Catalonia Becoming European Production Powerhouse
variety.comEmilio Mayorga “Alcarràs,” from Catalonia’s Carla Simón, won Berlin’s top Golden Bear in February. “One Year, One Night,” from Catalan Isaki Lacuesta, also played in main competition.
This May “Pacifiction,” from Albert Serra, another Catalan, has scored a competition berth at Cannes.Thanks to these three titles, Catalonia has more directors this year in the key section at Europe’s two biggest festivals than Italy (2), Germany (1) or the U.K. (none at all).
Other Catalan productions to play at Cannes: Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “The Beasts” in Premiere and Anna Fernández’s “I Didn’t Make It to Love Her,” a Critics’ Week short.If big fest selection is any measure, with just 7.6 million inhabitants and Barcelona as its capital, Catalonia is building as an upscale European movie powerhouse.
The build, however, is far broader based. In the pipeline, all from Barcelona-based Nostromo Pictures, are major Netflix titles such as David and Álex Pastor’s Spanish-language spinoff of Netflix hit “Bird Box” and two sequels to Marçal Forés “Through Your Window,” Netflix’s third most-watched non-English language film on record, as well as “Losrenglones torcidos de Dios,” from Oriol Paulo, whose 2017 crime thriller” Invisible Guest” earned $26 million in China.Also advancing towards release are a clutch of auteur titles such as Mikel Gurrea’s rural drama “Suro,” Simón’s third feature “Romería,” Avelina Prat’s “Vasil,” “La Maternal,” from best picture Goya winner Pilar Palomero (“Schoolgirls”) and Marc Recha’s “Wild Road.”Meanwhile, mid-sized companies are quickly powering up their slates.
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