Tony Morales and Ángel Villahermosa Sweep Top Prizes at Torrevieja’s Torerífico Horror Festival

‘Alicia’ and ‘La Visitante’ dominate jury awards, while ‘KillJote’ wins audience hearts – €1,700 in prizes for 14 chilling shorts

TORREVIEJA, Spain – The shadows of suspense and screams of delight filled the Centro Cultural Virgen del Carmen as the 2025 edition of Torerífico, Torrevieja’s premier horror short film festival, crowned its winners amid an electric atmosphere. Organized by the University of Alicante’s Torrevieja branch, the Torrevieja Youth Department, and the cultural association La Comarca, the event screened 14 spine-tingling finalists and distributed €1,700 in prizes to celebrate Spain’s rising stars in short-form horror.

The festival, now a staple in Torrevieja’s cultural calendar, drew a packed house of film enthusiasts, local filmmakers, and curious residents, all gathered to witness a night of psychological dread, dark humor, and masterful storytelling. With 31 submissions whittled down to the final 14, the competition showcased the genre’s diversity — from intimate character-driven terrors to satirical shocks that left audiences gasping and laughing in equal measure.

The evening’s undisputed highlight was the double triumph of Málaga filmmaker Tony Morales, whose entries Alicia and La Visitante dominated the jury awards. Alicia clinched the top prize of €1,000 with 439 points, edging out its sibling film by just five points (434) for the €500 runner-up spot. Morales’ psychological thrillers — one a haunting tale of a mother shielding her blind daughter from a spectral intruder, the other a social media influencer’s descent into home-invasion horror — exemplified his rising prowess in the genre.

“The technical and narrative quality of this year’s submissions made our job incredibly difficult. Tony Morales’ films stand out for their emotional depth and cinematic precision.”
— Jesús Segarra, Jury Member and Director of UA Torrevieja Campus

Audience Favorite: ‘KillJote’ Delivers Dark Comedy with a Bite

Capturing the crowd’s vote with 34 ballots, KillJote by Ciudad Real director Ángel Villahermosa snagged the €200 audience award. Set against a backdrop of rural gossip and eerie disturbances in a sleepy town, the film masterfully blended thriller tension with pitch-black humor, offering a satirical twist on small-town paranoia that had viewers cheering.

Villahermosa’s win highlighted the festival’s commitment to diverse voices, proving that horror need not always lurk in the shadows — sometimes it hides in the whispers of nosy neighbors.

A Festival That Scares Up Community and Creativity

Presentation of the awards was a collaborative affair, with local councillors Trudy Páez and María José Ruiz joining jury members Luis Deltell, Rebeca Westerveld, Rubén Aniorte, and Jesús Segarra on stage. The panel lauded the event’s evolution, noting how Torerífico has grown from a niche gathering into a platform that attracts talent from across Spain.

Audience participation added to the thrill: Each attendee voted for their top two films, fostering an interactive vibe that mirrored the genre’s unpredictability. The night’s screenings spanned psychological unease, supernatural chills, and genre-bending satire, underscoring horror’s versatility as a medium for social commentary and personal fears.

Torrevieja: A Growing Hub for Spanish Horror

Since its inception, Torerífico has positioned Torrevieja as a welcoming destination for indie filmmakers, blending the city’s coastal charm with the genre’s darker undercurrents. The 2025 edition, held in the acoustically stunning Centro Cultural, amplified this reputation, drawing submissions from as far as Málaga and Ciudad Real.

With all finalists now streaming online via the festival’s platform, the event extends its reach beyond the theater walls. This accessibility not only honors the creators but also invites a wider audience to discover emerging talents who are redefining Spanish horror — one short, scary story at a time.

Looking Ahead: More Scares on the Horizon

As the lights came up and the echoes of applause faded, whispers of next year’s edition already circulated. Organizers teased potential expansions, including workshops for young filmmakers and themed screenings tied to Torrevieja’s own ghostly legends — like the tales of spectral sailors haunting the salt lagoons.

Torerífico 2025 proved once again that in Torrevieja, horror isn’t just entertainment — it’s a celebration of creativity, community, and the thrilling unknown.

May the screams continue.