A man in a white suit and black tie against a dark background with a red glow. — Enric Auquer talks about antifascism when his film was a box office failure | EDATV

Camara — Enric Auquer talks about antifascism when his film was a box office failure | EDATV

Enric Auquer Talks About Antifascism While His Subsidized Movie Was a Failure

The movie in which Enric Auquer acted received 2 million in subsidies for a film that barely grosses 3 at the box office, meanwhile at the Goya Awards he talks about 'anti-fascism.'

09/02/2025 12:27:00h

Rafael Alejandro Escalona

The Government of Spain has allocated substantial subsidies to national cinema, promoting productions with progressive narratives. However, many of these films haven't achieved the expected box office returns.

An example is "Casa en llamas," directed by Dani de la Orden and written by Eduard Sola. With a budget of 2.7 million euros, it received 900,000 euros in subsidies. Despite this, its box office revenue was 3.07 million euros, barely surpassing the initial investment.

In 2023, the Ministry of Culture allocated 167 million euros in subsidies to Spanish cinema, a record figure compared to previous years.

Three people pose at an event, two of them raise their middle finger while smiling.

With a budget of 2.7 million euros, he received 900,000 euros in grants. | Europa Press

However, Spanish films barely grossed 81 million euros in theaters, highlighting a significant disparity between public investment and the revenue obtained.

This trend is not new. From 2020 to 2023, the budget allocated to the film industry has been 435 million euros in total.

Meanwhile, the box office revenue during the same period totaled 239 million euros. This indicates a "negative balance" of 196 million euros for Spanish cinema.

Additionally, according to data from the Ministry of Culture, only 10% of Spanish films earned more than 100,000 euros at the box office in 2023. This suggests that a large portion of productions fail to attract audiences to theaters.

A man in a light suit and black tie poses on a red carpet with sponsor logos in the background.

The Government of Spain has allocated substantial subsidies to the national cinema | Europa Press

These figures have caused criticism about the effectiveness of subsidies and the Spanish cinema's reliance on public funds.

Some argue that this dependence could influence the narratives presented in films, promoting a progressive agenda that doesn't always resonate with the general public.

For example, Enric Auquer, winner of the Goya for "Quien a hierro mata" and nominated for supporting actor for "Casa en llamas," stated yesterday that it is a time of "a lot of antifascism, a lot of militancy, and a lot of unionism". These statements reflect an ideological stance that some consider predominant in subsidized Spanish cinema.

The relationship between Spanish cinema and government subsidies raises questions about the industry's sustainability and creative independence.

While public aid is essential for the production of many films, the lack of profitability at the box office suggests the need to rethink the financing and production model to ensure that films connect with audiences and are sustainable in the long term.

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