26/04/2010 - Regional aids to the cinema industry: the example of Catalonia. The film commissions.

1.- The Spanish regional system

The support of the Spanish regions to the cinema industry is relatively new. For many years there has only been national cinema support in Spain. Within the federalization process of the country the regional film support started to appear. The regional funds’ scenario reflects the asymmetry of the Spanish production industry, with a majority of the film projects being shot in the Region of Madrid, where no strong regional support is needed to attract the investment (almost 70% of the cinema industry is located in this region). A second group of regions fostering their local language and/or building up a stronger audiovisual structure have launched ambitious support programmes (Valencia, Catalonia, Andalusia, the Basque Country…). There is a third group of regions without neither enough facilities nor a consolidated industry just willing to attract projects to be shot in their regions.

2. – ICIC, CDA and Catalan Film

The Catalonian Institute for Cultural Industries, ICIC (Institut Català de les Indústries Culturals) is a public body attached to the Department of Culture of the Regional Government. It supports different fields of the cultural industries as theatre, cinema, publishing or music.

The main schemes within the cinema industry focus on production, exploitation (to promote the release of prints in Catalan language) and development (up to Euro 30k). The scheme for film production grants up to Euro 200k or 20% of the budget for films shot in Catalan language and up to Euro 100k or 10% of the budgets, if the film is shot in other languages. 75% of the Catalan producer’s budget must be spent in the region.

In addition to the grants, ICIC also has launched Crèdit cultura; a line of financing, cash-flowing and guaranteeing for cultural industries amounting to Euro 15m through a partnership with several banks. Loans can be granted up to Euro 180k. Furthermore there is a line of credit focusing on the cinema industry thanks to the agreement of ICIC and ICF (Catalonian Finance Institute). Euro 30m are allocated at disposal of producers through three kinds of loan: cash-flowing of the license contracts with broadcasters and the public aids of the ICIC, gap financing (up to 30% of the film’s budget) of cinema productions and package financing (up to 30% of the overall cost).

CDA, Centre de Desenvolupament Audiovisual, is the ICIC’s Audiovisual Development arm. Its aim is not to finance audiovisual projects, but to give advice to production companies established in Catalonia. In order to benefit of this service, the companies should intend to produce feature films, TV movies, mini series, documentaries for theatrical release, or animation works. There are three action lines: professional training; studies and reports; and consultancy on script development, technical and creative teams building, financing and distribution.

Catalan Films & TV is the public institution for the internationalization of the Catalonian audiovisual industry. It establishes links with other foreign institutions and fosters the international coproduction, as well as the presence of audiovisual works in festivals and markets abroad.

3.- Links to other regional film institutions

Galicia
Navarra
Canary Islands
Madrid
Basque Country
Valencia
Castilla La Mancha
Andalucía

4.- The Film Commissions

Not many regions have a cinema support institution and most of them grant their schemes through their respective economy, tourism or culture departments, which are not specialized in dealing with the cinema industry. Therefore the best way to get to know the regional support and facilities is to get in touch with the correspondent regional film commission. They are always willing to attract investment and to promote the region as a film location and thus inform producers about the local funding opportunities.

Some Spanish Film Commission:
Andalucía Film Commission
Barcelona Plató Film Commission
Bierzo Film Commission
Donostia-San Sebastián Film Commission
Film Commission Castilla y León
Galicia Film Commission
Gran Canaria Film Commission
Madrid Film Commission
Málaga Film Office
Santiago de Compostela Film Commission
Sevilla Film Office
Tenerife Film Commission