Catalan cinema and TV: A promising future in 2025
Catalan films have consistently impressed at festivals and awards ceremonies worldwide, showcasing the region’s remarkable talent in the screen industries. As we transition from the fall festival season into awards season, let’s explore the most anticipated Catalan titles set to debut next year.
Carla Simon’s heartfelt return with ‘Romeria’
Carla Simon, one of Europe’s most exciting young filmmakers, is back with her fourth feature, Romeria. The film follows Marina, who travels to Vigo in northwest Spain to meet her biological father’s family after his death from AIDS. This story is particularly poignant for Simon, who lost her parents to the disease at a young age.
Óliver Laxe’s intriguing ‘After’
Óliver Laxe’s next production, After, has generated significant buzz. Produced by Pedro Almodóvar’s El Deseo alongside Los Desertores Films and Uri Films, the film is set in the arid and ghostly mountains of southern Morocco. It follows a man and his son searching for Marina, the man’s daughter and the boy’s sister, who disappeared months ago at another rave.
Isabel Coixet’s adaptation of ‘The Days of Abandonment’
Isabel Coixet, one of Catalonia’s most decorated filmmakers, is working on her next project, The Days of Abandonment, starring Penelope Cruz. Based on Elena Ferrante’s Italian novel, the film is produced by Lotus Production, Leone Film Group, and Cruz’s Moonlyon, with The Mediapro Studio and Nimoa Entertainment.
Borja Cobeaga’s ‘Los aitas’: A nostalgic comedy
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Borja Cobeaga is in post-production on his upcoming comedy Los aitas. Set in the ’80s, the film follows a group of clueless dads who accompany their daughters’ gymnastics team to a competition in Berlin when the girls’ mothers can’t make the trip. The film is produced by Inicia Films, Sayaka Producciones, BTeam Prods, and Despadres.
Cesc Gay’s ‘My Friend Eva’
Cesc Gay, a reliable box office draw, is in post-production on My Friend Eva. This romantic comedy, set against the backdrops of Barcelona and Rome, stars local talents Nora Navas, Juan Diego Botto, and Rodrigo de la Serna.
Jaime Rosales’s ‘Morlaix’: A coming-of-age tale
Cannes regular Jaime Rosales has completed Morlaix, a coming-of-age film about a girl who sees a movie that seems inexplicably inspired by her own life and the recent loss of her mother. The film is a France-Spain co-production by Fresdeval Films, Iwaso Films, and Les Productions Balthazar.
Emerging talents and debut features
The 2025 slate of films from established Catalan filmmakers is impressive, but the number of titles from first-time feature directors is equally noteworthy. Around 25 features are expected to debut, with 11 being directorial debuts.
Jaume Claret Muxart’s ‘Estrany riu’
After impressing at various incubators and markets, Jaume Claret Muxart’s Estrany riu is currently shooting. The film tells the story of 15-year-old Didac and his family’s bicycle trip along the Danube River, possibly their last together.
Lucía Aleñar’s ‘Forastera’
In Forastera, young Catalina’s family holiday is disrupted by her grandmother’s absurd and violent death. Mourning, Catalina dons her grandmother’s clothes, opening a door to a phantasmagorical world.
Eva Libertad’s ‘Sorda’
Sorda, directed by Eva Libertad, follows a pregnant deaf woman and her hearing partner as they face the challenges of raising a child in an unaccommodating world. The feature is based on Libertad’s 2023 short of the same name.
Other promising debuts
Other notable debuts include Iván Morales’ Join Me for Breakfast, Gerard Oms’ Away, Claudia Estrada Tarascó’s Salen las Lobas, Irene Bartolomé’s Dream of Another Summer, Miguel Santesmares’ Dismantling an Elephant, and Victor Diago’s Downriver, a Tiger.
Catalonia’s booming animation industry
Catalonia’s animation industry has been thriving, highlighted by an Oscar nomination for Arcadia Films-produced Robot Dreams. Upcoming animated films include Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake, La Luz de Aisha, and The Treasure of Barracuda.
Catalan TV production: A rising force
Catalan TV production is making significant strides in the premium series market. Leticia Dolera continues her directing career with the series Puberty, which explores a case of alleged abuse among teenagers. Produced by Distinto Films, Corte y Confección de Películas, and Uri Films for Max, the series raises important questions about responsibility and accountability.
Catalonia’s diverse and innovative projects, spanning various styles and formats, are set to debut in 2025, continuing the region’s impressive momentum in the festival and awards circuit, at the box office, and on TV and streaming platforms.