Valencia will host the 14th edition of the Weird Market, the most important professional animation, video game and new media market held in Spain and one of the most important in Europe. The capital of Túria river will host the International Animation, Video Games and New Media Market from September 27th to October 2nd, as well as its International Animation Short Films Festival.
This event will be held thanks to the signing of a collaboration protocol signed by the Valencia City Council, the Valencia Provincial Council and the Generalitat Valenciana, and aims to promote the audiovisual industry, positioning Valencia as one of the main European cities in the field of innovation and digital development.
The deputy mayor of the Innovative Development Area of the Valencia City Council, Pilar Bernabé, has indicated that “we welcome Weird Market, a benchmark event that brings together professionals from the cultural and creative industries and is the sector’s most important networking spot of the year, to València.”
“València is moving forward within the framework of technological and digital trends and wants to become a pole of attraction for audiovisual production, to improve the competitiveness of companies through the application of new technologies that allow them to compete in a digitized market and generate talent. And for this we work from the VLC Tech City platform, also attracting events such as the Weird Market”, explained Bernabé.
In this sense, the vice president of the Valencia Provincial Council, Carlos Fernández Bielsa, stated that “by hosting this event we are going to promote the entire technology-based sector in the Valencian Community, especially in the field of digital creation, production and audiovisual animation”.
“You know well that here we have the best: and our Valencian producers have set up companies that are transforming the socioeconomic model of the Valencian Community, companies that are earning leadership in the sector with effort, with more competitiveness than ever”, defended Fernández Bielsa.
For his part, the general director of the Valencian Institute of Culture, Abel Guarinos, has pointed out that “it is very good news for the Valencian audiovisual industry that a professional market such important for the animation and video game sectors in Europe as Weird Market moves to the city of Valencia and that the Filmoteca de València hosts its screenings”.
Abel Guarinos has also added that “from the Culture Institute of the Generalitat we work to strengthen and consolidate the professional markets of the Valencian cultural industries, such as those already existing for music (Valencian Music Fair, in Castelló), performing arts (Danza València and Alcoy Theater Show) or the audiovisual (promercado – València Film Market, since 2021). With our support to Weird Market, we want Valencian audiovisual animation and video game professionals to be able to distribute, exhibit and present their productions, as well as establish financing and co-production agreements”.
According to José Luis Farias, director of the event, the appointment confirms its new location as a further step in its development and approach to the sector, “this new home represents a boost both for the event and for the animation, video games and the new media sector itself that is our reason for being” he declared.
The signing of this protocol, in addition to the celebration of the Weird Market 2022, contemplates the following actions: coordinate actions aimed at promoting and strengthening the development of new audiovisual projects in Valencia and promoting the new technological advances in the sector and the opportunities they generate for creation and business.
Likewise, with this protocol, alliances will be established with Valencian universities to improve competitiveness and generate knowledge and development of new talent in the audiovisual sector and audiovisual production will be promoted as a reinforcement of companies and professionals in the audiovisual industry, improving their competitiveness.
“Public-private collaboration is essential to achieve objectives more efficiently and with greater scope. With the signing of this protocol we work to achieve the same objectives and interests in the field of digital technology and innovation given its impact and significance for the economy and employment of the city of Valencia”, Councilwoman Bernabé specified.
On the other hand, the event has the support of AVEPA, the Valencian Association of Animation Production Companies, and DIBOOS, the Spanish Federation of Animation Production Companies Associations, “because they consider it a key event not only because of the visibility it can give to our sector of local animation but because of the contacts and real business opportunities that it can attract for national and international co-productions” explained Paloma Mora, President of AVEPA.
Weird Market
La Filmoteca de Valencia, Rialto Building, will host the screenings of this 14th edition, while La Beneficiència Cultural Center will be the place of reference where conferences and meetings are held.
Along with its new location, Weird Market also announces the opening on June 2nd of its short film market. The Weird Market International Animation Short Film Market receives works until July 10th through the Shortfilmdepot and Filmfreeway platforms and for its two sections: international and national.
Short films produced after January 1st 2021, and made in any animation technique may aspire to participate in these two sections. In the international section there will also be a selection of music videos with the same deadline.
The short films participating in the Market (international and national selection) will be eligible to be selected at WFest – Weird Market’s International Animated Short Films Festival, which will be subject to a second selection process.
The final selection of the WFest will fight to be part of the list of winners where the jury and the audience will give various awards. The first will be made up of national and international animation professionals and will award three distinctions (as well as any special mentions it considers appropriate): Best International Short Film, Best European Short Film and Best National Short Film. For its part, the audience attending the screenings will decide on two other awards: Best International Short Film and Best National Short Film.
