When November comes round, Barcelona has a date for those of us who go to the cinema to discover something new: L’Alternativa, the Barcelona Independent Film Festival. From 12 to 22 November it holds its 33rd edition, with the CCCB as its main venue and screenings across half the city.
It’s a festival of films that don’t make it to the usual listings, at local-cinema ticket prices.
What is it? The city’s independent film festival, with competitions, premieres, retrospectives, talks and concerts.
Why go? You’ll see auteur cinema you’d struggle to find anywhere else, often introduced by the directors themselves.
- When12 to 22 November 2026
- WhereCCCB and other venues in Barcelona
- Price€4 to €6 per screening; the Hall is free
Where the films are shown
The main venue is the CCCB (Carrer de Montalegre, 5, in the Raval). There are also screenings at the Filmoteca de Catalunya, Casa Montjuïc, the Maldà and Zumzeig cinemas, La Caldera and the Institut Français de Barcelona. At the CCCB, screenings are in the afternoon and evening.
What I wouldn’t miss
- The opening, with The Loneliest Man in Town, and the closing, with Merci d’être venu.
- The Alice Diop retrospective, one of the most important French filmmakers working today, and a season from the Cinémathèque idéale des banlieues du monde with the Filmoteca.
- The special screenings, with new films by Radu Jude, Jean-Gabriel Périot, Nikolaus Geyrhalter, Isaki Lacuesta, Angela Schanelec, Ross McElwee and Markus Schleinzer.
- Arundhati Roy, who on 12 November presents the restored version of In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989), which she wrote.
- Satellites, where Meritxell Colell, Sergio Oksman and Pedro Pinho talk about how they work and pick films of their choice.
The Hall, for free
The CCCB Hall is the festival’s meeting point and entry is free: screenings, performances and debates. There are also workshops (one designed for families), a concert by Fantasma Sur, DJ sets by Rocío Quillahuaman and Hajar Lagranja, and a closing party with the band TIEMEI and Sonido Tupinamba.
Prices
- General admission: €6.
- Reduced: €5 (Friends of the CCCB, TR3SC, library card holders and others) or €4 (Carnet Jove, students, unemployed people, over-65s and people with disabilities).
- 4-session pass: €15 to €20.
If you want more, a selection of films will be on Filmin for two weeks in January 2027.
My tips
- The 4-session pass works out cheaper if you’re going on several days.
- Pair it with World Press Photo, on at the same CCCB until 13 December.
- More plans this month in Barcelona in November.
Frequently asked questions
When is L’Alternativa 2026
From 12 to 22 November 2026. It’s the 33rd edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival.
Where does L’Alternativa take place
The main venue is the CCCB. There are also screenings at the Filmoteca de Catalunya, Casa Montjuïc, the Maldà and Zumzeig cinemas, La Caldera and the Institut Français de Barcelona.
How much is a ticket to L’Alternativa
6 euros general admission, 5 or 4 euros with a discount (Carnet Jove, students, over-65s and others) and 15 to 20 euros for a 4-session pass. The CCCB Hall is free.
Can you watch L’Alternativa films online
Yes. A selection of films will be on Filmin for two weeks in January 2027.
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