Discover the most influential and acclaimed debut films in Spanish cinema. This selection highlights the first works of directors who later became key figures in cinematography, offering a unique insight into their emerging styles. Explore the movies that marked the beginning of brilliant careers and left an indelible mark on the history of film in Spain. It's an essential guide for enthusiasts and students looking to understand the origins of great talents and the films that defined their trajectories.
Directed by Itsaso Arana in her directorial debut
Although from 2023, Itsaso Arana's 'The Girls Are Alright' is still mentioned in 2025 as a key work and its director as a figure to watch. Its poetic and intimate language and its meta-cinematic story keep it relevant.
Enjoyable
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Nina, Andrea Jaurrieta's debut film, has been considered one of the best Spanish films of 2024. Its originality and its feminist approach to the 'rape & revenge' subgenre make it a prominent and relevant work in current cinema.
A very simple film about enormously challenging ideas
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Sandra Romero's debut film, 'Where Silence Passes', has stood out for its direct, raw, and corporeal style, solidifying her as one of the new interesting female voices in Spanish audiovisuals. Its distinctive approach makes it relevant in the current landscape.
Mesmeric debut
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Anna Cornudella's first film, 'The human hibernation', was selected for the Forum section of the Berlinale 2024. This recognition at a prestigious international festival underscores its relevance and the quality of this cinematic debut.
Features a Spanish-language, female-led story
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Outsider, Lucía Aleñar's debut film, has generated high expectations in 2025, building on her successful eponymous short film. Shot in Mallorca and featuring a cast that includes Zoe Stein and Lluís Homar, it is one of the debut films most likely to make a splash.
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Features Stellan Skarsgård and Andrea Riseborough
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Mariel Escobar's debut film, 'What Remains', has been awarded the Golden Lighthouse for Best Debut Film at the ninth Santander Film Festival 2025. This recognition positions it as one of the most promising and high-quality debut films of the year.
Features an extraordinary, visceral performance by Angela Cervantes
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The Fury, Gemma Blasco's debut film, has been recognized with the Best Debut Film Award at the Nantes Spanish Film Festival 2026. Its 'intense and visceral' proposal and Ángela Cervantes' outstanding performance position it as a promising and relevant debut in the current landscape.
Won the Golden Biznaga at Málaga Film Festival
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Marta Matute's debut, 'I Will Not Die of Love', has been one of the big winners at the Málaga Festival 2026, taking home the Golden Biznaga for best Spanish film. Its performances, especially those of Júlia Mascort and Tomás del Estal, have been widely praised and awarded.
Feature film debut by Canneseries Winner Rafael Cobos
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Rafael Cobos, Alberto Rodríguez's regular screenwriter, makes his directorial debut with 'Blows', a film that revisits Spanish 'quinqui' cinema and Spain during the Transition. Its look at a recent past and its connection to the current sociopolitical present make it a notable and relevant debut.
Macu Machín premiered her debut film
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Macu Machín's documentary 'The Leaf Litter' was also selected for the Forum section of the Berlinale 2024. Its presence at this prestigious festival demonstrates the emerging talent in Spanish documentary cinema and the relevance of its proposal.