Under the banner, ‘Something is Cooking in Madrid,’ Madrid Film Office head Raúl Torquemada led its presentation at the San Sebastian Festival where he stressed that the capital is stepping up efforts to position itself as a leading European audiovisual production hub, combining a diverse range of filming locations with public funding, industry networking and support for international co-productions. He highlighted the Spanish capital’s breadth of locations, from its historic center and iconic Gran Vía to neighborhoods including Lavapiés, Malasaña, Carabanchel, Vallecas and Tetuán. Production in the city remains strong.
According to Madrid Film Office figures, more than 1,025 medium- and large-scale projects were filmed in the city in 2025 with permits for occupation of public space. The city was also home to at least 71 feature films, 52 series and more than 410 advertising productions. Madrid City Council processed 11,001 filming applications during the year, while Madrid Film Office provided 4,115 specific support services to productions, almost 7% more than in 2024.
Behind the production numbers is an extensive municipal support network involving the Municipal Police, mobility services, culture, parks and gardens, the city’s 21 districts, EMT and other public bodies. Madrid Film Office assists productions with location scouting, permits and coordination between the different authorities involved in a shoot. Funding is another key element of the city’s strategy, Torquemada pointed out.
Since 2021, Madrid’s audiovisual support programs have allocated more than €15 million ($17.4 million) to the sector, including €10 million ($11,6 million) for production and €5 million for promotion and distribution. The city has also introduced support for the development of series, complementing funding available from the Community of Madrid. Madrid is using those initiatives to encourage co-production and international business.
Madrid Film Office supports industry events including the Platino Awards and Iberseries & Platino Industria, while also organizing meetings with international delegations and networking events designed to connect producers and creators with potential partners. The economic case is also becoming clearer. A study developed with support from the Autonomous University of Madrid found that films and series shot in the city between 2021 and 2024 generated more than €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) in economic output and approximately 10,100 jobs, Torquemada pointed out.
The city is also investing in the next generation of projects and talent through initiatives including the Film Academy’s Residency Programme, SeriesLab Torino and ECAM Forum. The city’s message to producers is straightforward: Madrid wants to be not only a place to shoot, but a place where audiovisual projects can be developed, financed, connected to international markets—and ultimately brought to the screen. Torquemada was followed by Iberseries co-director Samuel Castro, who said: “In just six years, I believe we have become a reference point—not only nationally, but also as an international-facing B2B business event.
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