Spanish audiovisual production continues to draw heavily from bookshops: according to the findings of the Research Report on the Impact of Literary Adaptations on the Spanish Audiovisual Market, this model now represents between 15-18% of film releases and 25% of series produced for streaming platforms. The study (available in Spanish here), promoted by Institut Français de España and the cultural management company Culturia, was presented last week in Madrid and confirms that adaptation is no longer simply a matter of transferring stories from page to screen. It has become a strategic asset that boosts international reach and reduces financial risk in a highly competitive global market.

The presentation of the report was attended by Simond de Galbert, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Action at the French Embassy in Spain, and Chloé Samaniego, Cultural and Audiovisual Attaché at the Institut français d'Espagne. The event also featured a round-table discussion with Germán Mori, director of Culturia; Gloria Saló, director of production and content consulting at GECA; and filmmaker Luis Ángel Ramírez, who contributed to the drafting of the report.

The conference examined how the industry has evolved into a professionalised ecosystem in which scouting agencies and development departments assess the potential of works before publication. The report highlights that, in addition to literary quality, success also depends on the transmedia possibilities of intellectual property, audience engagement, and the fan communities generated in digital environments. This trend has consolidated young-adult and romantic novels as major audience drivers for television series, while thrillers and dramas continue to dominate cinema.

External collaboration also plays a crucial role: one in four adaptations is an international co-production, with France as Spain's main strategic partner. Adaptation markets such as Rodando Páginas (Madrid Audiovisual Association), Adapta Market and Conecta Fiction, along with specialised events like the Anfibia Festiva l— the only film festival dedicated exclusively to adaptations, with editions on both sides of the Atlantic — are helping to build a diverse network that expands the circulation of intellectual property. These initiatives have contributed to the professionalisation of relationships between publishers, agents, authors and producers, and to the acceleration of processes.

The report also addresses the issue of copyright and the creative challenges of the streaming era, noting the profound transformation of intellectual property.  The arrival of major global platforms has introduced contractual models that clash with Spain’s legal tradition of protecting authors. Creatively, the current challenge lies in balancing synthesis and expansion: while films condense plots, series seek sagas capable of broader narrative universes. However, the study points to one major unresolved issue: the enormous visual potential of Spanish comics, still an under-exploited resource due to the high production costs required for faithful screen adaptation. Looking ahead, the report encourages the emergence of new literary voices that can enrich cultural diversity in a field with undeniable global potential, both in terms of reach and industry.