It has been almost ten years since Carla Simón’s impressive “Summer 1993.” This proves that Catalonia, which won three Goya awards, five Gaudí awards, the best first feature in Berlin and the Golden Biznaga in Malaga, is a major talent export in Europe. Simon won the coveted Golden Bear in 2022 in his sophomore-grade “Alkaras,” and a year later, another Catalan production sparked waves in Berlin.
Simon swapped Berlin for Cannes this year. There, “Romelia” competed alongside Oliver Lux’s “Sir.” The latter won the former Aequo of the Juju Award, secured US distribution by Major Powerhouse Neon, and was recently selected as the Spanish entry for the best international feature Oscar. However, despite the growing talent of the established young Catalans, 2025 still brought new crops to the director.
Lucia Allenal Iglesias’ Catalan production “Forester” has just won the Fiplesi Award for Emerging Filmmakers in Toronto and joined the recent successful debuts of Eva Libertad’s “The Deaf,” who won the Audience Award for Berlin and Gemma Brasco’s “Fury.” Such successes demonstrate a strong new generation of filmmakers. Many were openly inspired by Simon.
Clara Serrano Rollens, director of “Immediate Age,” said she was “lucky” to have an incredible tutor like Simon at the prestigious Pompeu Fabra University where she met her fellow collaborators at Collectiuvigília. “When you see other films coming out of your final degree project, it seems like there’s a possibility for you and your colleagues too,” she adds. “It helped us a lot and had references that came from the same place.”
The collective member Paulval Capdette, the producer and cinematographer behind the San Sebastian Entry, reflects his collaborators. “It’s not a traditional film school. We had totally creative freedom and didn’t have to go through the traditional pitching process within the university. It was a more creatively rich process, and there was no pressure to create something that had to be successful or make money,” he said.
“Forester” courtesy of Tiff
“Fury” director Blasco is another one to praise the references that paved the way for this new generation. She says that “Catalonia has very strong industrial and cultural muscles in the film industry” and that it is “clear” to grow “a director’s crop that has (strong) role models.”
“I feel like I’m taking great care of the film from the beginning of the development process,” she continues. “Mentor, they find people who will accompany us through the process and help each other…and one very important thing: we are very careful about choosing who would like to produce the film.
Blasco reflects the capdet, saying it is “surprising” how much creative freedom there is in Catalonia today. “There are very different debuts emerging. Each director can explore his perspective with his own uniqueness without the pressure to fit a particular type. I think that’s a very good indication of where we are as a Catalan industry.”
“It’s a really great moment. I think one of the key elements of all these interesting films coming out of Catalonia is the increased funding,” adds Capdet. “People who hadn’t actually accessed it before are more likely to fund a film, even if it took a few years. Our film fund is already a global example. It works even with very small films like ours.
Blasco also praised Catalonia’s continued institutional support, saying the region has a “strong commitment to independent cinema.” “I feel privileged to be eligible for these funding options.”
Iglesias believes that the success of Catalan films comes from singularity. “These films stand out because they guide us through the story through intentions and specific perspectives,” she adds. “I think the audience appreciates that. Catalonia really defends a diverse range of talent, and we’ll see how different the films that come out are.”
The director of “Holes” praised the Catalan crew, including producers Marta Culanhas, Ali Dott, Tono Forgera and film director Agne Pique Corbera. “I’m from Madrid so as a Catalan director, I can’t speak about myself, but I felt very welcomed by the Catalan film community.
While 2025 is still ongoing in terms of strengthening Catalonia’s talent export position, 2026 appears to have already been promised in terms of continuing this notable new talent, particularly the tradition of female talent. The Pipeline film includes the first feature by Goya Award-winning Irene Mole for “Seal Skin” and the first feature with Julia de Pas following up to “AMA” debuting over Malaga in “The Good Daughter.”
