The San Sebastian Festival was yesterday the stage for the presentation of the third Spanish Screenings On Tour edition, which sets it focus on the US market to continue strengthening Spanish audiovisual on the international market. At the event spoke Ignasi Camós, general director of the Spanish Film Institute (ICAA) of the Ministry of Culture; Elisa Carbonell, CEO of ICEX Exportación e Inversiones and Juan Antonio Vigar, the Malaga Film Festival director; representing the entities that form ‘Spanish Screenings XXL – An International Market for Spanish Audiovisual Productions’, initiative that lives under the umbrella  of ‘Spain Audiovisual Hub of Europe’ (Spain AVS Hub) within Plan for Recovery, Transformation and Resilience (PRTR) promoted by the government of Spain.

During the presentation there were uncovered the activities, projects and works that will travel to the event, a program that means the biggest Spanish presence on the main audiovisual market in the US. The program covers from animation to fantastic cinema, along with series, this delegation will bring 9 projects on the last development stages, an ample remakes catalogue from the main Spanish sales agents and producers, along with screenings during the market. As well as more than 10 producing companies that will have the opportunity to present their works and projects to the biggest players in the international audiovisual industry.

On the event, that took place at the Press Club of Kursaal, Ignasi Camós introduced the presentation highlighting the growing international presence of the Spanish Audiovisual with the recent ‘Golden Lion’ to Pedro Almodóvar in Venice, the ample participation on festivals like Toronto or San Sebastián as well as the growing number of co-productions. He highlighted the role of the industry and the necessity to internationalize the sector, setting the focus on co-production and international investing. He noted that ICAA has set these objectives as main goals of the institution, and highlighted the role that Spanish Screenings has in this tasks. Reviewing other editions, he noted that the program has become an internationalizing vehicle for the industry with the successful experience on the Iberoamerican market Ventana Sur and the European market of MIA in Rome. On this occasion, “Spanish Screenings On Tour takes another step on this objective, bringing the biggest presence of our industry on the main US audiovisual market”, said the general director.

Elisa Carbonell advanced the details of the projections that will take place on the market, which for the first time will take place online as well as on-site, the Market Screenings will have 17 movies. The section has a goal bettering the projection of the Spanish industry and she highlighted the role of distribution, specially, to cinemas: “The Market Screenings program at the AFM 2024 boosts the international distribution of features, setting its sights to the distribution to cinemas, establishing a solid market around exhibition. These exclusive sessions offer sales agents the strategic opportunity to screen new films and present them to international buyers”.

Juan Antonio Vigar introduced the selected project in Spanish Screenings On Tour. The Animation Showcase section will have 4 animation projects, highlighting the importance of the Spanish sector in the global animation stage. He gave the example of Rock Bottom (María Trenor), which participated on the last edition of On Tour WIP and that is been released in this edition of San Sebastian International Festival, highlighting the value chain of the Spanish audiovisual.

On the other side, Fantastic Showcase has 5 feature and series projects of fantastic, terror and sci-fi genres that also had the collaboration of the Sitges FanLab team on the selection of the projects, the perfect introduction to a market where the fantastic cinema has a prominent role. On this value chain, he highlighted another of the main and growing drivers of Spanish audiovisual with adaptations, and which in this edition of Spanish Screenings On Tour is represented by Remakes Showcase with an ample cataloge by sales agents and producers, which in such a market like the US that has a big market share in adaptations. The objective of Spanish Screenings On Tour is “not only the internationalization of the Spanish audiovisual, but also of our talent and our experience beyond our borders” highlighted the director of the Malaga Festival.

Thought October we will know the selected projects and companies, showcasing the diversity and talent of the Spanish audiovisual and inviting the industry on the new date of American Film Market in Las Vegas which will take place from the 5th to the 10th of November under the motto ‘Spanish Audiovisual: Creativity, Diversity & Success’.

About American Film Market

American Film Market (AFM) is one of the principal global events for film acquisition, development and networking at which more than 1 billion dollars in distribution and film financing deals are closed each year, for both completed films and those at every stage of development. Thousands of professionals from all corners of the audiovisual industry come together every year at AFM to develop, showcase, discover, finance and license thousands of independent films and projects destined for global audiences.

About Spanish Screenings XXL

Spanish Screenings On Tour is part of ‘Spanish Screenings XXL. An international market for Spanish audiovisual production’, a project enjoying the involvement of the Ministry of Culture through the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) and by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and of Civil Service, ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, the Malaga Festival and the San Sebastian Festival.