Spain, Colombia Inking Co-Production Treaty
Spain and Colombia have recently signed a groundbreaking co-production treaty, a move that has been highly anticipated. The agreement was unveiled during the Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM), signaling a new era of collaboration between the two countries’ film industries.
This treaty allows producers from Spain and Colombia to join forces, pooling their financial, technical, and artistic resources to create joint audiovisual productions. Diana Díaz, director of audiovisual, film, and interactive media at Colombia’s Ministry of Culture, highlighted the significance of this agreement. She mentioned that while this is the first bilateral co-production agreement between Colombia and Spain, both countries are also part of the Ibero-American co-production agreement, which has already led to numerous successful joint projects.
The signing of this treaty opens up strategic opportunities for producers in both countries to collaborate on stories that enrich their cultural catalogs and expand the diversity of their audiovisual offerings. This collaboration not only fosters cross-cultural dialogue but also taps into common creative ground, enhancing the storytelling landscape for both nations.
During the announcement at BAM, Colombian Minister of Culture Yannai Kadamani and Ignasi Camos, the director general of Spain’s film institute, emphasized the importance of this new accord in light of the growing prominence of their respective industries. Kadamani highlighted the historical ties between the two countries and envisioned a future of more collaborative and equitable approaches to audiovisual creation.
Camos noted that recent co-productions between Spain and Colombia, such as Fernando Trueba’s “Memories of My Father” and “Rains Over Babel,” have already garnered international recognition. This new agreement signifies a strategic commitment to supporting the Colombian audiovisual sector, which is experiencing a period of creative vitality and increased international visibility.
In a panel discussion at BAM, Spanish producer Miguel Molina shared his experience working on a co-production with Colombia, a 3D animated feature titled “Desechable,” directed by Carlos Gomez Salamanca. Molina expressed pride in the support received from both Spanish and Colombian institutions, highlighting the strength of the story and the collaborative nature of the project.
Camilo Vazquez, deputy director of promotion and international relations at ICAA, emphasized that once a Spanish-Colombian co-production is authorized, it can be considered a national film in both countries, making it eligible for support schemes in both nations. This seamless collaboration creates a space with immense potential for future joint projects and further strengthens the ties between Spain and Colombia in the world of film production.
