Spanish audiovisual productions will be represented this year at the European Film Market with a record attendance, as more than twenty companies from the sector will be attending the event. The Spanish presence, organized by ICEX Export and Investment’s Audiovisual from Spain, means participation in one of the most important events for the industry, which between 16 and 22 February, within the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, will bring together professionals dedicated to international co-productions -Berlinale Co-production Market, coordinated jointly with the Ministry of Culture and Sport, through the ICAA (Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales), as well as those present in the section of world premieres of series -Berlinale Series Market, organized by Iberseries & Platino Industria.
The ICAA is an autonomous agency, attached to the Ministry of Culture and Sport, which plans policies to support the film sector and audiovisual production. Its functions include the encouragement, promotion, and organization of Spanish film and audiovisual activities in their three aspects of production, distribution and exhibition, with the objectives of developing creation, increasing production, and favoring the distribution of Spanish productions.
During the festival, the Spanish Pavilion at the EFM, which is located in Berlin’s Gropius Bau, will be the meeting place for sales agents, producers, film commissions and other professionals and companies from the sector.
Berlinale Co-Production Market
The ten production companies participating in the Visitors Programme of the Berlinale Co-production Market, 18-22 February, are: Mariano Baratech of El Gatoverde Producciones, Iker Ganuza of Lamia Producciones Audiovisuales, Monika Goyanes of Cinema Resistance, Sergio Grobas of Mayo Films, Alejandra Mora of Valencia-based Quatre Films, Inés Nofuentes of Curuxa Cinema, Javier Polo of Los Hermanos Polo Films, Ana Puentes of Verbena Films, Montse Pujol of Boogaloo Films and Claudia Salcedo of Señor y Señora. The Visitors Programme includes sessions, presentations, and networking events for producers from all over the world who are starting their international network in order to enrich their knowledge and skills in the international market and inform them about financing opportunities.
For its part, ICEX-Invest in Spain, in addition to its inquiry point at the ICEX stand to inform about the ‘Spain Audiovisual Bureau’, will participate in the Co-Production Market, in the Country Sessions at the Casino, together with the ICAA, on Saturday 18 February, and in the one-on-one meetings held at the Public Fund Meetings.
Finally, together with the Spanish Economic and Commercial Office in Berlin, a meeting has been organized with German producers, in which the government plan ‘Spain, Audiovisual Hub of Europe’ will be presented, the new system of tax incentives for filming and foreign co-production will be explained and the services provided by the ‘Spain Audiovisual Bureau’ will be explained. In addition to the ICEX-Invest in Spain team, experts Helena Suarez, from the law firm Écija Abogados; Silvia Aráez, from Fresco Films, and Pablo Nogueroles, from Beta Fiction España, will participate, and Teresa Azcona, director general of the Spain Film Commission (SFC), will accompany us.
A total of 33 Spanish films will be screened at the festival by 8 sales agents who, together with the 9 film commissions, will make up EFM’s Cinema from Spain stand.
Two Spanish films have been selected for the official section of the Berlinale Co-production Market, the feature films Iván & Hadoum, by Avalon PC directed by Ian de la Rosa, and Cheaper than Stealing, a co-production of Sideral Cinema (Elamedia Studios), Spain and Mizar Films, France, directed by Pedro Collantes. In addition, Zeta Studios’ series The Chauffeur’s Son, created by Isaki Lacuesta, Isabel Campo, and Cristóbal Garrido and directed by Isaki Lacuesta has been selected to participate in the Co-Pro Series.
Berlinale Series Market
Berlinale Series Market is held in cooperation with Berlinale Series, a section that offers a first glimpse of the newest and most exciting series productions from around the world, in terms of contemporary formats and narratives, and for the first time, will welcome Spanish content and serialized talent.
Within this framework, ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, through its umbrella brand Audiovisual from Spain, has reached an agreement with Iberseries & Platino Industria to hold several exclusive first screenings of fiction series and a panel showcase at Berlinale Series. This will be moderated by Elisa Carbonell, General Director of Internationalisation of Companies at ICEX, and will address new launches and financial opportunities for Spanish-language fiction content, with the participation of renowned experts from the sector in Spain.
The previews will include exclusive screenings of promo-reels and first images of four Spanish series on 20, 21 and 22 February, followed by meetings with the creative talents and executives taking part, where talks and an open question and answer session will allow attendees to get to know all the proposals presented in detail.
Audiovisual from Spain, created by ICEX, is the umbrella brand that brings together Spanish companies in the film, television, animation, video games and extended reality sectors for their international promotion at the world’s leading trade fairs. Specifically, Cinema from Spain brings together Spanish production companies, sales agents and distributors for the film market. For its part, Shooting in Spain works to attract foreign film shoots, encourage co-productions and promote the installation of foreign audiovisual companies in Spain, from the executive division ICEX-Invest in Spain.
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