Spanish Film Screenings to host 66 international buyers next week in Madrid

Pedro Pérez, president of Spanish producers association FAPAE has unveiled the line-up for the seventh edition of Madrid de Cine-Spanish Film Screenings, a three-day event for international buyers that will take place from June 18 to 20.

Pérez said: “We are in a very low point in the international image of Spain and we have great confidence that the quality of our films might help fix that. This year we could not afford the plane tickets for buyers but the attendance will keep strong which signifies that we have a place in the business calendar.”

Buyers will be able to see 43 films, 4 of them international premieres: the much awaited I Want You (Fernando González Molina), a sequel to huge success Three Steps Above Heaven; Vulnerables (Miguel Cruz), a psychological thriller; Cruz del Sur (David Sanz y Tony López), about Argentinian immigration; and Tangemación (José Ramón Da Cruz), about William Burroughs in Africa.

Other screenings include The Wild Boys (Los niños salvajes), A puerta fría, a film by Xavi Puebla with Nick Nolte, the period drama Miel de naranjas, by Imanol Uribe, REC 3, Sleep Tight, As Luck Would Have It and De tu ventana a la mía by Paula Ortiz.

This year, traditional markets for Spanish cinema as France (Ico, Optimale, Swift, Zylo), Germany (Morefilms, Camino, Delphi, Senator, StudioCanal, Universum) are dominant but there is huge presence from US (Beverly Hills, SomosTV, TLA, Tribeca), and buyers from Australia, Brazil, Lebanon or China will attend.

Last year, 117 buyers attended from 90 companies representing 30 countries and 21 international media.

Susana de la Sierra, director of ICAA, pointed out that the funds for the Spanish Film Screenings remained almost the same and praised the international success os Spanish cinema as a key factor for the cinema policy.

Enrique Cerezo, president of EGEDA (rights management) and collaborator of the Screenings, pointed out the new site veospain.com, a new site by Filmotech.com, aimed for international distributors where they will have easy access to the most recent Spanish film production.

Media presence will remain strong and more than 23 international media from all over the world will interview the crews of 21 films that will premiere in their countries in the near future.

Spanish Film Screenings is an event organized by FAPAE, producers association, EGEDA (rights management), Ministry of Culture ICAA, Promo Madrid and ICEX among others.

This year, Enrique Urbizu (director of No Rest for the Wicked) will be the “godfather” of the Screenings. Eduardo Noriega, Belén Rueda, Alex de la Iglesia or Fernando Trueba had this role previous years.

On June 19, Pedro Pérez, president of FAPAE, will unveil last year international results for Spanish cinema during a traditional breakfast with the Spanish press. There will be also an award for the Spanish film more successful abroad.

Sales companies will be based in Hotel Santo Domingo and screenings in Cines Princesa.