The new report Radiografía de Festivales de Cine (lit. "A Snapshot of Film Festivals"), published by Pantalla, the Spanish Federation of Film Festival and Audiovisual Content Coordinators, with the support of the ICAA, portrays a reality that remains highly relevant and confirms the consolidation of these events as a vibrant, decentralised and strategic cultural ecosystem. Far from being isolated occasions, festivals generate a significant social return and a tangible cultural impact by connecting with broad and diverse audiences. With an average of 5,262 attendees per event, the festivals belonging to Federación Pantalla alone attract more than 700,000 in-person viewers every year, a key figure equivalent to 7.7% of the total cinema-going audience.

For many rural communities, these festivals also represent the only opportunity to engage with newly released movies. They provide an essential showcase for arthouse cinema, documentaries and short films – formats that would otherwise struggle to secure screen space outside major urban centres. Although the in-person experience remains at the heart of most events, the sector has successfully evolved, and one in five festivals is now held in a hybrid format, combining big-screen screenings with an online component. Furthermore, while most Spanish festivals take place during the second half of the year – particularly between September and November – there is a clear will to counter seasonality by strengthening off-season activities.

The sector also stands out for its social and environmental responsibility, as organising bodies implement measures designed to reduce their ecological impact, turning festivals into agents of social change. This commitment to sustainability is also a powerful tool for raising awareness and promoting social education within the appealing environment offered by festivals. Combined with the strong public response to these initiatives, it opens up opportunities to develop partnerships capable of attracting private funding.

In terms of audience figures, film gatherings cannot compete with major events such as music festivals. However, when it comes to cinema and revitalising Spain’s depopulated areas, events for cinephiles provide significant qualitative social value. Cristina Gómez, president of Federación Pantalla, states: “This overview of the sector confirms that festivals are modern, consolidated platforms with enormous potential for private-sector collaboration. We optimise every euro we receive in order to generate a real and direct cultural impact, demonstrating that supporting the sector is not an expense, but an investment in the future of territorial cohesion and talent.”

Finally, the report underlines the sector’s ability to optimise its budgets, sometimes to an extreme degree: 36% of festivals operate with less than €25,000, while more than half have budgets below €50,000. This demonstrates an extraordinary capacity for creativity and resilience in organising events with minimal resources. At the same time, however, it leaves much of the sector operating amidst precarious conditions, imposing severe limitations on marketing, technology and internationalisation. Only 9.7% of festivals have budgets exceeding €200,000, making further investment urgently necessary to increase their capacity to scale up, consolidate and professionalise their structures, and move beyond their current economic vulnerability.

The full report (available in Spanish) can be downloaded here.