The Asturian short film IUS of Time, directed by Roberto F. Canuto and Xu Xiaoxi, has won Best Short Film at the 2nd Mieres Film Festival (FECIMI 2026), held on 17 and 18 October at Casa de Cultura Teodoro Cuesta in Mieres, Asturias, Spain.

The award was presented at the closing ceremony on Sunday 18 October. Pelayo Carrizo, one of the film’s lead actors, attended on behalf of the team and accepted the trophy from Cristian Farpón, president of HFP Audiovisuales, the association behind the festival.

The recognition follows the Asturias Audience Award at the 24th Avilés Acción Film Festival in 2025. For a production filmed entirely in Cabrales, Onís and Piloña, it is another opportunity to share its story with audiences in Asturias after screenings across five continents.

FECIMI 2026 award details

Pelayo Carrizo at the FECIMI closing ceremony

Pelayo Carrizo represented IUS of Time at the awards ceremony while its directors are in China preparing a new film project.

Carrizo plays Luca, a young photography student who arrives in an Asturian village to develop an artistic project and reconnect with his roots. There he meets Xuan, an ageing cheesemaker played by Manuel Pizarro, whose life has been shaped by rumours and isolation.

Their encounter unfolds into a story about queer memory, desire and relationships across generations. Photography and traditional cheesemaking accompany a relationship in which everyday gestures offer a way to approach experiences left unspoken for years.

A second award in Asturias for IUS of Time

The Mieres award is the film’s second in Asturias, following its audience recognition at Avilés Acción. Both belong to a journey rooted in the villages, working traditions and rural memory of the region.

Shot in Cabrales, Onís and Piloña, the film includes dialogue in Spanish and Asturian (amestao). Its locations include villages, traditional houses and spaces associated with rural work, with cheesemaking central to Xuan’s everyday life.

The story explores the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people who grew up in communities where expressing their sexuality could mean rejection. Through Xuan and Luca, it considers how prejudice and silence affect different generations.

Mieres continues the film’s screenings in Asturias, following the Gijón/Xixón International Film Festival, Cortogijón, the Centro Niemeyer LGBTI Film Festival, Avilés Acción and Cortoviedo.

Eleven awards and distinctions across a worldwide festival journey

With FECIMI, IUS of Time has received 11 awards and distinctions and more than 77 selections at festivals and film showcases across five continents.

Its honours include the Director’s Choice Award at the 45th Thomas Edison Film Festival (United States), Best LGBTQIA+ Film at the Power24 International Film Festival (South Africa), the Audience Award for Best Narrative Short Film at the Pillusion Film Festival (Austria) and Best International Short Film at the NEXT International Film Festival (India).

Fran Córdoba’s cinematography has also been recognised at the Silicon Valley Queer Film Festival (United States) and the Rural and Mountain Film Festival of Cervera de Pisuerga (Spain), where it received the Piedad Isla Award.

Other distinctions include third place in the LQCW × CathayPlay Audience Award at the Beijing Queer Film Festival (China), an Honourable Mention from the Technical Jury at the Goitacá International Film Festival (Brazil) and a Certificate of Merit for Cinematography at the Rochester International Film Festival (United States).

The festival journey continues this month with the film in the official competition of the 28th Octubre Corto in Arnedo, La Rioja, a qualifying festival for Spain’s Goya Awards.

Outside Spain, the film is part of the AKS International Minorities Festival 2026, Pakistan Edition, marking its Pakistani premiere. The programme runs from 1 October to 31 December; the date and venue of the film’s screening have yet to be announced. This selection joins recent appearances at the 1st Limouzi Film Festival in France and the 17th Cuenca del Salado International Short Film Festival in Argentina.

Another meeting with HFP Audiovisuales

The Mieres Film Festival (FECIMI) is organised by HFP Audiovisuales, a cultural and youth association chaired by Cristian Farpón. Its second edition brought short and feature films to the Casa de Cultura Teodoro Cuesta over two days.

For IUS of Time, the event was another meeting with the association after its participation in the 16th Cortoviedo Short Film Festival in 2026. The team thanks Cristian Farpón, HFP Audiovisuales, everyone at FECIMI and Mieres Town Council for the award and for welcoming Pelayo Carrizo.

An Almost Red production filmed in Asturias

IUS of Time is a 25-minute short film produced by Almost Red Productions and directed by Roberto F. Canuto and Xu Xiaoxi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Enrique Pérez Romero.

Manuel Pizarro and Pelayo Carrizo lead a cast that also includes Andy Almar, Laura Ubach, Martina Bueno and Pablo Valdés. Fran Córdoba is the director of photography and Maikel Valdés the art director.

The film was shot entirely in Asturias with support from the Department of Culture, Language Policy and Sport of the Principality of Asturias and Asturias Paraíso Natural Film Commission.

Our Mieres selection announcement covers the film’s participation in this second edition. Visit the official film page and the complete festival selections and awards for more information.

Questions about the IUS of Time award in Mieres

Watch the official IUS of Time trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube