Stefan Schmitz Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentMadrid-based Avalon is transforming from a prestige producer-distributor into an industrial force.Founded by CEO Stefan Schmitz in 1996, Avalon has carved a reputation most recently for producing and releasing in Spain Carla Simon’s “Summer 1993,” a Berlin 2017 First Feature Award winner.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “Creatura,” the feature debut of Elena Martín, exploring female sexual desire and repression, has won this year’s 20th Europa Cinemas Cannes Label for best European Film at the 2022 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. Announced Thursday by Europa Cinemas, ahead of the closing ceremony this afternoon, the prize is one of two at Directors’ Fortnight, and awarded by one of the sidebar’s partners, given the section is non-competitive.   A second partner plaudit, the SACD Prize, handed out by France’s Writers’ Guild, will be announced simultaneously to the Europa Cinemas Label. 

Emilio Mayorga Catalan auteur Carla Simón, a 2017 Berlinale Generation Kplus winner with “Summer 1993,” is preparing her third feature, “Romería,” which has been selected among 17 new feature projects to be offered at Rotterdam Film Festival’s CineMart co-production market, to be held Feb.