José Esteban Alenda, producer at Solita Films, has outlined the benefits of international producers working in Spain, ahead of a busy industry programme at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

“There’s a lot of talented people in Spain in all the departments, as crew members and also as producers,” said Alenda, who is pitching at TIFF co-production forum ‘Do it the Spanish way!’.

“We have all kinds of locations which is always amazing - really diverse and rich, and the then we have a really solid cinematography and financing structure in Spain. Right now we have an a tax incentive scheme that is really attractive.”

Alenda is presenting two projects at TIFF. First is Three Ages – the debut feature by Catalan-born director Jiajie Yu Yan. “She is a second-generation Chinese filmmaker and it is a feel-good mother and daughter nostalgic drama.”

Second is I Won’t Die For Love, another feature debut from filmmaker-actress Marta Matute, which tells the story of 18-year-old Claudia whose mother has been diagnosed with premature Alzheimer’s disease and she becomes the main caregiver of her mother. “It’s a really raw, emotional movie, where there’s room for pain, for sadness, but also for empathy and especially for love,” says Alenda.

In the interview, Solita also picks out the Spanish films he is watching out for at TIFF, and the why he will be on the lookout for a crumble cookie shop.

‘Do it the Spanish way!’ is the centrepiece initiative of the Cinema From Spain programme, and is hosted by Spanish film body ICAA (Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts) and ICEX Spain Trade & Investment, in collaboration with the festival.

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