EITB closes an agreement to promote independent Basque production

The associations of Basque audiovisual production companies THE RIVER (Association of Independent Audiovisual Producers of Euskadi), EPE-APV (Association of Basque Producers) and API (Association of Audiovisual Producers) have renewed the collaboration agreement with EITB to consolidate Basque independent audiovisual production.

The agreement has been signed by the director general of EITB Andoni Aldekoa and, representing the associations of audiovisual production companies, by the president of IBAIA Marian Fernandez, the president of EPE-APV Carlos Juárez y the president of APIKA María Teresa Ruiz de Austri. The Minister of Culture of the Basque Government was also present. Bingen Zupiria, which has underlined the scope of this agreement "aimed at promoting and giving visibility to audiovisual works and content in Basque; content that is the result of a Basque audiovisual ecosystem in which we have been working and betting for decades, according to the counselor." So much EITB like the associations have agreed in describing the agreement as “very important and strategic” for the new audiovisual panorama and current forms of consumption.

The agreement places special emphasis on the commitment of collaborate in the dissemination and sustainable increase in the consumption of audiovisual content in Basque in all types of channels diffusion and, especially, in the new digital platforms. Likewise, everyone agrees on the importance of reinforcing commitment to defense, promotion, promotion and dissemination of Basque cultural heritage and the need to promote the use and normalization of Basque in the audiovisual sector.

In this line, From Andoni has confirmed that “EITB will acquire the rights in Basque for all the works in which it participates with the aim of disseminating them in the different EITB media and, above all, including them in the Primeran platform on which they are already working.”

Promoting gender equality

Promoting gender equality is another of the important points of the agreement in which measures aimed at promoting the participation of professional women in the Basque audiovisual sector have been reinforced. It focuses, in particular, on achieve a greater presence of women in decision-making of a business and creative nature in the production, creation and development of audiovisual works, all with the aim of eliminating inequalities. Andoni Aldekoa highlighted that “at least 40% of the projects supported by EITB will be driven by women.”

Likewise, the agreement prioritizes the support for new Basque filmmakers, as well as the participation of Basque creative staff in independent productions. Along the same lines, they are committed to contributing to investment in Euskadi as a path to the consolidation of a competitive Basque audiovisual industry thanks to the advance financing of works.

Finally, both EITB and the associations will promote the development of audiovisual works of marked international scope, as well as international co-productions, prioritizing the international promotion of Basque culture and the Basque language.