- Philippine military says will acquire US Typhon missile system
- Afghan bread, the humble centrepiece of every meal
- Honda and Nissan expected to begin merger talks
- 'Draconian' Vietnam internet law heightens free speech fears
- Israeli women mobilise against ultra-Orthodox military exemptions
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate worries
- Tens of thousands protest in Serbian capital over fatal train station accident
- Trump vows to 'stop transgender lunacy' as a top priority
- Daniels throws five TDs as Commanders down Eagles, Lions and Vikings win
- 'Who's next?': Misinformation and online threats after US CEO slaying
- Only 12 trucks delivered food, water in North Gaza Governorate since October: Oxfam
- Melrose Group Publicly Files Complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission
- Langers edge Tiger and son Charlie in PNC Championship playoff
- Explosive batsman Jacobs gets New Zealand call-up for Sri Lanka series
- Holders PSG edge through on penalties in French Cup
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin to talk gas deliveries
- Daniels throw five TDs as Commanders down Eagles
- Atalanta fight back to take top spot in Serie A, Roma hit five
- Mancini admits regrets over leaving Italy for Saudi Arabia
- Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin
- Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 35
- 'Incredible' Liverpool must stay focused: Slot
- Maresca 'absolutely happy' as title-chasing Chelsea drop points in Everton draw
- Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout
- Three and easy as Dortmund move into Bundesliga top six
- Liverpool hit Spurs for six, Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth
- Netanyahu vows to act with 'force, determination' against Yemen's Huthis
- Mbappe back from 'bottom' as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Ali hat-trick helps champions Ahly crush Belouizdad
- France kept on tenterhooks over new government
- Salah stars as rampant Liverpool hit Spurs for six
- Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'
- 'Sonic 3' zips to top of N.America box office
- Rome's Trevi Fountain reopens to limited crowds
- Mbappe strikes as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- 'Nervous' Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- Pope again condemns 'cruelty' of Israeli strikes on Gaza
- Lonely this Christmas: Vendee skippers in low-key celebrations on high seas
- Troubled Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- 2 US pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident: military
- Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth, Chelsea held at Everton
- France awaits fourth government of the year
- Germany pledges security inquest into Christmas market attack
- Death toll in Brazil bus crash rises to 41
- Joshua bout only fight left for beaten Fury says promoter Hearn
- Odermatt stays hot to break Swiss World Cup wins record
- Neville says Rashford's career at Man Utd nearing 'inevitable ending'
- Syria's new leader vows not to negatively interfere in Lebanon
- Germany pledges security inquest after Christmas market attack
How Spanish cinema hit the big time
With a Golden Bear for Spanish director Carla Simon and four compatriots nominated for Oscars, including superstars Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, Spanish cinema has now begun to captivate a global audience.
When Bardem and Cruz, who have been married for over a decade, were both tapped for Oscars, the 53-year-old actor could hardly contain his excitement.
"The fact that (Penelope's) nomination was for a role in Spanish... seems really extraordinary, even historic in terms of the Spanish brand," he said in February.
Unlike other countries with a long and distinguished history of cinema, Spain has struggled to establish itself on the international stage.
So far, Luis Bunuel has been the only Spanish director to win the coveted Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival for his provocative 1961 feature "Viridiana".
But all that is changing, with Spanish cinema increasingly recognised for its contribution to the silver screen, the most recent being Carla Simon's triumph at this year's Berlinale where she took the top prize for "Alcarras" (2022), a Catalan drama about peach farmers.
And according to Variety magazine, Cruz is rumoured to be in the running for president of the jury at Cannes, an honour already bestowed upon the legendary Pedro Almodovar, by far Spain's best-known filmmaker.
Cruz herself is the only Spanish actress ever to win an Oscar, taking home the gong in 2009 for best supporting actress in the Woody Allen comedy "Vicky Cristina Barcelona".
And if she wins best actress at the Oscars later this month for Almodovar's "Parallel Mothers", it will be a coup for a film entirely "Made in Spain", whose soundtrack has also been nominated for best original score.
- Years of work by film schools -
The score was written by Basque composer Alberto Iglesias, who has worked with Almodovar for two decades on 13 of his films. This is the fourth time an Iglesias soundtrack has been nominated for an Oscar.
For him, there is "strong momentum" within Spanish cinema.
"There is an energy... it has to do with the film schools that have been working for a long time to create new filmmakers," he told AFP.
"It has been really difficult for Spanish cinema to cross the threshold and get into these big international festivals," explains Pilar Martinez-Vasseur, director of the Spanish Film Festival in the French city of Nantes.
Spanish films which have received acclaim abroad are often not identified as such, she said, pointing to the 2001 psychological thriller "The Others" starring Nicole Kidman which was directed by Spain's Alejandro Amenabar.
"In Spain, we still have the idea that Spanish cinema is bad, that it's a nest of communists, that filmmakers are pampered, they do nothing and get subsidies," she said, calling for greater support from the government.
Filmmaking in Spain receives far less state aid than in France, experts say.
Spanish cinema has had to "learn how to break into a globalised ecosystem," said Beatriz Navas who heads the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), which is subsidised by the culture ministry.
"This hasn't happened overnight because you need some sort of 'greenhouse' environment where filmmakers can work with freedom," she told AFP.
"And the 'incubation time' needs to be sufficient for these productions to achieve the recognition and prestige they deserve."
- 'Spanish cinema's best moment' -
As well as Cruz, Bardem and Iglesias, Spain also has a fourth horse in the Oscar race in the shape of Alberto Mielgo's "The Windshield Wiper" which has been nominated for best animated short film.
"This is the best moment for Spanish cinema," said Jose Luis Rebordinos, director of the prestigious San Sebastian film festival.
"We are making a lot of cinema and audiovisual productions in Spain, as well as for streaming platforms which is bringing a lot of work so Spanish film technicians are getting better and better," he said.
Spain's Western-friendly landscapes have drawn Hollywood directors since the 1960s and is becoming an increasingly popular destination for filming series -- Netflix, which set up its first European studios in Madrid in 2019, scored huge hits with "Money Heist" and "Elite".
Last year, the government said it wanted Spain to become Europe's "audiovisual hub", pledging to inject 1.6 billion euros to expand the film and TV production sector by 30 percent by 2025.
"International critics are increasingly focusing on our cinematic output thanks to figures like Almodovar, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz," said Rebordinos.
"They are finding ways to draw more attention to Spanish cinema."
H.E.Young--AMWN