Three years ago, while presenting in Barcelona his film Stroke of Luck, Woody Allen stated that he would continue making films “as long as someone wants to finance my movies.” And for his 51st feature, he has found that someone in the Community of Madrid and the City Council of the capital. Both institutions will sponsor the filmmaker’s new project, which has just been presented in Madrid.
Woody Allen, who has just turned 90, attended the presentation alongside Isabel Díaz Ayuso and José Luis Martínez-Almeida. Both the Community of Madrid and the City Council will contribute one and a half million euros each (approximately 20% of the total project) to a film that, for now, has no name, but that will include the word “Madrid” in its title.
This is one of the conditions set for this investment, which aims to boost the international image of the capital and the region. Another will be that at least 15% of the scenes be outdoor, with “spaces and places characteristic of Madrid city,” including at least one additional identifiable and characteristic location outside the city, which in this case will be Aranjuez.
The call for bids includes other additional commitments, such as an institutional visit to the set during filming or the premiere at an international festival, in addition to the official presentation in Madrid. The production of the film is handled by the Spanish Wanda Visión and Gravier Productions, the director’s own production company.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso: “We Are Excited”
“Madrid is cinema, and that is why directors like Woody Allen choose our region to shoot their upcoming works,” said Isabel Díaz Ayuso during the last Debate on the State of the Region. Now, during the project’s presentation, she added that “we are excited” that the New York filmmaker “is the one collaborating with his talent in this very special moment we are living in Madrid.”
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, during the presentation of Woody Allen’s project.
“This film is a unique opportunity in the cinematic field,” added José Luis Martínez Almeida, who then stressed that in the last two years the number of feature-film shoots in Madrid has risen by 40%. “This film and this bet will allow, around the world and thanks to the genius of Woody Allen, millions of viewers to enjoy a city like Madrid,” the mayor added.
With thirty locations between Madrid and Aranjuez, the filming of Woody Allen’s new movie will begin next Monday, October 5, and will take place entirely in the region. It will feature a cast that mixes international and national actors and is led by Alexi Wasser, Jemima Kirke, the Spanish Peter Vives, Marton Csokas and Jakob Oftebro. By contrast, the technical crew will be almost entirely Spanish.
Woody Allen and His Love for Spain
Beyond his beloved New York, Woody Allen has packed his bags to shoot in various European locations such as Rome or Paris. But our country has also served as a filming location on two occasions. The most famous was Vicky Cristina Barcelona, starring Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson. In that 2008 film, he showcased locations in Oviedo and in the Catalan capital.
His second foray into the Iberian Peninsula arrived in 2020 with Rifkin’s Festival, which this time was set in San Sebastián. The film, which featured Elena Anaya, told the story of an American couple who attend the city’s film festival. It was shot at emblematic locations in Donostia such as the Kursaal Congress Palace and in corners of Gipuzkoa like Itzurun Beach in Zumaia.
