Organized by the Spanish Film Commission in partnership with IFEMA of Madrid, the sixth edition of Fitur Screen highlighted a growing collaboration between Spain and India in cinema, tourism, and culture. The event recognized producer Rishabh Chopra with the title of Honorary Ambassador 2024, underscoring his leadership at Yash Raj Films, a long‑standing Indian company involved in both production and distribution. The blockbuster Pathaan, released in 2023, used Spanish sets that became a hallmark of the collaboration, drawing significant attention in India and around the world. Its music video, filmed in Cádiz, has accumulated over 820 million views on YouTube. The achievement signaled a broader fusion of cultural exchanges and economic activity between the two nations in the audiovisual sector.
Rishabh Chopra now takes on the role of Ambassador for the association, acting as a strategic bridge to deepen cinematic and tourism ties between India and Spain. The new appointment was celebrated with attendance from India’s Ambassador to Spain, Dinesh Kumar Patnaik, who joined the ceremony to reinforce sector collaborations across both countries. The Spanish Film Commission outlined an intensive program at Fitur that centers on cinema tourism, offering a dedicated networking space and a drive to position Spain as a global hub for audiovisual production. The initiative seeks to connect tourism and film industries through shared information on film tourism and commercial exchanges among industry players.
The first project for screen tourism
In this edition, the Spanish Film Commission unveiled its flagship initiative, the Spain Screen Grand Tour. After a year of planning, Juan Manuel Guimerans, the secretary general, and tourism expert Iñaki Gaztelumendi, along with Ana Alonso who leads the program, presented the project with three main aims: to boost tourism by showcasing Spain’s diverse locations; to attract film production companies; and to amplify the economic multiplier effect of the industry across services linked to filmmaking. The plan positions screen tourism as a growing field that connects emotionally with audiences who see films and series, sparking curiosity about the places where stories unfold. Viewers may discover local culture and heritage while following the journeys of their favorite characters, creating enduring interest in the destinations long after the credits roll.
The Spain Screen Grand Tour offers to film fans curated routes to explore shooting locations across Spain. It introduces the country’s first geolocation map of screen destinations, a live, evolving resource that guides travelers through the locations and productions hosted within Spain. This map allows tourists to experience the country through the lens of cinema and television, offering a fresh, immersive perspective on well-known landmarks and hidden corners alike.
The Spanish Film Commission shared the broader strategy for the initiative, noting content coverage across more than a thousand pieces across multiple platforms and five social networks. A new monthly podcast, Towards Screen Routes, has begun publishing and will travel across Spain, exploring various film genres. The project is a collaborative effort with all regions within the Spain Film Commission network and includes institutional work that culminated in the Spain Screen Grand Tour being presented at the 25th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization in Samarkand. The organization emphasizes the value of linking film and tourism to broaden Spain’s appeal as a filming destination on the global stage.
At Fitur Screen 2024, the commission also highlighted the Best Production of 2023 award, recognizing a national or international audiovisual project shot in Spain as well as notable filming locations. The winning project for this year was 20,000 Species of Bees, a collaboration among Gariza Films, Inicia Films, and Sirimiri Films.
Regional partners within the Spanish Film Commission’s network participated in Fitur Screen 2024, including the Andalusian Film Commission, Castilla-La Mancha Film Commission, Castilla y León Film Commission, and Extremadura Film Commission, alongside Film Madrid and the Madrid Film Office. Additional participants included Menorca Film Commission, Monegros Film Commission, Navarra Film Commission, Murcia Region Film Commission, Valladolid Film Commission, Vigo Film Office, and Zaragoza Film Office. The Comunitat Valenciana was represented through Ciudad de la Luz and Turisme, supported by the Comunitat Valenciana Film Commission.