Evolution Mallorca Turns 15: Cara Delevingne, Rebecca Hall and a Drive-In at Port Adriano (Oct 28 – Nov 4)

Palma’s most useful late-October cultural anchor is not a single red-carpet evening. The 15th Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) runs October 28 to November 4, 2026, with an opening gala, eight days of screenings and industry events, and a closing ceremony at Teatre Principal. For American travelers, this is a compelling reason to build a Palma stay around cinema rather than treat the city as a brief stop between coast and countryside.

Quick takeaways

• Opening gala: October 28 at 18:00, Palau de Congressos; opening film Club Kid, directed by Jordan Firstman.
• Closing night: November 4 at 18:30, Teatre Principal; The End of It, starring Rebecca Hall.
• Drive-in preview: October 23–24 at Port Adriano, with a four-film musical program.
• Planning detail: The festival’s locations are spread across Palma and Calvià. Tickets and transfers need to be coordinated around the actual venue, not just the screening time.
• Programme update: A festival presentation is scheduled for October 14 at 10:00 at Hotel Portixol. The detailed schedule may be released online the following day.

The opening film: Club Kid arrives with Cannes momentum

Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid opens the festival at Palau de Congressos on Wednesday, October 28. The queer comedy-drama world-premiered at Cannes in 2026 and has since appeared at Toronto, New York and San Sebastián. Its story follows a New York party promoter whose life is upended when he is left with the 10-year-old son he never knew he had.

The cast includes Firstman, Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Reggie Absolom. The film runs 122 minutes and is listed in the original English with Spanish subtitles. The gala begins at 18:00; the official event schedule places the film at 20:00.

This is not a casual late arrival. The opening evening includes pass collection, a welcome cocktail, red-carpet photography and the ceremony before the screening. Allow time for the full sequence. An opening-night gala ticket is listed at €29; the festival pass is €119 and includes the opening gala, cocktail, screenings and Cinematography Focus, but excludes the closing gala. Check the official ticket page for current availability and conditions.

Closing night pairs Rebecca Hall with a Mallorcan design talent

On November 4, María Martínez Bayona’s feature debut, The End of It, closes EMIFF at Teatre Principal at 18:30. World-premiered in the Premiere section at Cannes, it stars Rebecca Hall as Claire, an artist approaching her 250th birthday in a future where death is optional. Its premise opens onto questions of ageing, mortality, privilege, creativity and human relationships. An unusually apt closing film for a festival marking its 15th edition.

The closing gala also recognizes Mallorcan costume and production designer Pau Aulí with the Evolution New Talent Award. Aulí’s credits include El vientre del mar, La abadesa and Polvo serán, earning three Gaudí Award nominations; he is also a Max Award nominee, a Berlinale Talents 2025 selection and a member of the European Film Academy. Previous Evolution New Talent Award recipients include Ana de Armas and Laia Costa.

The distinction matters. EMIFF is not only importing international names for a week; it is placing local creative talent inside the same conversation. That makes the closing gala a particularly strong choice for visitors interested in the island’s cultural infrastructure, not just its scenery.

Where to go, and what not to assume

The festival’s venues serve different purposes. Palau de Congressos hosts the opening gala; Teatre Principal the closing gala; Cineciutat the main screening program; Sala Rívoli the Cinematography Focus; and Rialto Living the Café con Cine events.

Screenings are expected daily from approximately 16:00 through midnight. The island doesn’t forgive assumption: a gala ticket is not the same as a festival pass, and a pass does not include every event. Single film tickets are listed at €8, with sales scheduled to begin October 15. The closing gala is listed at €19, also available from October 15. Confirm details through the festival programme and ticket office before committing to a tightly timed evening.

The international short-film competition adds two distinctive entries: Renée Zellweger’s animated directorial debut, They, and Michael Keaton’s Sweetwater. The full schedule is the deciding document; do not build a multi-night itinerary around an announced title until its screening date and venue are confirmed.

Port Adriano’s drive-in is a separate event

The festival’s prelude is Cine con Coche, a musical-themed drive-in at Port Adriano on October 23 and 24, before EMIFF’s official Palma dates. The schedule pairs La La Land at 19:30 and Moulin Rouge! at 22:00 on Friday, followed on Saturday by Happy Feet at 19:30 and A Star Is Born at 21:30.

The published ticket information lists €15 per car for up to four people. This is a different format and location from the Palma screenings: secure the car ticket, check the arrival instructions and plan your transfer to or from Port Adriano as a separate leg. The event is promoted with the Ajuntament de Calvià, with support from the Balearic Sustainable Tourism Tax.

The allocation that makes the week work

For a late-autumn Palma stay, choose the base around the nights you most want to attend. A luxury villa in Mallorca can offer privacy and room for a group, but a city residence or hotel is often the more efficient allocation when multiple evenings are built around Palma venues. The genuine advantage is not a grand address by itself. It is a calm arrival, the right transport plan and a dinner reservation that does not force you to rush through the event.

We recommend setting the itinerary in this order:

1. Choose the anchor events. Opening gala, closing gala, specific films or the Port Adriano drive-in.
2. Recheck on October 14–15. The programme presentation is scheduled for October 14 at 10:00 at Hotel Portixol; the festival programme page has indicated online publication by October 15.
3. Reserve dinner around the venue and screening time. A late screening and a gala night require different timing.
4. Arrange door-to-door transfers. Palma venues and Port Adriano are not interchangeable stops; agree on pickup points in advance.

For more on a Palma-based stay, see our Palma destination guide. We can arrange festival tickets, private transfers and dinner before screenings as part of a bespoke Mallorca trip, alongside a vetted residence and on-island support. If you want the festival without spending the week managing its logistics, speak with our Mallorca concierge service.