Catalan Films Shine at 2026 Cannes Film Festival

Catalonia returns to the Cannes Film Festival in 2026 with seven titles, including six features, highlighting its robust film production capabilities. Among the featured films are Maria Martínez Bayona's "The End of It," Aina Clotet's "Viva," Diego Luna's "Ashes," Pegah Ahangarani's "Rehearsals for a Revolution," Laïla Marrakchi's "Strawberries," and Bruno Dumont's "Red Rocks."

Public Investment and Talent

Catalonia's success in film production stems from substantial public-sector funding, experienced local crews, and the influence of two major film schools, Pompeu Fabra and ESCAC. Since 2019, public investment has grown, bolstered by the 2020 launch of the Catalan Minority Co-Production Fund. The Catalan Institute for the Cultural Companies (ICEC) has played a pivotal role, supporting projects from development through post-production.

Co-Production Success

This year's Cannes lineup reflects Catalonia's standing as a trusted co-production partner. Notable is the collaboration on "The End of It," a project involving Spain's Fasten Films, the U.K.'s Elation Pictures, and Norway's Eye Eye Pictures. Fasten Films' Adrià Monés describes the film as a "case study" for Spanish producers, highlighting the mix of Spanish subsidies, Canary Islands tax incentives, and U.K. support.

"It's very hard to put something like this together with the Anglo-Saxon world," Monés says. "We maximized all the options we had to land the budget we needed."

International Appeal

Valérie Delpierre of Inicia Films, attending with Diego Luna's "Ashes," emphasizes Spain's appeal due to its straightforward financing and co-producing system. She notes that Belgium and Spain are currently attracting the most projects in Europe, with Catalan cinema gaining a reputation for reliability and preparedness. Delpierre is currently engaged in a French co-production, stepping in when another partner failed.

Local Productions on the Rise

Local productions are also flourishing, as demonstrated by Aina Clotet's debut "Viva," selected for Critics' Week and entirely produced in Catalonia. Producer Edmon Roch acknowledges the significant support from ICEC and Catalonia's public broadcaster, TV3CAT. Roch praises Clotet as a "unique voice" and highlights the advantage of working with a first-time feature director with proven television success.

Roch and Clotet chose not to force a co-production for "Viva," preferring to maintain the story's integrity. Delpierre stresses the importance of continuing public support for Catalan cinema, acknowledging the successful strategy of Spain’s Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute and Catalan Films.