Spanish producers have been predicting since September that the market share for local films would rise this year - up from 10.7% to 12% in anticipation of high-profile autumn releases.

The prediction, from the Spanish Producers' Federation (FAPAE), looks on course: as of October 15, Spanish films had an 11.8% market share.

There are currently eight Spanish films and co-productions in the local top 20. Of those, Fernando Leon's San Sebastian winner Mondays In The Sun (Los Lunes Al Sol) and Jaume Balaguero's English-language horror film Darkness have both already worked they way into the top five grossing local films of the year, with cumulative ticket sales of Euros3.64m and Euros3.54m, respectively.

They still trail The Other Side Of The Bed (El Otro Lado De La Cama), The Son Of The Bride (El Hijo De La Novia) and Talk To Her (Hable Con Ella).

Following not too far behind, and with potential to move up the year-end charts, are Alex de la Iglesia's 800 Bullets (800 Balas), with a cumulative Euros1.38m after just three weekends; Adolfo Aristarain's Common Places (Lugares Comunes), at Euros1.17m after five weekends; and Jose Luis Garci's Story Of A Kiss (Historia De Un Beso), with Euros717,107 after its second weekend nationwide.

Ironically, the writers and directors of some of these very films say they haven't seen a penny from their success. Members of DAMA (Derechos de Autor de Medios Audiovisuales), the artists' rights management organisation spun off in 1998 from the veteran SGAE (Sociedad General de Autores y Editores), this week denounced SGAE's continued collection of royalties on their films from cinemas, broadcasters and videoclubs. Fernando Leon and Emilio Martinez-Lazaro, director of The Other Side Of The Bed, are among DAMA's founding members.