Why ‘This Is Not Sweden’ It’s a Game-Changer For Catalonia
“The Catalan industry is healthy in the sense that we’re producing a lot,” says producer-director David Matamoros (“Restless Waters, Shivering Lights,’ “Astronaut”).
Led by ESCAC, “Society of the Snow” director J.A. Bayona’s alma mater, its film schools turn out top notch novel directors and technicians.
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In 2022, the last year for which records are available, international shoots generated more investment in Catalonia, €77.8 million ($85.6 million), apart from the Canary Islands (€112.9 million: $120.8 million).
Catalonia’s government is also aiming for larger TV industry overseas impact, while firing up 3Cat, Catalonia’s public broadcaster, as an international player.
From 2023, every year, producers of up to five higher-end Catalan-language series, budgeted at over €4 million ($4.3 million), can receive a grant of €1.5 million ($1.6 million). 3Cat can add up-to-€1 million ($1.1 million), depending on the year. A Spanish broadcaster or platform contributes further financing.
The grant “aims to allow producers to produce in Catalan from Catalonia, and attract broadcaster, streamer or international production partners,” says series producer Sergi Cameron at Nanouk Films which produced in Catalonia with Funicular Films.
In the case of “This Is Not Sweden,” 3Cat and RTVE joined from Spain. A Göteborg Festival presentation by Aina Clotet, the series’ co-creator and star, fired Swedish public broadcaster SVT and producer Anagram Sweden. Both boarded, as did Finland’s YLE and Germany’s NDR.
“This Is Not Sweden” won a Prix Europa, bowed on 3Cat to a robust 20%, has been one of streamer RTVE Play’s best performing titles and will bow in primetime on SVT-1, its main channel.
The series is “an almost perfect example of financing,” glows José Pastor, RTVE director of film and fiction.
Why its success? Created by Aina Clotet and Sergi , “This Is Not Sweden” achieves both local and international resonance as its protagonists, couple Mariana and Samuel, join other aspiring young professionals in a chic-back-to-the-woods village outside Barcelona, to give the best to their young children.
A stunning tragedy hitting Swedish neighbor Annika, however, shatters Mariana’s certainties about Northern European role models and indeed parenting.
The $1.6 million grant allowed the producers to shoot extensively with children and directors Clotet and Mar Coll maintain creative control on a distinctive family dramedy with an indie air which builds with sense of menace to an unpredictable ending.
Seven more grant winning series are in the hopper.
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