The Tabernas Desert is Distinguished as a Place of Cinematographic Interest

Great films have been shot in this area of the province over six decades

Diario de Almeria

October 4, 2023

The desert of Tabernas has been designated as a Site of Cinematographic Interest (SCI), the only one in Andalusia, at the meeting held last weekend by representatives of eight Film and Audiovisual Academies of the peninsula. The recognition was announced by the Andalusian Film Academy, at the Marcos Valcárcel Cultural Center in Ourense, within the framework of the VII Meeting of Film Academies, held in this city.

They point out that, since the 60s, this desert located in Almeria has been the scene of "thousands of film and advertising shootings", which has led it to be known as the "European Hollywood".

The role of this location is "fundamental in the history of cinema", both in the "mythical westerns" of Sergio Leone and in the mark left by works as disparate as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Steven Spielberg), Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean), Conan the Barbarian (John Milius), Exodus or more recently with Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and Strange Way of Life (Pedro Almodóvar). An "arid landscape" through which some of the best-known performers such as Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sofia Loren and a long etcetera have passed.

Last year, the European Film Academy awarded the title of Treasure of European Cinematography to this natural enclave, within the framework of the Almeria International Film Festival. The presence of the Spanish academies at the event "was undoubtedly the driving force behind this new recognition", which had the support of the Provincial Council of Almeria.

The LIC distinction recognises spaces of special relevance for the audiovisual industry, either for their value in film production, their historical importance or their symbolic significance. This distinction highlights the cultural and cinematographic richness of each territory and encourages the preservation and promotion of these spaces that have contributed significantly to the history and audiovisual identity of the peninsula.

At this meeting, the Andalusian Film Academy was represented by Regina Martin, coordinator of this institution, and in addition to the desert of Tabernas, the following SCIs were designated: Sos del Rey Católico (Zaragoza), Llanes (Asturias), the Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç de Cardona (Barcelona), Guadalupe and the Geopark of Villuerca-Ibores-Jara (Cáceres), the Village of Facós, Lobeira (Ourense), and in Portugal Tóbis Portuguesa (Lisbon) Valencia: L'Albufera (Valencia).

The announcement of the Places of Cinematographic Interest put the culmination of the VII Meeting of Film and Audiovisual Academies, held between September 29 and October 1 within the framework of the Ourense Film Festival. The academies expressed their concern for sustainability, and committed to review the impact that the activities carried out by each of the institutions have on the environment.

They also recognized the importance of investing in audiovisual education to help the viewers of the future understand, create and analyze audiovisual content, giving them tools to consume content critically and promoting creative expression and effective communication.