Spain is ramping up its presence at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year with a dynamic co-production forum and a sold-out Spotlight on Incentives seminar, offering industry professionals a glimpse of the significant strides the country is making in the global film landscape. This engagement is just the beginning, as Spain gears up for a much larger role in 2026 when TIFF officially launches its content market.
On September 6, the Do It the Spanish Way! International Co-production Forum entered its third edition, bringing together five Spanish producers with projects at various stages of development. These producers, who already have partial funding and partners secured, connected with a broad array of Canadian and international producers and distributors.
The event, attended by over 75 industry professionals, kicked off with a presentation of seven Spanish feature films, followed by lively one-on-one meetings where each producer engaged with at least eight companies. According to insiders, it was an energetic morning of collaboration and networking.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Spain to collaborate with other countries, especially Canada, as we both have immense talent and the means to finance ambitious projects,” said Araceli Pérez Rastrilla from La Vida. She is specifically looking for a French-speaking Canadian partner for her female-led genre project Strangers.
Spain’s strong presence at the festival is undeniable, with the country serving as the main or co-producer on nine films at this year’s TIFF, including Nacho Vigalondo’s Daniela Forever and Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths. Given Spain’s significant contribution to global streaming content, it makes sense that TIFF is fostering even deeper ties with Spanish filmmakers.
Diana Cadavid, TIFF’s international programmer for Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the Caribbean, reflected on how Spain’s role at the festival has evolved. “Spain has long had a notable presence at TIFF, but the past few years have seen the program mature, especially with its focus on works-in-progress,” she explained. This year, Cadavid took a more hands-on role in selecting projects for the forum, signaling the festival’s growing commitment to nurturing Spanish content.
“We’ve been eager to receive feedback from these sessions, and now, as our content market event gains traction, we’re expecting other countries to follow Spain’s lead in organizing similar initiatives,” Cadavid added. She expressed keen interest in tracking the momentum generated by Spain’s co-production forum, eager to see how quickly things develop post-event.
The Spanish Producers and Projects Leading the Way
Ana Eiras Domínguez, from Sábado Películas, brought With You (Contigo) to the forum, a romantic comedy directed by Dani de la Orden, known for his work on Netflix’s Elite. The film tells the quirky story of a one-night stand in Ibiza that spirals into an extended adventure as the couple flees from a mysterious organization.
Araceli Pérez Rastrilla, representing La Vida, presented two distinct projects. Strangers (La Cura), a horror drama by Gigi Romero, follows a woman whose boyfriend claims to have discovered a spiritual cure for his bizarre terminal illness. Her second project, The Great Power (El Gran Poder), is a dark comedy by Joaquin León, centered on a woman who seeks divine help to purchase a coveted brooch and instead finds herself unexpectedly possessed.
Carles Torras Pérez, of Zabriskie Films, introduced The Bind (Le Lein), directed by Alejandro Rojas. This tense drama focuses on a journalist on the run who crosses paths with a pregnant immigration officer, sparking an encounter that changes both of their lives.
José Esteban Alenda, from Solita Films, featured Three Ages (Tres Edades), a moving drama by Jiajie Yu Yan about a 7-year-old boy reunited with his estranged parents in Barcelona, where emotional reconnections prove to be a struggle. Alenda also presented I Won’t Die for Love (Yo no moriré de amor), a drama by Marta Matute, examining the challenges faced by a young woman who is reluctant to take on the role of caregiver for her mother, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Finally, Patricia Uclés Iranzo, representing Estrela Audiovisual, showcased Centelles’ Suitcase (La maleta de Centelles), a historical-biographical documentary by Pilar Pérez Solano. This film delves into the fascinating story behind a long-hidden collection of photographs by mid-20th-century photojournalist Agustí Centelles, offering a rare glimpse into an often overlooked period of Spanish history.
A Promising Path for Future Collaborations
Spain’s heightened engagement with TIFF’s industry programming is a clear signal of the country’s rising influence in global cinema. With its focus on co-productions, Spain is actively seeking partnerships that will not only enhance its own filmmaking ecosystem but also offer international collaborators the opportunity to tap into Spanish talent, funding, and creativity.
As TIFF gears up for its 2026 content market, Spain’s presence at the festival is likely to grow even more, setting the stage for deeper, more fruitful collaborations between Spanish producers and their global counterparts. For now, the Do It the Spanish Way! forum offers a sneak peek at the exciting potential these co-productions hold, signaling a bright future for cross-border filmmaking.
