An ambitious goal: The 2011 pact
In 2011, an agreement was signed between the Catalan Government and prominent American production companies, together with the Exhibitors’ Guild. The agreement sought to dub 25 films into Catalan on an annual basis, marking a significant change in the panorama of cinema in this language.
The devastating count of premieres
Despite initial hopes, the reality has proven to be less than encouraging. According to reports from the Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (ICEC), the maximum number of dubbed titles reached only 16 in the year following the signing. Since then, the number of releases has remained below significant figures, amounting to just 136 films since the agreement, a number that does not come close to the promised goals.
Factors that have hindered progress
Francesc Xavier Vila, Secretary of Language Policy, has pointed out that recent years have been marked by adverse circumstances, such as the pandemic and strikes in the Hollywood film industry, which have made it difficult to make titles available. Vila acknowledges that this context has created great challenges in adapting to the demands of distributors.
Disagreements on the arrival of titles
Major production houses, including Disney, Universal and Warner Bros, have only released around 10% of films in Catalan since 2011. With 39 titles, Disney leads as the most active producer in this segment. This panorama highlights the lack of representativeness of Catalan cinema compared to its Spanish counterpart.
The concerted work in favor of dubbing
The Catalan government has been proactive in allocating resources to support the dubbing of films and series in Catalan, tripling public aid in recent years. From 4.5 million in 2020, it is projected to reach 11.5 million in 2024. This effort aims to improve the visibility of Catalan cinema in the film scene.
Cinemas and the offer in Catalan: A gloomy panorama
Despite these efforts, Catalan-language films only represent a scant 3.3% of the total number of screenings in cinemas. Screenings in this language are concentrated in local cinemas, while in many others, access to this offer is almost non-existent. For its part, the Government admits that it is also essential to awaken the public’s interest in Catalan-language films.
The path to greater consumption
The climate of consumption of Catalan films is far from satisfactory, as demonstrated by the disparity in ticket sales figures between screenings in Catalan and in Spanish. Sales figures continue to suggest that audience growth has not reached the desired pace, highlighting the need for a more robust strategy to promote films in this language.
Reflections on the future of Catalan cinema
With changes in the film industry and labour disputes, the path to greater recognition and access to Catalan cinema is still uncertain. It is essential that all actors involved, from distributors to the public, work together to promote the supply and consumption of Catalan cinema, ensuring that this culture is adequately represented in the cinematographic offering.
