The Subterranean Vaults of Tabarca Transform into a Cinema Hall

Las bóvedas del baluarte de la Princesa de la isla de Tabarca cambian de función. Si en su día, este espacio incluido en la muralla sirvió como almacén de artillería, será el próximo mes de mayo cuando se transformará en una sala de cine.

Las Concejalías de Cultura y Turismo del Ayuntamiento de Alicante, junto a la asociación Tabarca Cultural, han impulsado un ciclo de cine rodado en la isla con cuatro proyecciones y la visita por primera vez en su historia de una orquesta sinfónica.

The musicians of the Symphony Orchestra of the José Tomás Conservatory of Music, with their conductor Jaume Pascual, will travel to the archipelago to perform the soundtrack of 'Tabarka', composed by the Goya-winning Alicante native, Luis Ivars, for the film by Domingo Rodes; as part of the 'Tabarca, a Film Island' series.

Additionally, the tabarqueras will provide a special service during the screening days to facilitate travel between the island and the mainland. Thus, boats will depart at 18:45 from Santa Pola and return at midnight.

"With this initiative, we pay homage to the island and it will be a luxury to enjoy the last two weekends of May with cinema and music in a unique environment full of history," stated the Councillor for Culture, Antonio Peral, who presented the series alongside the president of Tabarca Cultural, Antonio Ruso, and composer Luis Ivars.

For his part, the Tabarca native Antonio Ruso detailed the programme of 'Tabarca, a Film Island' which takes place during the last two weekends of May. This series features four of the five films that use the island as a setting, as one of them, 'A Man Alone' from 1969, is not digitised.

The musician expressed being very "moved" by this series, explaining that "Tabarca is history, heritage and culture". He also thanked the initiative because "this island is a unique place where all Alicante residents have memories, mine being unforgettable when I went there to compose the music for Tabarka, which became a lifelong experience."

The film series 'Tabarca, a Film Island' will commence on Friday, May 23rd at 8 PM with the screening of 'Tabarka' (1969) by Domingo Rodes, starring Ginés García Millán and Neus Asensi, followed by a discussion with the director.

The agenda continues on Saturday, May 24th at 12:30 PM with the concert of the film's soundtrack. In the afternoon, 'Manuela' (1957) by Guy Hamilton will be screened.

The following week, the series will continue with a double screening of Adán Aliaga, 'Fishbone' (2017) and the documentary 'Posidonia', on Friday, May 30th at 8 PM with a discussion by the Alicante director.

The series will conclude on May 31st at 8 PM with the screening of 'Tabarquinos, the Sea that Unites Us', by Tunisian Habib Mestiri, who will participate in a subsequent discussion with the head of Integral Heritage, José María Pérez Burgos, about the history of Tabarca and its ties with Tunisia and Genoa.