Spain is having a moment.
If that sounds familiar, it might be because Spain’s been having a moment for the last few years. The bump came when the government launched the Spain Audiovisual Hub in 2021, offering strategic backing of the industry by pumping 1.6 billion euros ($1.73 billion) into it.
In the three years since, Spain has made progress on all four of the Hub’s main areas of focus: attracting foreign investments and shoots, improving financial and tax instruments, training talent — especially women — as well as regulatory reforms and the elimination of administrative barriers.
Now, Spain has been designated MIPCOM’s 2024 Country of Honor, and the Spanish government has launched an ambitious campaign called Spain, Where Talent Ignites aimed at boosting the country’s global recognition, reputation and marketability of Spanish productions, and growing business opportunities in an increasingly competitive landscape.
“The aim of the campaign is to associate the Spanish audiovisual industry with talent, creativity, expertise, professionalism and excellence,” says Elisa Carbonell, CEO of ICEX Spain Trade & Investment, a division of the Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business.
Spain was also just announced as the Country in Focus for the upcoming European Film Market (EFM) at the 75th Berlin Film Festival in 2025. “The Spanish film and media industry has solidified its reputation and global acclaim to become a European powerhouse thanks to creative excellence, targeted investments, and technological innovations, enjoying a strong international presence with high-quality content and originality,” Berlinale Pro and EFM Director Tanja Meissner tells THR.
The ICEX campaign aims to showcase exactly these qualities, using an innovative short film as an entry point for discovering the country’s creative and technical talents. Titled The Cause of the Accident That Set the Fire and housed alongside a range of talent interviews on the campaign’s website, the 9-minute short turns on a nervous young director (Berta Prieto) overseeing a packed set. Look for cameos and homages as well as a variety of arts on display, from effects to choreography to illustrations.
“We believe the best way to showcase the excellence of Spain’s audiovisual industry is through the industry’s own language — telling original, engaging stories in an innovative and carefully crafted way,” Carbonell explains. “Talent exists everywhere, but not all countries value it equally.”
Continue reading at The Hollywood Reporter
Images courtesy of Second Gen Picutres/TriPictures/Madrid Film Office
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