Highlights From Day One of the San Sebastián Creative Investors' Conference

WHO:

Deadline - Executives from across the film industry gathered at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

Variety - Participants included Ryan Kavanaugh from Acme AI & FX, Laura Austin-Little from Black Bear International, Elissa Federoff from Neon, Ron Halpern from StudioCanal, Rob Williams from Sumerian Pictures, Roeg Sutherland from CAA Media Finance, Christine Vachon from Killer Films, and Patrick Wachsberger from 193.

WHAT:

Variety - Spain’s audiovisual sector is expected to reach a production spend of €5.68 billion ($6.6 billion) in 2025, which is a 45% increase from 2022, according to a study by Olsberg SPI.

Deadline - The Creative Investors’ Conference featured a dynamic mix of perspectives and an overall sense of optimism.

Variety - The conference celebrated record-breaking figures from the summer box office, with executives from an established U.S. indie distributor and a new market entrant expressing optimism about the recovery of the film industry.

Variety - Atresmedia Cine general manager Jaime Ortiz de Artiñano stated, “Audiences have become far more selective,” regarding the concentration of admissions around fewer films in Spain.

Variety - Spanish theatrical audiences are concentrating around fewer films, with nearly 75% of admissions this year going to just 10 local titles despite more than 275 Spanish films being released.

Variety - The Bilbao Bizkaia Film Commission supported 219 shoots in 2025, resulting in an estimated economic impact of €20 million.

Variety - The San Sebastián Startup Challenge features a lineup of 10 technologies selected from 68 submissions, including AI watchdogs, virtual production tools, and carbon-tracking platforms.

Variety - The Basque Country has seen a 50.5% increase in audiovisual employment in Bizkaia from 2014 to 2024, with the number of companies in the sector rising from 284 to 448.

Variety - In 2025, the Bilbao Bizkaia Film Commission supported 219 shoots, resulting in an estimated economic impact of €20 million.

Variety - The San Sebastián Startup Challenge received 68 submissions this year, showcasing a lineup of 10 technologies including AI watchdogs, virtual production tools, and carbon-tracking platforms.

Variety - The San Sebastián Startup Challenge unveiled a lineup of 10 technologies, including AI watchdogs, virtual production tools, and carbon-tracking platforms, selected from 68 submissions.

Deadline - The first day of the Creative Investors’ Conference featured a dynamic mix of perspectives and an overall sense of optimism.

Variety - The conference is co-organized with CAA Media Finance and marks its fifth year.

WHERE:

Variety - Madrid is positioning itself as a leading European audiovisual production hub, combining diverse filming locations with public funding and industry networking.

Deadline - The event took place at the San Sebastián Film Festival in Spain.

WHEN:

Variety - The Creative Investors’ Conference is taking place in 2026.

WHY:

Variety - The trend of audiences concentrating around fewer films is attributed to a significant increase in the number of films released, with over 275 Spanish films being released this year.

Variety - Audiences have become far more selective in their film choices, leading to a concentration of admissions around fewer titles.

Variety - The challenge aims to spotlight emerging technologies with applications for film and the wider audiovisual business, reflecting a growing interest in innovative tech solutions.

Variety - The challenge aims to spotlight emerging technologies with applications for film and the wider audiovisual business.

Deadline - The conference aims to foster discussions and collaborations within the film industry.

HOW:

Variety - The competition was launched in 2019 to promote innovative tech solutions in the film industry, highlighting the ongoing evolution of technology in filmmaking.

Variety - The competition was launched in 2019 to promote innovative tech solutions in the film industry.

Variety - The conference included debates and discussions among industry executives.

(UPDATED September 23, 2026 14:59 UTC)

Spain's audiovisual sector is projected to see a significant boost, with expected production spending reaching €5.68 billion, or about $6.6 billion, in 2025. This marks a remarkable 45% increase compared to 2022. The study, conducted by Olsberg SPI, highlights the growing investment in the industry.

(UPDATED September 23, 2026 10:58 UTC)

The Creative Investors’ Conference showcased a vibrant mix of perspectives and an overall sense of optimism, highlighting record-breaking figures from the summer box office. Executives from both an established U.S. indie distributor and a new market entrant expressed their confidence in the recovery of the film industry. Meanwhile, Madrid is emerging as a leading European audiovisual production hub, offering diverse filming locations supported by public funding and industry networking opportunities.

(UPDATED September 23, 2026 03:00 UTC)

Atresmedia Cine general manager Jaime Ortiz de Artiñano noted that audiences in Spain have become much more selective, leading to a concentration of admissions around fewer films. This shift is linked to a remarkable increase in the number of films released, with over 275 Spanish films hitting theaters this year. As a result, the landscape of cinema in Spain is changing, reflecting the evolving preferences of moviegoers.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 21:59 UTC)

Spanish theatrical audiences are increasingly selective, with nearly 75% of admissions this year going to just 10 local films, despite the release of over 275 titles. In 2025, the Bilbao Bizkaia Film Commission supported 219 film shoots, generating an estimated economic impact of €20 million. This shift in audience behavior highlights a trend towards fewer films capturing the majority of viewer interest.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 20:57 UTC)

The San Sebastián Startup Challenge has announced a lineup of ten innovative technologies selected from sixty-eight submissions, featuring AI watchdogs, virtual production tools, and carbon-tracking platforms. In the Basque Country, audiovisual employment in Bizkaia has surged by 50.5% from 2014 to 2024, with the number of companies in the sector growing from 284 to 448. Additionally, in 2025, the Bilbao Bizkaia Film Commission supported 219 shoots, generating an estimated economic impact of €20 million.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 19:59 UTC)

The San Sebastián Startup Challenge has received an impressive 68 submissions this year, featuring a diverse lineup of 10 technologies, including AI watchdogs, virtual production tools, and carbon-tracking platforms. This competition, which was launched in 2019, aims to highlight emerging technologies that can benefit the film and audiovisual industries, showcasing the increasing interest in innovative tech solutions. As the challenge continues to evolve, it reflects the ongoing transformation of technology in filmmaking.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 19:00 UTC)

The San Sebastián Startup Challenge has revealed a lineup of ten innovative technologies, including AI watchdogs, virtual production tools, and carbon-tracking platforms, chosen from a pool of sixty-eight submissions. This initiative aims to highlight emerging technologies that can benefit the film and broader audiovisual industries. Launched in 2019, the competition seeks to promote cutting-edge tech solutions within the film sector.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 18:00 UTC)

Executives from across the film industry gathered at the San Sebastián Film Festival for the Creative Investors’ Conference, which is co-organized with CAA Media Finance and marks its fifth year. Participants included notable figures like Ryan Kavanaugh from Acme AI & FX and Laura Austin-Little from Black Bear International, contributing to a dynamic mix of perspectives and an overall sense of optimism. The conference aims to foster discussions and collaborations within the film industry, featuring debates and discussions among these industry leaders.