Spanish film and TV producers chief Pedro Pérez steps down

Pedro Pérez, the president of the FAPAE producers association, which unites the whole of Spain’s film and television production sector, resigned Thursday morning.

Pérez, who has headed the association since 2003, and was also in charge from 1993 to 1997, justified his decision on having completed the conversion of the FAPAE into a confederation. At the beginning of the year, the association joined with the FPROA Catalan producers federation, thus bringing together almost all of Spain’s producers.

On Wednesday Pérez spoke to some of his closest colleagues including Enrique Cerezo, president of the EGEDA producers rights management organization — and also the boss of Atlético Madrid soccer club — as well as board members to explain that he had been considering the decision for several weeks.

In his two spells in charge at FAPAE, Pérez demonstrated a great willingness to negotiate with whoever the government of the day was and showed himself to be a man with a great skill for establishing consensus in the intricate and complex Spanish movie industry. Although considered a man close to the ruling conservative Popular Party, he has been harshly critical of the attitude of the current government and in particular of Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro, who last September slapped a 13-point hike on the value-added tax rate for movie tickets, which has had a devastating impact on the industry.

Pérez, who was a founding board member at El Mundo newspaper and also sat on the board at Antena 3 Televisión, will for now be replaced by FAPAE vice president José Portela, the head of the Basque producers, until new elections are held at the end of the quarter.