Spain and India Talk Location Production and Distribution Opportunities at Film Bazaar

As a seasoned cinephile with a penchant for international cinema, I must say that the potential synergy between India and Spain’s film industries is nothing short of tantalizing. Having traversed the globe in pursuit of cinematic excellence, I can attest to the fact that collaborations like these often lead to some of the most captivating and culturally rich films.

The potential benefits of strengthening and enhancing the collaboration between India and Spain’s film and TV industries were clearly evident during a discussion held on Sunday at Film Bazaar.

Nikhil Advani, a prominent Indian producer, suggested that people would eagerly travel to Spain to create content if the benefits were clearly outlined, he referenced instances such as Estonia and the Middle East where Indian films have been produced with financial assistance and location perks. He even mentioned Yash Raj Films, who utilized Spain as a filming location, not for the incentives.

As I too emphasize, much like Juan Manuel Guimerans Rubio, President of Spain’s Film Commission, our primary goal is to ignite awareness about these promising opportunities within our reach. It’s clear that there are potential collaborators who could be beneficial for our cause.

Back in 2012, these two nations agreed on a treaty allowing them to jointly produce films. However, this agreement has only been utilized once so far – for the production of “Mudras,” a film produced by Anna Saura and Bobby Bedi, which tells the story of dancers from various generations. Currently, it’s in the post-production phase.

Saura expressed surprise that their film was the initial collaboration between the two nations, stating, ‘Everything went smoothly and professionally. The production processes and administrative systems in both countries seemed quite comparable,'” or simply, “Saura remarked that it was surprising their film was the first joint venture between the two countries, as the production and bureaucracy were easy and professional, with similar systems in place.

As a follower, I’m sharing some insights from Neerja Sekhar, a member of the Indian Administrative Service who holds the position of Special Secretary at the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. She mentioned that a particular treaty had been untouched for a decade, with India implementing its incentive system only in 2022. In her words, “We’ve recently begun discussions about distribution and incentives.

In my experience, I find Spain offers attractive production incentives. For instance, the national incentive stands at 30%. Moreover, certain regions such as the Canary Islands also provide their own incentives. Additionally, there are incentives specifically for animation productions too.

Camilo Vazquez Bello, serving as deputy Director General of Promotions and International Relations at Spain’s ICAA, expressed a desire to strengthen already strong relationships. In the coming year, ICAA will be particularly focusing on Asia. He emphasized the need for updating the existing bilateral agreement between Spain and India, enhancing the legal framework, and increasing the visibility of Spanish films in Indian film festivals such as the International Film Festival of India and Film Bazaar, where ten films have been chosen to compete.

Bedi said it was important to find stories that speak to genuine cross-border connections, not just to focus on incentives and production finance. But others were keen to point out that Spain can be used as a means to “triangulate” or access the wider European Union soft money system and the 600 million population of the wider Spanish-speaking world.

2024-11-24 10:46

Spain and India Talk Location Production and Distribution Opportunities at Film Bazaar

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