FILM ROUTE: TABARCA, A CINEMATIC ISLAND

Manuela (1957)

Directed by Guy Hamilton, Manuela (1957) is a British production that is honored to be the first foreign film shot in Alicante. Also known in some countries as Stowaway Girl, the film was never released in Spain due to censorship at the time. It stars the well-known British actor Trevor Howard, the Italian actress Elsa Martinelli at the height of her artistic career, and the Mexican actor Pedro Almendáriz. A significant part of the film was shot on Tabarca Island, standing in for a small Mexican or Caribbean village. The movie also features scenes from Alicante’s Old Town, Plaza Santa María, and the Port.

Locations: Tabarca, Old Town, Plaza Santa María, the Port.

El Hombre de la isla (1959)

This Spanish drama directed by Vicente Escrivá stars Francisco Rabal and Marga López. It tells the story of a German woman who arrives in a fishing village to marry Lorenzo, a man she knows only through letters. The entire film was shot in the Alicante province, with Tabarca as one of its key locations.

Locations: Tabarca, Jávea, Moraira and Guadalest.

Un hombre solo (1969)

Directed by Harald Philipp, Un hombre solo (1969) is a Spanish-American co-production, filmed on Tabarca Island. The production tells the story of Arnaldo, played by Alberto Closas, a man dissapointed with his personal and professional life who travels to the tiny island of La Joya, over 50 miles from the nearest port, in search of his father, an American pilot who crash-landed there during the war 18 years earlier and was never heard from again.

Location: Tabarca Island

Tabarka (1996)

Tabarka is a 1996 Spanish film directed by the Alicante-born director Domingo Rodes. Based on the novel ‘Tabarca’ by Miguel Signes Molines and set in the 1960s, it tells the story of Juan, a former political activist fleeing Franco’s regime, who seeks refuge on the island.
The film is an intense drama that explores themes of guilt, revenge, love, desire, and the struggle for survival. The atmosphere of the film is dense and claustrophobic, reflecting the sense of confinement and surveillance that characterises the Franco regime.
The cast includes Neus Asensi, Ginés García Millán, Raúl Fraire and Cristina Collado. The music is by the Alicante composer Luis Ivars, a founding member of the group Mediterraneo.

Fishbone (2018)

Fishbone is a Spanish drama film directed by the Alicante-born director Adán Aliaga.
The plot revolves around Jan, a young chef who lives and works in the competitive world of New York haute cuisine. Completely dedicated to her career, Jan seems to have left her roots behind and feels no connection to her homeland.
However, the sudden death of her father forces her to return to Tabarca, a small island in Alicante. There, far from the noise of the city, Jan confronts her past and rediscovers her roots. Through this emotional journey, the film explores identity, grief, and family ties. The cast includes Zaida Benzal, Alejandro Tous, Manuel de Blas, and Isa Feliu.

Locations: Tabarca Island, New York

Posidonia (2021)

• Its importance: Posidonia plays a crucial role in coastal protection, oxygen generation, and as a habitat for numerous marine species.
• Its beauty: The film captures stunning images of posidonia meadows, showing their flowering and their interaction with the marine environment.
• Its threat: Unfortunately, Posidonia faces a number of threats, including pollution, climate change, and human activities.
• An unexpected twist: Just when the film seems to reach its climax with the beautiful posidonia bloom, a global pandemic causes an unexpected plot twist. The inhabitants of the island mysteriously disappear, and so do the posidonia flowers.

Posidonia is a documentary that combines scientific, historical, and artistic elements to create a visually and emotionally rich experience. It is an invitation to reflect on our role on the planet and the need to protect our oceans.

Location: Tabarca Island