EUFCN Spotlight on: Valencia Film Office
The Valencia Film Office is part of the Visit Valencia Foundation, whose goal is the strategic management and promotion of the city of Valencia in the tourism sector. In this interview, Film Commissioner Pepa Jordá explains why Valencia is an attractive destination for filming.
Which main productions were shot recently in Valencia?
“The latest national productions filmed in Valencia are The Pier (El Embarcadero), The Silence of the Marsh (El Silencio del Pantano), Perdida, and Historias Lamentables.
Speaking of international productions, part of the shooting of Season 3 of HBO series Westworld took place in the City of Arts and Sciences, which has a very futuristic look. The cultural complex, a modern symbol of Valencia, also featured in documentary television Cosmos, a journey through time and space by National Geographic.”
Shooting of Westworld Season 3. Photo credits: John P. Johnson HBO
What’s the biggest production you have ever supported in your territory?
“Disney’s Tomorrowland. A World Beyond, with George Clooney and Hugh Laurie. The filming took place in the City of Arts and Sciences. The first conversation we had with the producers about the project happened at the end of 2012, just a few months after the Valencia Film Office was born.”
What do you think is something unique the Valencia Film Office can offer?
“The Valencia Film Office offers a very personal attention to each project. We help not only in the search of locations and providers but also with permits and nice welcome packs for the crews. Furthermore, we organize FAM Tours and have a great variety of locations in a very close distance: the beach, the mountains, the historic center, avant-garde architecture, big gardens and natural parks. The city of Valencia is very well connected by air, with direct flights to European capitals and international hubs, while high-speed direct trains connect Valencia with Madrid in less than two hours.”
How are you handling the actual coronavirus emergency?
“We are constantly in contact with members of the Spain Film Commission, trying to improve and develop new measures to resume production. From the beginning, we have been working all together to establish a good practices guide for safe shootings, solving any kind of doubts with the local public sector. I’m optimistic about the future. Film and TV audiences are consuming lots of contents in these days, new stories will have to be shot soon.”
The European Film Commissions Network is a non-profit association that supports and promotes the European film industry and culture. It currently represents 94 European film commissions and film institutions from 30 different countries.
D. Trifunovic