A total of 88 feature films, 68 series, 119 short films and more than 400 commercials were shot last year
The region of Madrid hosted in 2021 more than 900 film shoots in almost one hundred municipalities, with the city of Madrid standing out as the main filming location. Madrid is once again the region in Spain with the highest number of audiovisual productions, accounting for 35% of feature films and 71% of series nationally.
More specifically, a total of 88 feature films, 68 series, 119 short films and more than 400 commercials were shot last year, according to the yearly review conducted by Film Madrid, the Office for Film Promotion from the Regional Government. The figures from the first months of 2021 are higher than the 2020 figures, with an estimated 8% increase in the number of shootings.
Most of the productions filmed in our region were actually filmed in Madrid city. According to the data from Madrid Film Office, the Office for Film Promotion from Madrid City Council, the capital was the chosen location for 68 series and 44 feature films during the year, which is an unprecedented record-breaking figure, even higher than the 66 series and 35 films shot in 2019, before the pandemic, which previously was the highest figure. Additionally, more than 350 relevant advertisements were also shot in the city in 2021.
These figures are the result of the commitment from the regional government and the City Council to promote and facilitate filming and thanks to the great variety and versatility of the locations in the region; the availability of film sets, animation studios and leading VFX (visual effects) companies; the access to a wide network of infrastructures and a strong professional industry. This sector brings together more than 3,000 companies, 29% of the volume in Spain, and generate employment for a large number of professionals.
Madrid, film set
Among the feature films shot in 2021 in Madrid, there are four titles that stand out and will compete for the Golden Biznaga in the Official Section of Málaga Film Festival, such as “Código emperador“, an espionage thriller directed by Jorge Coira; “Las niñas de cristal”, a psychological drama directed by Jota Linares; “El test”, a new comedy by Dani de la Orden; and “Cinco Lobitos”, the debut feature film by Alauda Ruíz de Azúa. This Official Section also includes the participation of “Canallas“, a social comedy directed by Daniel Guzmán, which was shot in the Madrid region in 2020.
In terms of international film productions, in 2021 our region was the chosen location for the shooting of “Asteroid City“, the latest feature film by renowned director Wes Anderson, with a cast of well-known international stars and was filmed in the municipalities of Chinchón and Colmenar de Oreja. Additionally, the Hollywood blockbuster “Uncharted” directed by Ruben Fleischer, shot some interior scenes in some buildings in the city of Madrid.
Madres paralelas 
De Caperucita a loba
In 2021, Madrid also hosted the shooting of feature films that have been screened at international festivals such as Berlin, Toronto and San Sebastian, as well as participating in the 2022 Goya Awards, such as “Madres Paralelas” by Pedro Almodóvar, “El Buen Patrón” by Fernando León de Aranoa, “La Abuela” by Paco Plaza and “Josefina” by Javier Marco. In addition to these projects, other relevant productions were shot in Madrid during 2021, such as “Manticora” by Carlos Vermut, the Spanish-Belgian co-production “En los márgenes” by Juan Diego Botto, “De caperucita a loba” by Chus Gutiérrez, “Rainbow” by Paco León, “La Familia Perfecta” by Arantxa Echevarría and “¡A todo tren! Destino Asturias” by Santiago Segura, which was the film with the highest box office results last year, according to data from the Spanish Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA).
National and International TV series also choose Madrid
The data from the review of film shoots show that in recent years Madrid has become a reference centre for the production of TV series. Among the series filmed in Madrid in 2021, there are some international projects such as the US series “The Return of the Spy” and “The Warrior Nun” (second season), both shot entirely in the Madrid region for Netflix US through the service production company Fresco Films; and BBC’s miniseries “The English” in coproduction with Amazon Studios, starring British actress Emily Blunt and with locations in municipalities such as Madrid city, Soto del Real and Colmenar de Oreja.
The return of the spy 
La unidad
As for Spanish TV series, the city of Madrid was the setting for the filming of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit “Money Heist” and the new seasons of “Élite”, “El tiempo que te doy” and “El vecino”, also for Netflix. The region also hosted the filming of the first Spanish production for Apple TV+, “Now and then”; the HBO Max series “Sin novedad“, “Venga Juan”, “Todo lo otro” and the eagerly awaited “García!“; as well as a new Movistar+ project, “El Inmortal”, in addition to the filming of the second seasons of “La Unidad” and “Nasdrovia“, also for Movistar+. Other projects include the new and eagerly awaited remake of “Historias para no dormir” for RTVE and Amazon Prime; “Entrevías” for Mediaset; “Cardo” for Atresmedia; and “Express” for Starzplay.
