Torreblanca is Sevilla’s last neighbourhood. There, beside the highway, you can find the former Maravilla whorehouse, which has just closed for it to be turned into a refugee centre. It’s Christmas and, before the neighbours’ curious eyes, the newcomers to Spain are received by one of the Three Wise Men, to whom they may make a wish. Excited and fearing the unknown, the new guests will have to learn all about their new country and will be surprised by Spaniards just as much as Spaniards will be by them.

Direction: Juan Antonio Moreno Amador

Script: Juan Antonio Moreno Amador

Production: Silvia Venegas

Co-Production: Juan Antonio Moreno Amador

Cinematography: Alberto Gonzalez Casal

Editing: Nacho Ruiz Capillas

Production Design: Silvia Venegas, Miriam García

Sound: Luis Cotallo, Mayte Cabrera, Gabriel Gutiérrez

Original Score: Jorge Magaz

Original Title: BIENVENIDOS A ESPAÑA

Original Language: Spanish

Film Production Country: Spain

Website: https://www.makingdoc.com/producciones/bienvenidos-a-espana/

Social Media: @makingdoc

Statement of the Director/s
WELCOME TO SPAIN was born at a funeral I attended with Afghan boxers Sadaf and Shabnam Rahimi. The Rahimi sisters were the protagonists of my previous movie BOCING FOR FREEDOM, who lived in my home for three months while they waited for a vacancy at a reception centre for refugees. Out of humour and the cultural shock of those days, the first ideas arose to make this documentary.

From then, I started to visit several refugee centres throughout Spain until I discovered that the former whorehouse "Wonderful Club" in Seville had been turned into a refugee centre where 206 people who knew nothing about Spain, our language and culture would be hosted. And we started shooting, just like the protagonists, with fear and excitement about the unexpected and the unknown, to make a film not about refugees, but rather about Spain as seen by them.

During filming, looking at the protagonists, I wondered if they could learn to be Spanish while discovering their dreams, which, just like the neighbours of Villar del Rio in "Welcome Mr. Marshall", all of them have. Because we all dream and hold the hope for a better future.

Biography of the Director/s
Juan Antonio Moreno is a member of both the European Film Academy and Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain. He has been awarded the Reina Sofia Award for Social Communication and the Excellence Award granted by Carlos III University of Madrid. His documentary BOXING FOR FREEDOM was shortlisted for the European Film Awards, WORDS OF CARAMEL was nominated for the Goya Awards and WHERE THE WIND TAKES US was also a candidate. His productions have been awarded over 100 prizes and shortlisted in over 500 festivals.

He has studied Documentation, Screenwriting, Journalism and International Relations, and he teaches the UC3M Master’s Degree in Documentaries and at Lens School. He created Making DOC production company in 2010.

Filmography of the Director/s
2021 - WELCOME TO SPAIN, doc.
2020 - REFUGE
2018 - WHERE THE WIND TAKES US, doc.
2016 - WORDS OF CARAMEL, doc-fiction
2016 - KAFANA (ENOUGH, ALREADY!), doc.
2015 - A REAL JOB
2015 - BOXING FOR FREEDOM, doc.
2010 - THE CHILDREN OF MAMA WATA, doc.
2007 - KOSOVO, THE LAST SCAR OF THE BALKANS, doc

Production Company:
Making DOC
Silvia Venegas
Calle Real n. 5
Talavera la Real, 06140, Spain
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +34 660 82 61 25
Website: https://www.makingdoc.com/en/

World Sales:
Berta Film
Jouni Kantola
Piazzale Donatello 2
Firenze, 50132, Italy
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone:
Website: https://www.bertafilm.com/catalogue-film/distribution/documentary/welcome-to-spain/

Press:
Making DOC
Silvia Venegas
Calle Real n. 5
Talavera la Real, 06140, Spain
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +34 660 82 61 25
Website: https://www.makingdoc.com/en/