has named the tandem formed by Javier H. Estrada and Mariona Viander as co-directors as successors to , who died unexpectedly of a stroke on December 2 at the age of 60. The new managers of the film contest belonged to the Cienfuegos team: Estrada was responsible for programming and Viader was the general coordinator of the event, which celebrated its 70th edition last October. The decision was made by the Governing Council of Seminci and the measure was announced by the Councilor for Tourism, Blanca Jiménez, who announced that this duo will be in charge of the 2026 cultural event, seeking to give “continuity” to the work of their predecessor, and that to 2027 they will look more calmly for a person for management “in conditions of stability.”
Estrada thanked the team that accompanied the late director for their trust: “The festival is in the best hands to create an ambitious Seminci, open to the greatest possible number of cinematographic perspectives, which is both solid and unpredictable.” The person responsible for the programming until now has valued the “solid foundations” of those in charge of coordinating the Seminci and has assured that they will maintain the line set by Cienfuegos, which brought renewal and a very personal style to the Valladolid festival. Therefore, he has stated, . Estrada also thanked the work of the other members of the selection group: Eulàlia Iglesias, Carolina Martínez, José Cabrera, Andreea Pătru and Álvaro Arroba.
The Councilor for Tourism has highlighted the artistic and human value of Cienfuegos, whose unexpected death caused desolation in the cultural world and in the city, and has also indicated that Estrada and Viadar will be in charge of the 71st edition and that during 2026 a selection process will be opened, through a public call, to designate a new director of the Seminci for the 2027 contest, number 72. The objective, that there be “conditions of stability” that maintain the quality of Seminci and that the position has room to adapt to the new responsibility and characteristics of the cinematographic event. The Council’s resolution “has risen to the occasion,” Jiménez maintained, praising the “generosity” of some appointees who “could have stepped aside, but have not done so.”
