The Working Group has been formed between the ICAA and representatives of the Autonomous Communities

This group, created within the Sectoral Culture Conference, aims to promote communication and cooperation in various aspects related to cinematography and audiovisuals.

Last Friday, the founding meeting of the Working Group took place to promote communication and cooperation in various aspects related to cinematography and audiovisuals. The meeting was chaired by the General Director of the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), Susana de la Sierra, and was made up of representatives of the Autonomous Communities.

The Group, attached to the Sectoral Culture Conference, was born with the desire to articulate policies of collaboration and exchange, especially in those concurrent areas where the joint and coordinated action of the competent administrations in cinematographic and audiovisual matters is increasingly necessary.

In this sense, its creation is inserted within the Strategic Plan of the Secretary of State for Culture, whose objective is to “strengthen, through transparency, the instruments of communication and cultural cooperation between public administrations and other institutions to promote efficient and rational use of cultural resources.” Likewise, the “coordination and sharing of the cinematographic policies of the State and the Autonomous Communities” was included in the conclusions of the Joint Commission on financing of cinematography as another of the issues to be urgently addressed within the sector. For this reason, all members of the Group have expressly highlighted the opportunity and convenience of creating this permanent work forum that will meet periodically.

Working Group Composition

The working group is made up of the following members: the general director of the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts, who acts as President; the general director of Policy and Cultural and Book Industries; the deputy director general of Promotion of the Cinematographic and Audiovisual Industry; the deputy director general of Promotion and International Relations of the ICAA; the director of the Spanish Film Archive; the deputy director general of Cultural Cooperation with the Autonomous Communities; a representative of the Autonomous Communities, designated by the Member of the Sectoral Technical Commission for Cultural Affairs, responsible for each of the Institutes, areas or departments competent in cinematography and audiovisual of each Autonomous Community. Likewise, other representatives of the state and regional public sector, as well as experts and representatives of the sector, may also attend, with voice but without vote and upon invitation from the President of the group.

In the meeting held this morning, the heads of the ICAA and the representatives of the Autonomous Communities analyzed the policies they are currently carrying out in various areas: the promotion of cinematography and the calls for aid in its different modalities; support for film festivals and competitions; the articulation of a system of Film Commissions that is increasingly effective in attracting film shoots; specific initiatives to support short films; and policies to promote audiovisual education, mainly among the youngest.

In general, beyond the budgetary difficulties imposed by the current economic situation, the effort that most administrations are making to maintain their support programs for the audiovisual sector and recover certain lines of aid suspended in recent years has been highlighted, also to launch some innovative initiatives. This represents an unequivocal statement and recognition from the public sector of the extraordinary importance of this sector in cultural, industrial and image terms, for our country and for our Autonomous Communities.

In future meetings of the Group, specific issues will be discussed in more detail, such as policies to support short films and new filmmakers or public policies on audiovisual education.