The all-female exeutive suite at Madrid-based Begin Again Films focuses on auteur-driven features and documentaries that regularly premiere at international festivals.
The sales agent and distributor is led by co-founders Gloria Bretones and Belén Bernuy, who also work as head of international sales and acquisitions and the head of acquisitions and co-production respectively, with Sonia Abbas, sales manager and head of distribution. They are attending Malaga to introduce buyers to Luc Knowles’ Libélulas, and Meritxell Colell’s Duo, as well as Iker Elorrieta’s San Sebastian and Tallinn Black Nights selecttioon The Radio Amateur.
What is a typical Begin Again film?
We specialise in Spanish cinema. Our team is always on the look out for new talent, emerging filmmakers, as well as new audiences. Our goal is to promote the best independent cinema made in Spain, gripping stories that are willing to take risks in terms of content and format that are not always easy to find in cinemas.
Do you invest at production stage?
We do through our production company Centuria Films. We then guarantee distribution in Spain as well as the handling of international sales with Begin Again. The perfect combination but we only do it for one project a year.
How healthy is the theatrical pre-sales market for your projects?
Theatrical releases are our main goal, but in Spain and elsewhere box office receipts are not at their best and that takes a toll. Europe is our strongest market when it comes to theatrical, especially with titles that have premiered at international festivals to good reviews and reception.
Which markets prove particularly strong for your projects?
As we produce films in Spanish, our main market is naturally Latin America and the US. Most of our titles have been sold there. The European market is more difficult because its ferociously competitive. Spanish cinema is a good asset, there is clearly a good market for it, but when it comes to risky independent productions from filmmakers that are not yet known, we have to work much harder to obtain good results.
What new markets have emerged for you in recent years?
In 2021 we started working with the Asian markets, unknown territory for us until then. And 2022 is promising to be even better. We have more in common than one could think, and we are happy to keep expanding our activity there.
No comments yet