Madrid-based producer José Alba of Pecado Films gets the Cannes Close-Up treatment, revealing his plans for finding international co-production partners, and an “amazing moment” at last year’s Cannes.

Alba is in Cannes selling May I Speak With The Enemy, a biopic of stand-up comedian Miguel Gila based on an original idea by Alba.

Pecado Films was a producer on Victor Erice’s 2023 Cannes competition title Close Your Eyes and 2016 romantic war drama Guernica, distributed by Sony.

This year Alba is on the lookout for new international partners at Cannes: “We are going to meet, above all, Japanese and Indian producers because we are aiming to build a co-production with India and another co-production with Japan.”

In the interview, Alba also discusses his favourite Cannes restaurant, where to get good coffee, and sneaking a red carpet photo on the Palais’ red steps.

Cannes Close-Up sees leading figures from the international film industry give their inside insight into their careers and navigating the Cannes Film Festival, with interviews set to run throughout the event.

Watch the full interview above.

This edition of Cannes Close-Up is sponsored by the Spanish Trade Commission ICEX.

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