Gran Canaria's 11th International Film Festival is held between the 12th and 20th March 2010. The event which has graced the island since the year 2000 claims not to be seeking to duplicate its more famous counterparts in places like Cannes. The organisers are aiming a whole different segment of the cinema market and are looking to support the creative sector of the independent film industry. Don't expect to find any of the mainstream films that grace the cinemas up and down the country every week, the productions on show at this festival will be more leftfield, more unusual, more boundary-breaking than normal. They even describe some of the entries as bizarre and marginal.

The festival uses various venues on the island and holds competitions for both full length and short films. There expected to be around 12 films competing for the full length award. As well as the main awards ceremony towards the end of the week there is also a special night entitled "Noche Mas Freak", which translates as "Total Freak Out Night" when even more alternative films are exhibited.

Details of the screening schedule and how to get hold of tickets are not yet available, but if you are on Gran Canaria during the festival and want to see some of the screenings, the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will have more detailed information available.

Flythomascook.com operates regular flights to Gran Canaria from a choice of 10 or more UK departure airports.