OWNING THE STORY: LESSONS FROM AWARD-WINNING SPANISH PRODUCER ALBA BOSCH-DURAN AT IIFF 2025

Award-winning Spanish producer Alba Bosch-Duran delivered an inspiring Film Business Masterclass at the 2025 edition of the International Images Film Festival for Women in Harare.

Structured as more than a typical teaching session, the event served as a reality check and a strategic roadmap for building a national film industry that resonated deeply with Zimbabwean film business.

While Bosch described the current status of the global film industry as a “thriving time for film,” she was quick to acknowledge the challenges that come with growth. “Thriving doesn’t mean easy,” she emphasized. Highlighting the delicate balance between market saturation and the need for adaptability, she asked the stakeholders in Zimbabwe's hard-pressed film industry, “Are we ready to adjust instead of just compete?” According to Bosch, one area of adaptation is moving away from clichéd stories, such as the American high school fantasy, and searching instead for stories which reflect realities. The world is hungry for original, fresh voices and not just copies, Bosch emphasised to an audience whose industry has often attempted to mimic Hollywood form and content. Local filmmakers have to recognise their own and their unique stories' potential she continued.

The audience was surprised when Bosch referred to a common local practice, namely that of filmmakers being a one person production unit, with a single person executing all tasks from writing, to directing, producing and editing. Noting that this practice can provide a good start to an industry, she emphasised that specialisation and teamwork are critical to developing the sector.

Speaking directly to women filmmakers, Bosch stressed the importance of female leadership behind the camera. Highlighting the historical dominance of women as cinema audiences, she proceeded to stress the need for women producers, directors, and cinematographers by noting that women's points of view represent half of the people on the planet, a reality that made women’s voices in storytelling not only fair but essential for a liveable world.

Following the masterclass, Bosch screened her film Los Tortugas (The Exiles, Spain 2024) to a full house.