Spanish Documentaries and Contemporary Film Policies

Contemporary Spanish documentary cinema has received great deal of scholarly attention. Likewise, it has been sanctioned by the specialised press, academic journals, national and international film festivals, cultural institutions and the Spanish Film Academy, revealing therefore that it is one of the most critical acclaimed modes of production of contemporary Spanish cinema. And yet, documentary filmmaking in Spain has had to emerge mainly through private initiatives. While it is true that film production in Spain relies heavily on state subsidies, public funding has been mainly directed towards the production of fiction cinema. Consequently, documentary filmmaking, more often than not, has been left outside state protection. By assessing the key institutions and agents that have contributed to the production and dissemination of the cultural value of contemporary Spanish documentaries, and by providing an historical overview of the key film policies carried out in Spain since democracy was definitely established in Spain in 1982, this presentation critically interrogates why contemporary Spanish documentary cinema has not been a priority for the policy makers despite its undoubtedly critical appeal and transnational projection.