Spanish cinemas face 3.5 million euro loss in state aid

Cinema exhibition halls across six Spanish autonomous communities—Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Comunidad Valenciana, and Navarra—face a loss of 3.5 million euros in state aid. The Federation of Cinemas of Spain (FECE) attributes this to an unexpected change in criteria by the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) regarding 2025 and 2026 subsidies.

While the Ministry of Culture issued the initial instructions, the Ministry of Finance's delegated intervention applied a different interpretation, claiming that certain calls for applications were not executed correctly. This has led to demands for the return of funds, creating what industry representatives call “unjustifiable territorial asymmetry” and legal insecurity. In the Valencian Community, officials have announced legal and administrative actions to protect over one million euros in allocated funding.

Separately, various regional film festivals and cultural events are underway in Spain, including the 28th edition of Abycine in Albacete, the 48th Lugo Film Week in Galicia, and the 71st Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci), which features a selection of international documentaries.