More Than Just Films, Catalonia’s Next-Gen Producers, New Tech Startups and Buzzy TV Series Reach Every Corner of This Year’s Berlinale

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In this current century, Catalonia has blossomed into a region renowned for its robust filmmaking heritage, thanks to investments in local artists and production companies by the public sector. This dedication to nurturing talent and promoting growth has resulted in substantial advancements within the region’s industry, ultimately positioning Catalonia as an integral player across all aspects of the 2025 Berlin Film Festival – a prestigious event where Spain is highlighted as the EFM Country in Focus.

Four productions from Catalonia have been chosen for the main festival lineup, showcasing the region’s artistic talent. Eva Libertad’s first full-length film, “Deaf,” inspired by her Goya-nominated short of the same title, will make its debut in the Panorama segment. Meanwhile, Lucía G. Romero’s “Close to September” is scheduled for screening in the Berlinale Shorts category. In the Generation Kplus section, Robin Petré’s “Only On Earth” and Karen Joaquín and Uliane Tatit’s “Juanita” will be shown.

Catalonia’s influence also reaches the Berlinale Series Market, highlighting three productions: “Dark Waters” by Víctor Garcia, “The Wheel” by Ángeles Hernández, and “Internal Affairs” by Pedro García and Rodrigo Martín. This year, the Berlinale Talents program, which focuses on developing emerging talent, boasts seven Catalan industry professionals. This platform offers them an opportunity to network, learn, and collaborate with international peers within the industry.

“Arnau Vilaró, screenwriter of ‘Alcarrás,’ is set to debut his first film, titled ‘Men and Days,’ at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. This project, a joint effort between Nanouk Films, Eddie Saeta, and Local Films, explores themes of identity, love, and belonging within the cityscape of Barcelona in 1992.”

At the European Film Market, the promotional organization for Catalan Films will maintain a significant presence, complete with a specially designated booth at Gropius Bau. This area will function as a central point for over 90 Catalan businesses and approximately 160 professionals participating in the event. The European Film Market provides an essential platform for networking, business expansion, and presenting the most recent advancements in Catalan audiovisual production.

This year at the EFM Startups event, Spanish company Gretico plans to showcase their DCS project – an affordable gadget leveraging streaming tech to send movie content to locations lacking cinema equipment. The goal is to broaden the reach of films and make them more accessible to a larger audience.

The Spanish Producers Highlight, a part of our Country on the Radar program, is set to shine a light on four Catalan production companies: Escándalo Films, Alba Sotorra Productions, LaCima Producciones, and Inicia Films. Each firm will reveal their most recent ventures and creative works, offering a glimpse into the wide range of talent and fresh voices within the Catalan film industry.

Spanish sales companies will arrange around a dozen viewings of Catalan films, featuring “Deaf” by Latido Films. Other notable entries include Laura Casabe’s horror-tinged teenage romance “The Virgin of the Quarry Lake” from Filmax and Olga Osorio’s romantic period piece “The Goldsmith’s Secret” from Film Factory.

I’m proudly representing Catalonia at the Berlinale 2025 and the European Film Market, demonstrating our unwavering dedication to nurturing creativity, spurring innovation, and, above all, forging global collaborations. It’s evident that Berlin and the EFM have grown indispensable to Catalan businesses in this dynamic industry.

As a fan, I’d put it like this: “For me personally, last year saw Berlin take the crown as our top market. That might seem surprising, given our history, but 2024 was exceptional for us there. The buzz now, after numerous chats, is that the European Film Market (EFM) will only grow more significant in terms of sales in the future.

It’s worth noting that although Catalonia will be significantly featured at this year’s Berlinale, there are no Catalan films in the main competition of the festival. This might come as a surprise given that “Alcarràs” by Carla Simon won the Golden Bear last year and “20,000 Species of Bees” by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren bagged the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance (Sofía Otero), as well as the Guild Film Prize, the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award 2023. Although it’s premature to label this a pattern, local professionals have voiced concerns about the perceived lack of focus on Catalan films in the festival’s major competition categories.

To establish Catalonia as a significant player on the global stage, it’s crucial that the region becomes part of the larger international network. Back in the past, Catalonia took steps towards this goal by setting up the Minority Co-Production Fund. This venture, launched five years ago, has been a success, offering financing to films that have at least one Catalan co-producer. Initially, the fund had an annual budget of €1.5 million ($1.6 million) to support as many as five high-quality films each year. Today, the fund’s annual budget has grown to €2 million ($2.2 million).

By fostering local government projects and supporting homegrown organizations, a highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce for industries has emerged in the area, making it highly attractive to potential international partners. Institutions such as Catalan Films and the Catalonia Film Commission significantly contribute to the region’s film production sector by promoting its global expansion, securing investments, and presenting the region’s service companies. This aids in the overall development of the industry.

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2025-02-15 21:48