The Ministry of Culture of Spain through Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute of Spain (ICAA) and the OFF Pro Film Market have officially announced their collaboration during the Malaga Film Festival.
In recent weeks, representatives from ICAA and OFF Pro have developed a strategic plan to connect the short film industry from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkan region with Spain and Spanish regions, highlighting the importance and positive practices of both Spain and Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of diversity.
ICAA’s support for the OFF Pro Film Market in practice means the participation of Spanish independent productions and distributors in the market, as well as the inclusion of developing projects within the OFF coproduction market.
The goal is to network and connect not only authors, producers, and distributors from the Balkans with their Spanish counterparts but also the film industry of both young and experienced authors from across Europe.
The collaboration between ICAA and OFF extends beyond the OFF Pro Film Market to include the “Spanish Screenings” program, which will present new short films from four Spanish regions, including Catalonia, Basque Country, Andalusia, and the Madrid region. In addition, a series of events will be organized within the OFF Pro Film Market in collaboration with ICAA, focusing on a clearer understanding of coproduction with Spain.
This form of collaboration this year marks the continued presence of Spain at the OFF Pro Film Market in the coming years and the expansion of coproduction and distribution capacities.
It is important to note that each year, the Telemach Youth Film Festival Sarajevo showcases nearly 10 Spanish productions in its official selections, and from this year onward, the number of Spanish films and projects will increase across all categories.
The OFF Pro Film Market is one of the most significant and largest industry initiatives for short films in Europe, with a fund of 15,000 EUR awarded to the best projects, as decided by the international jury and the OFF Pro program committee. It is the only one in the region and one of the few in the world that actually has financial resources for short film coproductions.
As part of the OFF Pro Film Market, several subprograms are held every year during OFF, including OFF Talks, Distribution Talks, and the OFF Coproduction Market.
Program partners include the French Embassy in Sarajevo, the French Institute, ICAA, the Spanish Embassy, the Goethe Institute, the Austrian Cultural Forum, and the CINEA Fund.
