If we should get some conclusions from this array of films, we could say that is a very diverse productions group due to different styles, production concepts and ambitions. But also, what we underscore is that is a cinema deeply concerned in commercial and international prospects, and not only for its market-driven products, but also for others belonging to arthouse arena.

Finally, a pic as Puzzled Love show luminously what can we expect from new Catalan
helmers batch. And it is not puzzling, it is promising.

Kevin Iwashina and Ross Dinerstein’s Preferred Content will handle U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to Trisha Ziff’s The Mexican Suitcase. Otherwise,Vienna’s Autlook Filmsales has acquired sales rights outside Spain.

Co-produced by Mallerich Films and Mexico’s 212 Berlín, the docu feature turns on a singular suitcase in which photographers Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and David “Chim”Seymour hid almost 5,0000 negatives from Civil War photos.

This treasure was found in 2007 in a Mexico City closet.

According to Ziff, “You have to go beneath the framed image: images, negatives, documents on their own are not enough. They can even be a decoy!”

Ziff is now working on Pirate Copy, examining “the role of artistic rights in the modern age.”

Suitcase is just one of a wide-ranging – in style and production concept - 12-pic Catalan spread at San Sebastián.

Produced by Escándalo, Puzzled Love, the promising first feature of 13 final- year students at Barcelona’s prestigious Escac school,world preems today Sunday as a Zabaltegi Special.

Sold by Vicente Canales’ Film Factory Ent. and described by The Impossible’s Juan Antonio Bayona as “the best Spanish pic I’ve seen in a long time,” Love has initiated its sales roll-out in Asia, closing two territories, according to Escándalo CEO Sergi Casamitjana.

Produced by Luisa Matienzo’s Tusitala,The Double Steps, from Isaki Lacuesta (The Condemned), world preems Monday in Competition.

It explores the figure of painter,writer, actor and hermit François Augiéras. Avalon will distribute in Spain. Lacuesta calls it “part vampire pic,part spaghetti Western.”

Luis Miñarro’s Eddie Saeta will present in Made in Spain Sergio Caballero’s Finisterrae and Helvecio Marins and Clarissa Campolina’s Girimunho (Swirl) in Horizontes Latinos. Urban Distribution Intl. recently took sales rights on Swirl.

Other Catalan pics include the Minoria Absoluta and pubcaster TVC-produced 14 d’abril: Macià contra Companys, from Manuel Huerga, and distributed in Spain by A Contracorriente, and Catalunya Über Alles, from Ramón Termens.

6 sales is selling Wrinkles and Blackthorn, the latter directed by Mateo Gil. Arcadia Motion Pictures and Aiete-Ariane produce.

EMILIO MAYORGA