Country Focus: Spain

Spanish films continue to enjoy success on international market

by  Sergio Ríos Pérez

24/06/2010 - Spanish films continue to attract large audiences abroad, where they grossed €140.66m in 2009. This is even more than on the domestic market, where box office takings for the same period were €140.37m. Pedro Pérez, president of the Federation of Spanish Audiovisual Producers Associations (FAPAE), called the figures “surprising” when they were presented to the press at the fifth edition of Madrid de Cine - Spanish Film Screenings.

One of the most interesting outcomes, since it could be used as an element for reflection on the future of production, is the major role of co-productions in the circulation of Spanish films abroad. Majority and minority co-productions, which account for approximately a quarter of Spanish production, represent, on the other hand, 55% of international takings.

Spanish cinema’s main ally is still the European market, where it earned €50.77m, i.e. nearly 40% of total takings. At the top of the list is France with €18.18m, followed by Italy with €11.93m and the UK with €11.82m. One market that has seen a big increase is North America, where Spanish films amassed €40.45m, largely thanks to the success of animated title Planet 51 [trailer].

Indeed, Planet 51 was the most widely distributed Spanish film of 2009, for it was released in 14 countries, the same as Broken Embraces [trailer, film focus] by Pedro Almodóvar (who confirms himself as the most international of Spanish directors), and minority production Che: Part One [trailer].

Next in line are My Life In Ruins (released in 13 countries); Che: Part Two [trailer] (12); Vicky Cristina Barcelona [trailer] (eight); and Chef’s Special [trailer] and The Milk of Sorrow [trailer] (both launched in six countries).