This January, the projects selected for Euro Connection, the co-production forum of the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market, which I already mentioned in August, have been published on the market’s website. This selection concludes the coordination work we have carried out from Spain, which began in September.
Among the selected projects is the Spanish project Mouras, by Olga Osorio, first chosen by the Spanish jury and then by the European jury. We should be very pleased; it is not easy to get this far.
This year, 8 Spanish projects were submitted. We were very close to the 10 projects needed to participate with two projects per country. In total, 15 projects were selected at a European level for the forum, chosen from all participating countries.
The Spanish jury was composed of Ignacio Gutiérrez-Solana (Head of Studies at ECAM), Jesús Monroy (PNR Representative), and Quique Garcia (Producer and AIC member).
This is already the second year we have a Spanish project, following Palabras de Caramelo, by Juan Antonio Moreno, from the production company Making Doc, which participated in 2015.
Two projects chosen in three years is a good percentage, which demonstrates the quality of Spanish projects, but, above all, the need to continue working to support the talent of our country. Each year, we should be able to generate more projects with the capacity to compete in international forums.
Here is a summary video of the 2012 forum, with interventions from organizers and attendees:
Euro Connection will take place from February 7 to 8. The first day will feature project pitching and presentations by participating producers. The following day, one-to-one sessions will be held. The organizers create a good working environment, generating very productive networking among all attendees.
Here is the complete list of selected projects:
Activities of this type are truly essential for fostering co-production and project generation. It reminds us that a festival is not just an event where films are screened, but much more. At the Clermont-Ferrand Festival and Market, there are many activities centered around short films, most of them aimed at producers, directors, and technicians.
We should all congratulate ourselves on the selection of a Spanish project and continue working to support our creators. Especially when they need it most: when they are starting out.