Evolution Mallorca Turns 15 With Eisenberg, Boyle and a Mission

Evolution Mallorca marks its 15th edition Oct. 28 to Nov. 4 with its largest feature film selection to date, more than 100 projects on the program, and honors for Edward Berger, Matthew Libatique, Diane Kruger and Iris Berben.

The festival exists because of a gap. In 2012, actress-turned-director Sandra Lipski wanted to screen her debut short "Going Down" in her hometown and found Mallorca had no film festival of its own. So she built one.

"I was so confused about Mallorca not having a film festival," Lipski told Variety. "Living in the U.S., there was a film festival in every tiny town, and it felt obvious to me the island would have one because it felt like the perfect festival location."

She pulled together friends, many Europeans who, like her, were born elsewhere and grew up on the island, and created what she calls a well-rounded team. Past guests include Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, Paul Haggis and Jessica Hausner.

What's on this year's lineup?

The international section carries the marquee names: Jesse Eisenberg's "The Debut," Danny Boyle's "Ink," Paweł Pawlikowski's "Fatherland" and the opening gala, Jordan Firstman's Cannes-dazzler "Club Kid."

Lipski is blunt about how the programming works. "We try having more glamorous, notable films in our international feature film section, films that have won awards from other festivals and already have a strong seal of approval," she said. "We need this section as it works as a helium balloon lifting the festival towards a wider audience."

But the festival's identity sits elsewhere, in the debut feature section and Made in Baleares. Local highlights this year:

• The world premiere of Juan Sut's "Torna," a Mexico-Mallorca co-production about a young man who learns the house his father left him is inhabited
• Danna Ayelén Bosch García's documentary "Un Darrer Capfico," on the bond between Mallorcans and the sea
• Marga Melià's "Putting Up With Paradise," revisiting talks with Mallorcan artists for a critical look at the island's past and future

"What makes Evolution special is that these films all stand next to each other," Lipski said. "They are all equally important to us and give the festival its soul of diversity and inclusion."

What themes are local filmmakers chasing?

Overcrowding, housing for the young generation, and balance with tourism. "The island needs tourism as it is a main source of income, but we need to contain it so that local life is not forgotten," she said.

Short films keep their place too, which fits the festival's origins. Renée Zellweger and Michael Keaton both direct first shorts in this year's program. "These are important filmmakers because they will be the future of the industry," Lipski said. "Don't underestimate the power of a short film."

Why does a festival run a cinematography program?

The Cinematography Focus remains the festival's key differentiator, an intensive professional program few generalist festivals attempt. This year it is led by Icon Awardee Libatique, the "Black Swan" cinematographer, in collaboration with British Cinematographer and Camera & Light Magazine. It includes a hands-on lighting workshop, an exclusive Icon Talk and a panel on the female gaze in cinematography. Previous honorees include Ed Lachman, Erik Messerschmidt, Anthony Dod Mantle, Phedon Papamichael and Oona Menges.

Lipski launched the section at the festival's 10th anniversary, working with her team, which includes her husband, cinematographer Rainer Lipski. Cameraimage dedicates itself entirely to cinematography, but she found no other film festivals with intensive programs aimed at professionals. "It has really grown into a meeting point for cinematographers from all around the world," she noted.

Can Mallorca become a production hub?

Lipski thinks so, and has the pitch ready. "In the last decade, Mallorca has really boomed in terms of production," she said. "It's very similar climate-wise to Los Angeles, and that's how the industry started in LA, because the climate was so perfect."

The festival's Mallorca Go event, on the final weekend, takes visiting producers and filmmakers around the island. This year's destination is Calvià, a southwest municipality that has declared this year its year of cinema. "We want the island to be a thriving film destination," she said. Fifteen editions in, the festival she started for one missing screening now runs the island's entire film argument.