Hollywood’s New Backlot?
American director Randal Kleiser, the creative force behind the classic film Grease, revealed this Saturday that after spending two days in Tenerife, he was left with an “incredible” impression. The experience was so powerful that he has already started conversations with his head of production to determine if any of the scripts he is currently working on could be adapted for the island, confirming he already has “one in mind.”
A Forum for Filmmaking
Kleiser made these statements during a meeting of audiovisual industry professionals, which also featured Spanish directors Daniel Monzón and Rodrigo Cortés, as well as Tenerife-born actress Sara Sálamo. The event, titled ‘Filming in the Canaries,’ was part of the activities organized by the Isla Calavera fantasy film festival. The four cinema experts reflected on the needs and challenges faced by Spanish and international creatives when bringing their productions to the archipelago.
The Official Pitch: Scenery and Incentives
The first to speak during the colloquium was Concha Díaz Ferrer, coordinator of the Tenerife Film Commission. She detailed the characteristics that make the Canary Islands an ideal setting for film shoots, including the attractive fiscal advantages for productions. She also highlighted the significant evolution the sector has undergone on the island since the commission was created in 2000.
A Director’s Personal Experience
For his part, Daniel Monzón recalled his time in Gran Canaria filming part of El Niño and in Tenerife for Yucatán. He described the “wonderful opportunity” of filming in Teide National Park as an “unforgettable” experience due to the “brutal” – in the best sense – contact with nature it afforded him.
“It’s true that the island offers immense possibilities,” Monzón detailed. “Not only can you take advantage of natural spaces, as was the case with Yucatán, but also, with El Niño, we realized that very different urban spaces can be utilized. The variety of landscapes allows you to film everything from a Western to a science fiction movie.”
A Sci-Fi Legacy and Local Talent
This comment opened the door to recalling the case of 2001: A Space Odyssey, when Stanley Kubrick’s production company requested permits to film the movie in the Canaries. Although it ultimately didn’t happen, the inquiry is recorded in one of the volumes of the ‘Filming in the Canaries 1970-1990’ catalogue.
Rodrigo Cortés added that scripts are generally written “in the abstract,” without a fixed idea of the filming location. He noted that the islands offer “completely different zones,” with corners that could convincingly recreate Colombia, Mexico, or even Mars, stating that not all places have “such great richness.”
“The next thing a producer asks for, more than a director, is trained personnel in that location because it’s more convenient,” Cortés explained. “They will prefer to have local personnel with adequate training than to bring people in, feed them, and pay for accommodation. Whenever there is trained local personnel, that destination is preferred.”
Coming Home to Tell Local Stories
Finally, Sara Sálamo shared that when she began her career at 18, she had to leave Tenerife because “there was no industry or opportunities,” and she moved to Madrid. Now, 15 years later, she has returned, created her own production company, and is in the process of developing her first film.
“I set up my production company in the Canaries so that the islands would be a main character in my projects,” Sálamo detailed. “Because, in the end, this is my childhood, these are my people. I believe that cinema has the power to narrate ourselves, to create a portrait of who we are, how we are, how we live, and who better than local people to tell our stories.”
She also confessed that the first time she felt the need to move from acting to directing was upon reading Panza de Burro by Andrea Abreu. She felt she wanted to “be part of the process of creating the images” for that story. Although her attempt to buy the rights to make the film was unsuccessful, it inspired her to pursue projects that capture the idiosyncrasies of her place of origin.
