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Spain’s animation industry makes a splash at Ottawa International Animation Festival
A new era for Spanish animation
For the first time, Animation from Spain is making its presence felt at the Ottawa International Animation Festival’s TAC (The Animation Conference). This year, three of Spain’s most promising animation producers are set to discuss the current state of Iberian animation and pitch their projects to the international and North American markets.
Spain’s growing influence in global animation
The Spanish government’s support for this initiative at North America’s premier animation festival underscores Spain’s ambition to become a significant player in the Canadian and U.S. markets. This move also aims to enhance Spain’s global reputation in the animation industry.
According to ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, the Spanish government body leading this year’s Ottawa involvement, 2023 has been a prolific year for Spanish animation. Spanish companies have produced six animated features, 25 short films, and 68 seasons of animated TV series.
Commercial and critical success
Spanish animation is not just prolific but also successful. Last year, 4 Cats Pictures’ “Mummies” grossed $54 million at the global box office, making it the second-highest grossing Spanish feature outside of Spain. Additionally, Arcadia’s “Robot Dreams” received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, joining the ranks of “Chico y Rita” and “Klaus” as the only Spanish films to achieve this honor.
Key players at the roundtable
In Ottawa, ICEX curator Carolina López Caballero will moderate a roundtable featuring:
- Claudio Lluberes, founder and Chief Creative Director of Morgana Studios
- Álvaro García González, executive producer at Hampa Studio and one of the emerging Spanish producers to watch in 2024
- Chelo Louriero, CEO of Abano Producións
The importance of international presence
Ahead of their discussion, the speakers shared their thoughts on the significance of Spanish companies participating in international events like OIAF.
Claudio Lluberes emphasized, “Spain’s animation sector is growing rapidly, and participating in international events like OIAF is crucial for expanding its global presence. These events offer Spanish creators and studios a platform to showcase their work, connect with industry leaders, and attract collaborators and investors.”
Álvaro García added, “Ottawa represents an ideal gateway for European indies to enter the North American marketplace. Historically, these markets have been closed to Europe, but the current situation is opening them up to us. We have to seize this moment and build bridges between us.”
Showcasing Spanish talent
Each company has brought exciting projects to introduce at TAC.
Abano Producións
Galicia-based Abano Producións is one of Spain’s largest and most successful indie animation producers. The company has backed award-winning projects like “Sultana’s Dream” and “Unicorn Wars”. This year, Abano is showcasing two features in Ottawa:
- “Decorado”, directed by indie auteur Alberto Vázquez, co-produced with Uniko, Glow, and Sardinha em Lata.
- “Mu-Ki-Ra”, directed by multihyphenate actor-filmmaker Estefania Piñeres, co-produced with Colombia’s Letrario.
Abano also has several shorts in pre-production and production, including:
- “El cuerpo de Cristo”, an adaptation of Bea Lema’s National Comic Award-winning graphic novel.
- “Something in the House”, a stop-motion short by Carla Pereira.
- “One Way Cycle”, directed by Alicia Núñez.
Hampa Studio
Valencia-based Hampa Studio is known for its prestige arthouse fare and a massive slate of CG kids and family series. In Ottawa, Hampa is presenting two upcoming features:
- “Girl and Wolf”, based on Roc Espinet’s graphic novel.
- “The Treasure of Barracuda”, a significant Spanish acquisition at this year’s Marché du Film, picked up by Filmax.
Morgana Studio
Madrid’s Morgana Studio, an animation and VFX service company increasingly involved in original production, is in Ottawa with its flagship project “Diamante”, currently in development. Directed by Mathieu Ratthé from a screenplay by Ratthé and Leticia Tonos Paniagua, this Dominican-set feature is being produced with Reachstar Entertainment and DNEG company ReDefine.
The future of Spanish animation
The participation of these Spanish companies at the Ottawa International Animation Festival marks a significant step in their journey towards global recognition. By showcasing their innovative projects and connecting with industry leaders, they are poised to make a lasting impact on the international animation scene.
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