The Diplomat
Queen Letizia and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, yesterday endorsed the benefits of the Spanish audiovisual ecosystem to a large delegation from the U.S. industry that is in Spain to analyze opportunities for filming or investing in our country.
Doña Letizia and Maroto presided over an informative conference on the opportunities offered by the Spanish audiovisual ecosystem, which was attended by a delegation from the Motion Picture Association (MPA, the organization that represents the interests of American film studios) and other top-level American audiovisual platforms and companies. Among those attending the event was the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, Julissa Reynoso.
The technical conference was part of a reverse training mission organized by the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, ICEX-Invest in Spain and the Spain Film Commission, and is part of the Plan to Boost the Audiovisual Sector Spain, Audiovisual Hub of Europe, launched by the Government in March 2021 as part of the Digital Spain agenda. The program of the U.S. mission, which will run until May 14, is completed with visits to locations, meetings with companies and talents of the Spanish sector and institutional meetings.
During the meeting, the minister highlighted the conditions of Spain to become “a first class audiovisual hub at European and global level” thanks to the “creative and innovative talent” of professionals related to the audiovisual arts, as evidenced by the international success of numerous television series and films created and developed in Spain.
In addition, during yesterday’s session, the regulatory updates regarding tax incentives or visa management and the main projects of the Spanish Administration to boost the audiovisual industry were presented.
The Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, Roberto Sánchez, explained the Spain Audiovisual Hub of Europe Plan launched a year ago and the measures implemented to consolidate the sector and turn Spain into a pole of attraction for filming and investment. Likewise, the CEO of ICEX Spain Export and Investment, María Peña, advanced the lines of the Spain Audiovisual Bureau, a centralized information point to answer all queries related to the internationalization of this industry, both to attract investment and filming to Spain, as well as to help Spanish companies and productions to develop their projects abroad.
