When the Internet does not arrive, the cinema in rural areas is connected by satellite

The satellite internet company Clear and the producer and distributor A Contracorriente Films In February they launched the 'Internet of cinema' campaign, an initiative that seeks to return the cinema experience to those towns where terrestrial networks do not reach and whose only alternative to connect to the Internet is satellite.

The project was born with a clear objective: break the double divide, digital and cultural, which still persists in many rural areas. Because satellite connectivity is not only useful for working or studying. It can also serve to take culture where others do not reach.

In Spain there are thousands of towns located in rural or isolated areas without access to quality fixed broadband, that is, high-speed broadband (minimum 100 Mbps download) via terrestrial solutions such as fiber or 4G. Where the only way to connect to the Internet is through satellite technology. And precisely thanks to it, in those same towns, people work, study and undertake. Why wouldn't they also be able to see first-run movies? This is the question that has motivated the Internet company Satélite Serenae and the production and distribution company A Contracorriente Films to launch this campaign in February.

To participate in Whose internet?, los Towns of less than 5,000 inhabitants without access to fiber or 4G stable must present their candidacy through the city council, cultural association or neighborhood council. To participate, all you have to do is record a 3 to 5 minute video in vertical format explaining what type of films could be filmed in your town.

It is a proposal that seeks to involve neighbors of all ages and reinforce the feeling of community. Because Whose internet? It's not just a contest. It is a way of remembering that people also have stories that deserve to be told.

The candidacies will be evaluated by a jury made up of members of Serenae and A Contracorriente Films, together with representatives of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. The jury will select 5 finalists that will be submitted to a popular vote on Serenae's social networks. The 3 towns with the most votes will be the winners.

An award that brings cinema to the heart of the people

The winning municipality will enjoy for three months a weekly public screening of first-run films in the space designated by the town for this purpose (assembly hall, cultural center...). You will also have access to the plataforma de streaming DCS from A Contracorriente Films, with a wide catalog of film titles available and a Serenae satellite Internet connection, guaranteeing the necessary connectivity for both public screenings and access to the streaming platform.

At the end of the three months, the municipality will have the possibility of continuing the project, evaluating the acquisition of the equipment and access to public aid such as those contemplated in the UNICO Rural Demand Program.

The two towns finalists They will receive for three months: Unlimited access to A Contracorriente Films' DCS streaming platform, with a wide catalog of available content and Serenae satellite Internet connection, guaranteeing the necessary connectivity to enjoy the content.

Vanessa Cota, Director of Marketing and Customer Experience at Serenae, states that "access to culture should not depend on the zip code. With this initiative we want to demonstrate that satellite can be a key ally so that towns continue to be living, connected places with a future. Internet of Cinema is not just a contest: it is a declaration of principles about what it means to truly connect."

For its part, Carlos Jimenez, from A Contracorriente Films, highlights that "cinema has the power to create community, and taking it to towns where there hasn't been a theater for years is giving back something that belongs to them. We want this experience to demonstrate that rural Spain also deserves access to quality culture."