born in La Laguna Goes Global
What makes Isla Calavera different is that it wasn’t imported from somewhere else.
It started in La Laguna, built by locals, and over the last decade has managed to attract some serious names from the world of cinema.
Previous guests have included:
• John Landis (An American Werewolf in London)
• Randal Kleiser (Grease)
• Ron Perlman
• Henry Thomas (E.T.)
• Ornella Muti
• Amber Heard
• Rick Baker, seven-time Oscar winner
Not bad going for an island festival.
First Guests Confirmed for 2026
The festival also used Cannes to announce its first guests for the 10th anniversary edition, which runs from 6 to 15 November 2026.
Confirmed names include:
🎬 Christopher Lambert (Highlander, Greystoke)
🎬 Tom Berenger (Platoon)
🎬 Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner)
A strong start already.
A Tribute to The Fly
The official poster for this year’s edition was also revealed.
It celebrates 40 years of David Cronenberg’s classic sci-fi horror film The Fly, continuing Isla Calavera’s habit of linking each edition to iconic genre cinema.
Tenerife, Film and the Bigger Picture
The Cannes appearance wasn’t only about the festival.
It also helped promote La Laguna and Tenerife as film destinations, reinforcing the Canary Islands’ growing reputation in the audiovisual world.
Tax incentives.
Diverse landscapes.
Year-round filming weather.
Turns out Tenerife works quite well on camera too.
📅 Isla Calavera 2026
🗓️ 6 to 15 November 2026
📍 La Laguna, Tenerife
Ten years in… and still growing.