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Raabta International is stepping into an increasingly crowded global marketplace as a new Spanish international sales outfit.
The Madrid-based company has launched with a mandate to represent indie features and documentaries with clear commercial upside, aiming to strengthen projects’ international positioning through festival and market exposure and tightly targeted distribution campaigns.
Raabta International is part of Raabta Pictures, the distribution label of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria-based Garajonay Producciones, led by producers Carlota Amor and Juan Carlos Jiménez, as a pipeline designed to extend that company’s remit from domestic-facing distribution into international sales representation.
Framing itself as a bridge between Spain – and Europe-based producers – and international buyers, Raabta will make its inaugural market appearance at the European Film Market (EFM), which runs alongside the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. It will then in March attend Mafiz, the industry arm of the Málaga Film Festival, now in its 29th edition.
Raabta’s arrival comes as Spanish content continues to travel strongly, propelled by streamer demand and heightened buyer interest in premium local-language fare. The company is pitching itself as part of that international drive, focused on ensuring that mid-budget, high-concept titles can cut through a saturated market and find the right partners across territories.
A Genre-Fluid Early Slate
Raabta’s opening lineup blends food-centric documentary, horror and socially-rooted comedy.
Leading the nonfiction slate is “Noor: Eating History,” a documentary centered on three Michelin star chef Paco Morales, whose menu at his Noor restaurant is inspired by recipes from the 10h century Abderramán III Caliphate. The project’s access to a high-profile culinary figure gives it a clear marketing hook for international buyers.
On the narrative side, Raabta is introducing David Hebrero’s “House of Atreyus” (“La Casa de los Monstruos”), a horror feature starring Antonio Resines (“Father There Is Only One 5”) and “Money Heist” breakout Jaime Lorente. The package pairs recognizable Spanish talent with a genre category that remains among the most bankable in international sales.
Also on the slate is Alberto Utrera’s “Ownerships” (“Nuda propiedad”), a dark comedy tackling the real estate crisis, starring “Valeria’s” Maxi Iglesias and Susana Abaitua (“Los Farad”).
Executive Leadership
To steer its commercial strategy, Raabta has appointed Yvette de los Santos as head of international sales. De los Santos brings experience across promotion, distribution and international marketing for indie films from Latin America and Europe.
Her background also includes coordinating festivals and industry events and serving as a jury member and panelist at MiradasDoc, Dones Visuals, DOK Leipzig and the Cannes Short Film Corner.
“We consider this the right moment to start Raabta International, and to do so by beginning at the European Film Market in Berlin – one of the strategic markets for the international circulation of Spanish and European cinema,” De los Santos said.
“Berlin allows us to present our positioning from the outset, test market interest, and build key relationships with distributors, programmers and international agents,” she noted.
On Raabta’s competitive proposition, De los Santos pointed to a agile operating model and title-by-title execution. “Raabta International was born with a flexible structure that allows us to react quickly to market needs and work each title strategically,” commented.
“We back films with a clear identity and international potential, developing tailored sales plans and staying very close to each project to optimize positioning and performance territory by territory,” she added.
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