Spain’s New Talent Revolution Hits Berlin

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Over the past six years, largely due to the surge of Streaming Video on Demand (SVOD), Spain has emerged as a significant player in both film and television across Europe. Formerly recognized for its renowned auteurs such as Pedro Almodóvar, J.A. Bayona, and Fernando Trueba, it is now fully participating on the global stage.

Indeed, for the year 2025, Spain will be the highlighted country at the European Film Market during the Berlin Festival. This film strand offers insights into the nature of Spanish cinema, while simultaneously underscoring the broader challenges faced by Spain’s film industry – challenges that are also prevalent in many parts of Europe.

The main observation from The Focus is Spain’s sudden surge of fresh creative talent, encompassing both producers and directors. During the ‘Spain at the Forefront’ showcase, ten Spanish production companies will discuss their businesses and ongoing projects as part of a Producers Program. Additionally, another group of ten producers will participate in the Visitors Program at the Berlinale Co-Production Market.

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The key insight from The Focus is Spain’s rapid growth of new talent across production and direction. In the ‘Spain at the Forefront’ display, a Producers Program will feature ten Spanish companies discussing their organizations and current ventures. Moreover, ten producers are included in the Visitors Program at the Berlinale Co-Production Market.

1995 saw the inception of Morena Films (known for “Che”, “Everybody Knows”), who will soon reveal their new production titled “8”, directed by Julio Medem, famously known for “Sex and Lucía”. Avalon, the producer behind the Berlin Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs”, is preparing to showcase “Iván and Hadoum”, the first feature film of Ian de la Rosa. De la Rosa has garnered attention for co-writing the hit HBO series “Veneno”.

(This version maintains the original’s structure, but uses simpler language and more straightforward sentences to make it easier to understand.)

18 out of the 20 film studios showcased prominently in Spain recently originated this century, while 13 were established either in the last ten years or the current one.

Ever since 2018, when “Money Heist” became Netflix’s inaugural hit non-English series and they established their first European Production Hub in Madrid, Spain, it has consistently maintained its status as a significant force in the global streaming scene.

Between July 2023 and June 2024, users on Netflix spent a total of 3.28 billion hours watching Spanish titles. This number is second only to Korea’s impressive 8.19 billion hours watched, but it marks the strongest performance for any country outside the U.S., significantly surpassing French-language viewing figures, as reported by Omdia.

In line with its mission for the 2021 Spain European Audiovisual Plan worth $1.7 billion, Spain’s ICAA film agency aims to reduce the gender disparity and promote emerging talents instead.

Starting 2006, Inicia Films has been committed to fostering a fresh wave of filmmakers based in Berlin. As one of the presenters for the Berlin Country in Focus, Valérie Delpierre explains this dedication. Through Clara Simon’s “Summer 1993” and Pilar Palomero’s “Schoolgirls,” Inicia Films has significantly contributed to an emerging film movement in Spain that can be considered as one of the closest representations to a recent cinematic era: a new generation of films, predominantly by women, which are deeply rooted in local settings but tackle universal themes.

The latest trend in Spanish art cinema has been a notable expansion, frequently venturing into mainstream productions. For instance, Pecado Films, which garnered attention for “Close Your Eyes” at Berlin, is now branching out into animation and international co-productions with underrepresented nations. Meanwhile, Inicia Films is preparing to launch “Aitas,” a broad comedy from Borja Cobeaga, who collaborated on the script for “Spanish Affair,” which earned $55 million in Spain.

Potential standout films from Spain showcase a diverse range: Alba Sotorra’s teen-centric “Wolf Grrrls”; Inicia’s animated feature “The Treasure of the Barracuda,” which shared Eurimages funding with “Flow”; La Cima’s heartfelt reconciliation story “Face to Face,” directed by Javier Marco (“Josephine”); Solita’s “Yesterday I Will Love You,” Guillermo Benet’s first feature; Materia Cinema-Avalon’s documentary feature “Qui Som,” focusing on the performing group Baro d’evel; and Ringo Media’s “Fury,” a reaction to rape drama that was chosen for SXSW, as well as La Vida DR’s “Salvaje,” about a female bounty hunter living in the mountains of 1871 Europe, which was selected for Sitges FanPitch.

In 2024, the domestic market share of Spanish cinema increased by two percentage points, reaching 19%, indicating that there are other compelling aspects to this cinematic scene.

Santiago Segura’s film “Father There is Only One 4” has once again broken records, earning a staggering $14.0 million at the box office and making it the highest-grossing Spanish movie in Spain for the fifth time in six years. This latest achievement also marks a new trend in the market.

Three quality commercial films of social point made for adult audiences– terrorist org infiltrator thriller “Undercover,” heroic bus driver heart warmer “The 47” and dysfunctional Catalan family satire “A House on Fire – scored $8.4 million, $3.4 million and $3.2 million in Spain.

According to producer Simon de Santiago from Mod Producciones (“Agora”), it appears that various genres of movies are reconnecting with audiences once more, potentially indicating a shift in the kind of films that will be produced in Spain.

According to Javier Méndez, The Mediapro Studio, known for producing “El 47” and Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths,” has expressed some very bold aspirations regarding upcoming film projects.

He mentions that they support the communal watching of movies in cinemas, yet all streaming platforms are increasingly eager to show films in theaters as well. For instance, he brings up “Mesa de Regalos,” a wedding scam comedy produced by TMS and Pampa Films, which was a hit on Disney+ and has already sold over a million tickets in Mexican theaters.

Movistar Plus+ recently introduced a collection of “films by visionary directors,” including Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “The Beloved” starring Javier Bardem.

Challenges remain, however, for Spain’s film industry. 

Adrián Guerra of Nostromo Pictures notes a shift in aspirations. Previously, at film school, many aimed to emulate directors like Spielberg, Zemeckis, or Scorsese. Nowadays, there’s a growing interest in becoming socially-conscious, lower budget filmmakers. The system has adapted to this change,” says Adrián Guerra.

According to Alvaro Longoria from Morena Films (“Che,” “Champions”), the recent tax incentives and film agency subsidies have significantly boosted young talent, including many emerging female directors, which is incredibly beneficial. However, he notes that an increasing number of smaller films by newcomers are overshadowing the larger, more industrial productions. He suggests it’s now important to reassess this situation and find ways to channel this emerging talent towards bigger, commercially viable movies with global appeal.

Mod Productions has recently posted about “The Captive,” a retelling of an origin story by Miguel de Cervantes. Meanwhile, Morena is working on a grand historical drama titled “Malinche,” penned by Pablo Trapero.

At Nostromo (known for “Through My Window” and “Apocalypse Z”), Guerra is currently working on the Russell Crowe-led production called “The Last Druid.” This film was a successful sale at AFM for AGC and is planned to be filmed in Spain, with location scouting happening right now.

Tax benefits are quite substantial in Spain. If you’re familiar with movie production on a budget, have an experienced crew, and the necessary skills, you can achieve significant returns,” Guerra explains. In our case at Nostromo, we boast a rich history of utilizing tax incentives, as well as reliable financial institutions and investors who trust us.

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2025-02-14 13:51