The films and their stars
From the early days of cinema, the Costa Brava featured in many films, which has proved on many occasions to be an added value in boosting its profile as a tourist destination even further. The attraction of the Costa Brava for local producers and filmmakers from the local area and from Catalonia in general is perfectly understandable given its geographical proximity and its highly interesting yet easily accessible locations of all kinds.
It has also proved a popular location with Spanish and foreign studios and directors, who have filmed high profile films in the area with stellar casts and production values. The commercial success and media buzz created by these productions has made certain locations known all over the world.
On the basis of the excellent work produced by the late-lamented colleague and friend Joaquim Romaguera, a chronological list is displayed below of the Catalan, Spanish and foreign feature films (not made-for-TV films) of which we are aware, listing the names of towns and places where sequences were shot in the counties of Girona and leaving out any other areas of Catalonia where film shoots may have taken place.
It goes without saying that an abundance of short films and medium-length features, both commercial and non-commercial, have been shot in this area since the early days of the cinema in Catalonia, including some by pioneers such as Ricard de Baños (La Costa Brava, 1906), Fructuós Gelabert (The cork industry in Sant Feliu, 1909; La Costa Brava, 1925) or Josep Pons Girbal (Costa Brava, 1915). Of course, the same can be said of foreign producers, such as the Fox-Movietone team, which in July 1935, under the auspices of the Patronat and the Generalitat de Catalunya, represented by Josep Carner Ribalta, filmed the maritime procession from Lloret de Mar to Santa Cristina from a motorboat. This documentary was shown on 29th July of the same year in Barcelona's Actualitats cinema, and a little later in the Kursaal cinema in Lloret de Mar.
Sant Feliu de Guíxols was the most popular location in the counties of Girona for cinema producers and the second-most popular in all Catalonia (after Barcelona, of course). These results are logical enough: the Costa Brava is a potent area full of beauty and diversity, located close to the historical city of Girona with an old quarter that holds a huge amount of visual possibilities.
The Costa Brava towns with the greatest number of film productions are as follows:
- Sant Feliu de Guíxols 37
- Palamós 20
- Tossa de Mar 17
- Calella de Palafrugell 16
- Lloret de Mar 15
- Castell-Platja d’Aro 14
- Begur 13
- Cadaqués, Portlligat i el cap de Creus 12
- El Port de la Selva, La Selva de Mar, Sant Salvador de Verdera i Sant Pere de Rodes 12
- Blanes 8
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