21/09/2015 - SAN SEBASTIÁN 2015: Ramón Colom predicts the audiovisual industry will see a good result for the year at the box office and again rails against the European digital single market

Joxé Portela, Ramón Colom and Benoît Ginisty at the FAPAE conference

“We have to adapt the laws to the new models and new forms of digital consumption, the keys to which are to be found partly in the reasoning behind the digital single market,” reiterated (read the news) Ramón Colom, president of FAPAE (The Confederation of Spanish Audiovisual Producers), yesterday as he addressed the press at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Colom was joined by Benoît Ginisty, a representative of FIAPF (The International Federation of Film Producers' Associations), who undertook an analysis of the European audiovisual landscape and the predicament that the industry is facing with the digital single market: “The current model of production and distribution is under threat, as it hinges on territorial exclusivity.”

Colom provided further details on the conflict: “In October, Netflix will arrive in Spain, but the government has no provisions in place in that regard. These powerful platforms that will profit from the single market will not offer French films in Spain nor Spanish films in France… and the same will apply to the rest of the countries in Europe – just North American and local titles from each territory.” He also expressed his wish for cinema to be funded partly through the taxation of internet service providers, which have allowed piracy to spread dramatically. He also once again brought up the much-maligned cultural VAT rate of 21%: “It's a burden we are carrying,” lamented the FAPAE president.

They rubbed shoulders with Joxé Portela (vice-president of FAPAE and president of IBAIA), who analysed current Spanish film industry data: this year, the strong Spanish presence at the San Sebastián Film Festival (with 60 titles, 20 in the main sections, including myriad co-productions) reflects an exceptional period of creativity, and this has had knock-on effects on box-office takings, which have risen by 4% thanks to films such as Perdiendo el norte [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Ahora o nunca [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: María Ripoll
interview: María Valverde
film profile] and Capture the Flag [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. Although the box-office share of Spanish films is similar to the figures attained in previous years around these dates – about 12% – with the imminent release of major titles such as Regression [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Alejandro Amenábar
film profile], Mi gran noche [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Retribution [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dani de la Torre
film profile] and particularly Ocho apellidos catalanes (read the article), it is hoped that by the end of the year this will reach as high as 20%. “Nevertheless, the budgets of the shoots are low: the average is €1.3 million, and 52% of them are under €1 million,” bemoaned Portela.

Colom reminded those present that “we are still working with the government on a new model, since it is vital that the Film Law has a more general nature and does not only concern amortisation support, but we have the problem of the deadlines for the launch and rollout of the various issues.” The FAPAE president congratulated José Luis Rebordinos on his selection rich in Spanish titles at the 63rd San Sebastián Film Festival, which he is overseeing, but he also said, “We regret the lack of Spanish films at Cannes, the number-one film event in the world. Those in charge of it should hang their heads in shame for not having found a Spanish film for the official section: they should know whether they offer a cross-section of current world cinema or, like a powerful lobby, they prefer to screen their friends' movies.”

(Translated from Spanish)