Spain Film Commission is proud to participate in the new world summit on Media and Entertainment, promoted by the Government of India in Mumbai. WAVES India 2025 has become, from its very first edition, a key event that focuses on the role of media as a catalyst for development and fostering cultural exchange. The summit will bring together creators, government representatives and industry leaders from across the globe to discuss the challenges and opportunities that the media sector faces in the modern digital era.
Juan Manuel Guimeráns, President of Spain Film Commission, stated: “The participation of Spain in this dialogue underlines our country’s commitment to promoting cross-cultural understanding through media, as well as Spain’s leadership in the European audiovisual sector. The Spain Audiovisual Hub Plan, a comprehensive Spanish Government plan supported by EU Next-Generation Funds, has fueled Spain as the most attractive destination for international production in the EU, and this global dialogue will help strengthen our ongoing collaboration with global industry leaders beyond the traditional boundaries.”
Strengthening Spain’s role as an audiovisual hub for global producers
During the GMD sessions, where Spanish has been the second most spoken language showing the strong competitive advantage content created in our language has, participants have addressed the rapid transformation of media and entertainment markets and the opportunities for cross-border partnerships. Spain, through its Spain Audiovisual Hub (Spain AVS Hub), has proven to be ready to become a global key player in this transformation. The Plan is part of Spain’s broader strategy to position itself as a leading European audiovisual hub by leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual production. These efforts are supported by the Spanish government, who will invest over €3,000 million to boost the audiovisual industry.
“Spain’s commitment to strengthening the audiovisual sector is based on a comprehensive strategy that includes support for technological innovation, companies financial strength, sustainability and talent. We are excited to continue our collaboration with a key global partner like India to expand Spain’s influence and contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected world of media”, Guimeráns added.
Key initiatives in the Spain AVS Hub
Based on a well positioned and quality driven local industry, and recognizing the sector’s importance, Spain has developed in recent years a strong audiovisual-friendly policy under the Spain Audiovisual Hub of Europe Plan, part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan. The Spain AVS Hub Plan (started in 2021) has facilitated numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing Spain’s audiovisual landscape.
A 2024 study (Study on the Economic impact of international production in Spain) commissioned by the Spain Film Commission and developed by the international consultancy firm OLSBERG SPI with the collaboration of PROFILM, the Spanish association of service producers, shows the great impact of promoting AVS international production in Spain. Just in the 2019-2022 period (including pandemic gap) the incentivised international production in Spain reached more than €1,800 million spending in the country, engaging almost 8,000 full-time employees per year, and reverting to Spanish economy (thanks to the involvement of private companies along with the ripple effect of the spending) €9 per each euro invested by the Government.
New studies foreseen to come this year will surely show much greater impacts, considering the new and increased Tax Rebate system in Spain, and including not only international film & TV productions, but also national Media & Entertainment activity backed by ICAA (Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts), Regional Governments and a day by day stronger private sector.
Starting in 2025, the Spanish Government will invest €1,700 million in digitalization projects for the AVS sector, supported by the Sociedad Española para la Transformación Tecnológica and EU funding, opening opportunities for national and international private investors to benefit of making AVS business in Spain.
The actions supported by the Spanish Government in the Plan, and developed by several institutions, like Spain Film Commission, also include training programs, promoting female talent, supporting the use of AI and innovative technologies, and addressing regional/local impacts of the media and entertainment sector.
“We are very optimistic about the future of WAVES, an initiative that puts India and many other global partners together, helping to drive further growth in the sector while aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals to promote innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable cultural development globally, starting a new era of cooperation and innovation”, Guimeráns concluded.
