Representatives of the cultural sector are calling for “stability” for the new Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun
MADRID, Dec 31 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The cinema law, the reform of the INAEM or the completion of the artists’ statute are some of the challenges of the Ministry of Culture for 2024, after 2023, in which there was a change of ministers and in which the patronage law came into force.
In political terms, the Ministry of Culture witnessed how, after the last elections of July 23, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, appointed Ernest Urtasun as the new Minister of Culture, who succeeded Miquel Iceta in this position, the year in which the star measure of the outgoing Minister, the Culture Bonus , was consolidated.
Upon his arrival at the ministry, Urtasun admitted that he encountered many unanswered questions. One of these open topics is the cinema law. In a meeting with the audiovisual sector, Urtasun stated that this measure is his legislative priority.
The Cinema Law is a measure that the industry has been demanding for several years and whose bill was approved in December 2022, especially after the adoption of the Audiovisual Law in the last legislative session, which caused criticism from independent producers as it was considered that they would have more powers were granted to the chain producers.
Another major challenge for Urtasun will be the completion of the artist statute. A standard that Urtasun’s predecessor Miquel Iceta developed in 2023 with some of the agreed measures but did not achieve all of them.
During Iceta’s term, for example, the creation of a structural unemployment benefit “adapted to the disruptions that characterize cultural activities” was announced. A temporary contract for cultural activities and the approval of a Royal Decree amending income tax regulations were also approved.
However, the cultural sector has asked Urtasun to strengthen some outstanding aspects of the artists’ statutes, such as greater protection for intermittent artists.
In addition, one of the challenges of 2024 is the reform of the INAEM, an issue that drags on for another year and represents an “urgent need” for Urtasun, which has recognized the need to modernize the legal structure of the INAEM , so that it can support Spanish culture more flexibly and effectively.
INQUIRIES TO URTASUN
On the other hand, representatives from the world of cinema, books and theater called for “stability” for the new Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun, after two terms with Pedro Sánchez at the head of the government, in which there were up to five ministers. various over a period of five years.
Artists and cultural workers have also called on the new culture minister to protect copyright. Copyright is an issue on which Urtasun has already expressed his opinion during his stay in the European Parliament.
In 2018, the text of the reform of copyright in the digital single market was debated in the European Parliament and was finally agreed. Urtasun said on its website that the agreement was “disappointing” and noted that the changes were “superficial.” “
CINEMA AND MUSIC
The Spanish cinema, which will close the year 2023 with a box office receipt of more than 76 million euros, is a higher figure than in 2022, when just over 75 million euros were taken.
In the first months of 2024, Spanish cinema will celebrate the most anticipated awards in Spanish cinema, the Goya Awards, which will be presented on February 10 in Valladolid and to which filmmakers such as Estíbaliz Urresola, Isabel Coixet, Víctor Erice, JA strive Bayona or David Trueba and actors like Manolo Solo, David Verdaguer, Malena Alterio or Laia Costa.
Shortly before the Goya, in January, the Feroz Awards are presented in Madrid, aiming for productions such as “La Mesías” by “Los Javis” with a total of eleven nominations; “Close Your Eyes” by Víctor Erice with nine nominations. In the film section, “20,000 species of bees” by Estíbalz Urresola Solaguren and “Un amor” by Isabel Coixet (both at 7) also stand out.
Among the great premieres that the new year will bring, the Spanish cinema will see a new premiere by Santiago Segura and the fourth part of “Padre no hay más que uno”, with which in recent years he managed to to become one of the most successful films. Box office earnings for directors. Also in 2024, Julio Medem will return to cinemas with “Minotauro, Picasso and the Women of Guernica” and Eva Hache will debut as a director with “Everyone Has a Bad Day”.
In the international arena, productions such as “Bitelchús 2” with Winona Ryder, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe stand out; the second part of “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve; or the second part of “Joker” with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.
Highly anticipated films such as “Gladiator 2” are also being released; “Deadpool 3”; ‘Ballerina’; “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”; “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”; “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” or “Inside Out 2”.
Musically, Spain will host important concerts by international and national artists such as Green Day, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Estopa and Raphael. Many of these concerts will take place in Madrid, particularly at the renovated Santiago Bernabéu, which opens on May 30 with a Taylor Swift concert. The American singer will be accompanied by Luis Miguel on July 6th and 7th; Karol G on July 30th or Aitana on December 28th, which, among other artists, will be the highlight of their “Alpha Tour”.
The capital will also host three Bruce Springsteen events at the Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium (June 12, 14 and 17); a concert by the Colombian band Morat on June 21st and Metallica, who will be there on July 12th and 14th.
BOOKS
In the literary sector, the industry is preparing for the 100th anniversary of Franz Kafka’s death in 2024 and is waiting for the unpublished novel “See you in August” (Random House) by Gabriel García Márquez as well as the new titles by Paul Auster and Eduardo Mendoza, Annie Ernaux, Haruki Murakami, among others.
Paul Auster will hit bookstores with his new novel “Baumgartner”; Eduardo Mendoza will do the same with “Three Puzzles for Organization”; The most recent winner of the Princess of Asturias Prize, Haruki Murakami, will publish “The City and its Insecure Walls.”
Other names are also marked in red on the calendar, such as Chuck Palahniuk with “The Invention of Sound,” about the dark side of Hollywood; or Pierre Lemaitre with “Silence and Anger (The Glorious Years 2)”.
