The filmmaker Mar Sobrado has made history at the Medina del Campo Film Week She is the first female director with an intellectual disability to open this long-running Valladolid festival. Her debut as festival opener came with the premiere of her short film. “You are not different, you are special”, a proposal that focuses on real inclusion within the audiovisual sector.
In 39th edition of the Medina del Campo Film WeekAt one of Spain's most established short film festivals, the screening of Sobrado's work marked a symbolic and professional milestone. The event not only served to present a new film, but also to open a necessary debate about who tells the stories and from what perspective the cinema that reaches audiences is constructed.
Mar Sobrado, the first director with an intellectual disability to inaugurate the competition
become the first woman with an intellectual disability to open the festival This places Mar Sobrado in a prominent position within the European film scene. Her presence in Medina del Campo demonstrates that the participation of people with intellectual disabilities can occupy central roles in the industry, beyond the label of a social project.
The director has emphasized that "To inaugurate a festival of this magnitude is an honor."As she stated in an interview with the radio program 'Hoy por Hoy Medina', for her, the experience is not just a personal achievement, but symbolizes a step forward in the normalization of intellectual disability in culture and filmmaking.
Sobrado's career is closely linked to associative work and cultural activism. She participates as a representative of the group in Plena Inclusión Madrid., an organization that brings together entities of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the Community of Madrid and that has been advocating for years for the access of these people to culture in all its facets.
From the festival's own perspective, the choice of this short film as the opening piece is interpreted as a clear message: Diversity and accessibility are part of the DNA of the new European cinema, in line with public policies that increasingly incorporate social impact criteria in the audiovisual field.
“You are not different, you are special”: a different look at inclusion
The short film “You are not different, you are special” is written and directed by Mar Sobrado It is presented as a work that explores inclusion in an everyday way, without grandiloquent speeches or paternalistic interpretations. The piece proposes a different way of addressing intellectual disability and diversity from within the narrative itself.
The story revolves around topics such as identity, belonging, and bullyingSobrado places the protagonist at the center of the plot, moving away from the usual approaches in which characters with disabilities are relegated to secondary or symbolic roles. Here, the perspective is based on her experience, her doubts, and her decisions.
The protagonist of the short film is Alicia Medem, actress with Down syndromeShe embodies a character built from complexity and everyday life. The director's intention is to show a young woman with concerns and conflicts recognizable to any viewer, thus breaking with rigid or overly simplistic representations.
According to sources within the professional community involved in the project, The film invites us to rethink how stories are created and who has the real possibility of telling them.It's not just about having diverse characters in front of the camera, but about opening up the creative process to authors with different backgrounds and abilities.
From a cinematic point of view, “You are not different, you are special” combines a relatable narrative with a restrained visual styleWithout unnecessary artifice, the focus is on the characters and the relationships that develop between them. The intention is for the audience to recognize themselves in the situations depicted, beyond labels.
A management model supported by a professional team
The production of the short film has been developed through a model of “co-direction”This system allows the director to lead the creative process with the support of a professional team from the audiovisual sector. This approach ensures that Sobrado's vision remains intact while meeting standard technical and production requirements.
In this work scheme, Executive producers Esther Yáñez and Eva Jiménez have played a key roleBoth have promoted the creation of the necessary team and have ensured that the process was developed with rigor and coherence, building a professional environment that would support the director's decision-making without replacing her.
The result is a project that It does not compromise on quality or on the technical requirement because it is led by a person with an intellectual disability. On the contrary, it is presented as an example of how reasonable adjustments and appropriate support allow for the development of competitive works, ready to circulate through national and international festivals.
This working model aligns with the latest trends in European audiovisual productionwhere projects that integrate diversity and accessibility criteria from the production stage are increasingly valued. These are not isolated initiatives, but rather a paradigm shift that is beginning to permeate public policies, calls for proposals, and festivals.
For the team, the process has also been a collective learning experience. Working with a partnered management team involves adapting timings, dynamics, and forms of communication.seeking to ensure that each person involved in the filming can contribute their professional experience without overshadowing the author's main voice.
Support from Plena Inclusión Madrid and the associative network
The project has the backed by Plena Inclusión Madrid, a federation that brings together 122 entities of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the Community of Madrid. This organization has been advocating for years that culture should be an accessible space not only for the public, but also for creative expression.
The federation insists that People with intellectual disabilities should participate in all phases of the creative processScreenwriting, directing, acting, producing, or editing. Sobrado's short film is considered a practical example of this philosophy, bringing to the real world expressions such as diversity, accessibility, and social impact, which often appear in public policy.
Plena Inclusión Madrid's involvement goes beyond symbolic support. The entity promotes training initiativesmeeting spaces and cultural projects that make it easier for people with intellectual disabilities to try, make mistakes, learn film trades and consolidate artistic careers.
In this context, Mar Sobrado's participation in the Medina del Campo Film Week It functions as a showcase for a different way of understanding the cultural industryIt's not just about showing the reality of a group, but about opening doors for them to freely and freely create their own stories with the necessary resources.
The support of professional associations such as the Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media (CIMA) It has also been relevant. The organization emphasizes that this work introduces a necessary reflection on the construction of stories, female authorship, and the presence of creators with disabilities in a sector still marked by multiple inequalities.
Medina del Campo Film Week and the journey of the short film
The Medina del Campo Film Week has established itself as one of the most important short film festivals in Spainwith almost four decades of experience. Its programming combines the discovery of new talent with the dissemination of proposals that explore audiovisual language from innovative perspectives.
In this context, the premiere of “You’re not different, you’re special” as the opening film This places the festival within the European conversation about festivals committed to inclusion. The audience in Medina del Campo was the first to see the film, but it won't be the last: the team anticipates that the short film will now embark on a tour of other festivals and specialized screenings.
The project also includes meetings and discussions with the public These spaces allow viewers and professionals to share the creative process, explain what co-directing entails, and discuss new ways of making films from a diverse perspective. They enable audiences and professionals to exchange viewpoints and raise questions openly and naturally.
The goal is for the film not to be limited to a single screening, but rather generate conversations in different cultural and educational contextsEducational centers, associations, universities, or social cinema exhibitions are emerging as possible venues for future screenings.
In parallel, the experience in Medina del Campo serves as a model for other people and groups interested in inclusive cinema. Use this project as a reference when designing new proposalsThe combination of professional guidance, artistic ambition, and social impact opens up a range of possibilities for future productions in Spain and the rest of Europe.
The opening of Medina del Campo Film Week by Mar Sobrado confirms that Inclusion can take center stage without sacrificing quality or creative rigor.The short film “You are not different, you are special”, the co-direction model and the support of entities such as Plena Inclusión Madrid and CIMA constitute a tangible example of how the audiovisual industry can be transformed when it gives real space to new voices and perspectives, marking a path that other European festivals and projects are already beginning to follow.
