Actress and director Antonia San Juan received the first Honourary Neptuno of Telde during the closing gala of the IV Telde Film Festival, at the Juan Ramón Jiménez Municipal Theatre. The award, presented by Mayor Juan Antonio Peña, recognises her career and her ties to the municipality.
Antonia San Juan once again demonstrated this Saturday that her relationship with Telde goes far beyond the stages. The actress, director and presenter received the first Honourary Neptuno of Telde at the closing gala of the IV Telde Film Festival, an award that the event has introduced to recognise careers linked to Canary Island culture. The emotional moment took place at the Juan Ramón Jiménez Municipal Theatre, a venue that the artist knows well and which has witnessed many of her successes on stage.
The surprise was immense for the honouree herself, who was acting as master of ceremonies alongside actor Adolfo Rodríguez. When the Mayor of Telde, Juan Antonio Peña, took to the stage to speak, no one expected that the next moment would be dedicated to the presenter. A video reviewed the milestones of her career — actress, director, screenwriter and producer — while the audience attentively followed the montage. At the end of the projection, Peña announced the award and presented the statuette, provoking a long ovation from the audience.
A recognition with a vision for continuity
The mayor highlighted that the Honourary Neptuno of Telde is born with the intention of distinguishing personalities whose careers have contributed to the prestige of cinema and culture. He emphasised that Antonia San Juan represents talent, perseverance and commitment, and that she is an ambassador for the Canary Islands both inside and outside the islands. Peña recalled the close relationship of the actress with the municipality and with the Juan Ramón Jiménez Theatre, a space that has hosted numerous performances of her career and where she has always had the support of the audience.
The Councillor for Culture, Juan Martel, explained that the creation of this recognition responds to the desire for the festival to reward not only film productions but also people whose careers serve as inspiration for new generations in the audiovisual field. Martel pointed out that Antonia San Juan is the ideal person to inaugurate this award, not only because of the scope of her artistic career but also because of her permanent commitment to culture and the close bond she has maintained with Telde for years. He added that the municipality has a debt of gratitude to those who have carried the name of the Canary Islands around the world and assured that this first honorary distinction is born with a vision for continuity in future editions of the festival.
Emotion and personal memories
Visibly emotional, Antonia San Juan raised the Neptuno before the audience before addressing the attendees. She confessed that Telde has always held a very special place in her professional and personal life. She recalled that the Juan Ramón Jiménez Theatre has been one of the stages where she has felt the most affection from the audience and assured that every time she has presented a work in this space, the response has been extraordinary.
One of the most intimate moments came when she evoked her mother. San Juan recalled that she occupied one of the seats in this theatre to attend her shows, a memory that, as she expressed, remains deeply linked to this place. The honouree stated that she always feels very loved in the Canary Islands, although she acknowledged that Telde has maintained a special bond with her, both due to the affection of the audience and the numerous occasions she has been able to present her work here. With the Neptuno in her hands, the actress received another prolonged ovation from a completely engaged theatre.
The closing gala of the IV Telde Film Festival wrapped up several days dedicated to Canary Island audiovisuals, and the tribute to Antonia San Juan became the perfect finale for an edition that seeks to establish itself as a key event in the cultural calendar of the municipality. For the residents of Telde, seeing an artist from their land receive such recognition in the theatre of their city is a source of pride and a demonstration that local culture continues to shine brightly.
You may also like
