26/09/2024 - The CEO of the Spanish institution talks about its work and the Spain, Where Talent Ignites campaign, aimed at promoting the country's audiovisual industry

ICEX-Invest in Spain presented its new campaign Spain, Where Talent Ignites at the 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival, led by an audiovisual piece produced by Canada (known for its music videos) with the participation of Berta Prieto, Karla Sofía Gascón, Bárbara Lennie, JA Bayona, Albert Serra, Omar Ayuso and Miguel Herranz. ICEX CEO Elisa Carbonell Martín talks about the campaign designed to promote the international image of the Spanish audiovisual industry, which will make its next stops at MIPCOM, the American Film Market and Busan.

Cineuropa: What are the main goals of the Spain, Where Talent Ignites campaign, and how does ICEX expect it to impact on promoting Spanish talent in the international market?
Elisa Carbonell Martín: The main goal of this campaign is to associate Spanish talent with excellence, quality, innovation and good work. Spain has already demonstrated professionalism and excellence internationally, not only through the awards that Spanish talent has received at festivals worldwide, but also thanks to the significant increase in audiovisual productions. Since before the pandemic, production has grown by 46% and in the last year alone it increased by 15%.

Spain, Where Talent Ignites revolves around the production of a short film that aims to showcase talent both behind and in front of the camera, highlighting the work of all sectors: film, television, animation, among others. The initiative is accompanied by a powerful advertising campaign on social media and the screening of the short film in different key markets.

How does ICEX collaborate with other programmes and institutions?
ICEX's raison d'être is to drive prosperity through the internationalisation of talent-based industries. It is therefore essential to listen to industries, projects and companies, understand their problems and work on solutions. We are working closely with the ICAA, taking part in several festivals together. We are also working with the Secretary of State for Telecommunications on implementing Next Generation funds for the audiovisual industry. We are also collaborating with private entities, such as the Spain Film Commission and different associations of creators and producers.

What are the current challenges for promoting the Spanish audiovisual industry abroad?
The Spanish audiovisual industry is currently in a very positive period, with many international recognitions and awards. However, one of the greatest challenges is the fierce competition. The traditional communications model is somewhat saturated; there is a lot of noise, a lot of things going on at the same time, which makes it hard to stand out.

Other major challenges are sustainability and digitalisation. However, I believe that Spanish industry is making positive progress in these areas.

I read in the latest report from the European Audiovisual Observatory that Spain, as well as the UK, is one of the countries where platforms invest the most. How do you explain this phenomenon?
This is again explained by talent, which is what we always want to highlight. Also, because we offer excellent production services, with an appeal covering everything from weather and landscapes to historical heritage. We also have significant tax incentives, both nationally and regionally.

And we cannot forget the language factor. I don't think it is by chance that the UK, as an Anglo-Saxon hub, and Spain, as an emerging hub of Spanish-language production, are attracting so much investment.

What aspects of Spanish cinema do you think are most attractive to international investors and professionals, especially at events such as the San Sebastian Film Festival?
The most attractive aspect of Spanish cinema is its ability to offer content with its own identity, deeply rooted in our culture, but at the same time adaptable to the tastes and demands of international audiences. Spain has established itself as an important hub in terms of connectivity, logistics, services and, of course, talent. We also have attractive tax incentives and renowned international festivals, such as San Sebastian and Malaga, which further raise the profile of our industry.

From ICEX's perspective, how do you support these efforts?
We are supporting the promotion of content and the sale of projects in international markets. We are also actively working to attract international investors and producers. A good example of this is the Spanish Screenings on Tour initiative, which organises up to 20 screenings of Spanish projects at different festivals throughout the year. This type of initiative helps us to give visibility to our films and strengthen our presence abroad.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)