{"id":226447,"date":"2026-01-20T18:20:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T17:20:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iffr.com\/en\/?p=226447"},"modified":"2026-01-20T18:20:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T17:20:58","slug":"blog-interview-maria-zamora-romeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iffr.com\/en\/blog-interview-maria-zamora-romeria","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe grow with every project, we keep exploring cinema\u201d: producer Mar\u00eda Zamora on CineMart selection and Carla Sim\u00f3n\u2019s Romer\u00eda."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Spanish producer Mar\u00eda Zamora returns to CineMart this year following her 2022 selection with Carla Sim\u00f3n\u2019s Romer\u00eda<\/strong>, now presenting Adarna<\/strong> by Lois Pati\u00f1o. She spoke to us about a career defined by long-term creative partnerships and a commitment to singular voices.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Film still: Romer\u00eda<\/strong> by Carla Sim\u00f3n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Among her most significant collaborations is her creative alliance with Carla Sim\u00f3n. The two first met through a mentoring programme that led to their first co-production, an encounter that would evolve into one of the most celebrated creative trajectories in recent Spanish cinema. Zamora reflects on that shared journey as a process of growth: \u201cFor both of us, every small step we take together feels like moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From their first trip to Berlinale with Estiu 1993 <\/strong>(2017) to Romer\u00eda<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s world premiere in the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival in 2025, with a Golden Bear win for Alcarr\u00e0s<\/strong> (2022) in between, their collaboration has been marked by a rare consistency of artistic ambition and international recognition. \u201cThe feeling with Carla, always shared, is that we grow with every project. We\u2019re in this for that reason: to keep learning from cinema.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What she values most in working with Sim\u00f3n is that while she remains faithful to her intimate, naturalistic approach, she continually seeks new expressive terrain. Romer\u00eda<\/strong>, Zamora explains, remains deeply rooted in Sim\u00f3n\u2019s cinematic universe, \u201ca cinema that is close to reality, and stays grounded\u201d but also ventures into a more poetic and imagined space than ever before. The film is an intimate autofictional exploration of identity and family, and marks a subtle yet meaningful expansion of Sim\u00f3n\u2019s emotional and visual language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sim\u00f3n\u2019s work is also defined by her extraordinary ability to direct children and non-professional actors, an approach that brings a striking authenticity to her films. In Romer\u00eda<\/strong>, performers such as Llucia Garcia and Mitch Robles embody this sensibility, creating characters whose emotional truth resonates deeply with audiences. For Zamora, this constant willingness to take risks is what matters most: \u201cWhat is important is where the film can make you fly to.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond her collaboration with Sim\u00f3n, Zamora\u2019s through her production company El\u00e1stica Films has supported stories that \u201ctell truths\u201d, often through deeply personal, female-driven narratives. Filmmakers such as Mar Coll, Elena Mart\u00edn, and Paula Ortiz have found in Zamora a producer willing to support bold, intimate visions, earning recognition across festivals and awards, from the Goya Awards to Locarno. While she tells us she has had to learn to say no, Zamora sees this selectivity as a form of creative freedom, allowing her to fully commit to the projects she believes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of those projects is Lois Pati\u00f1o\u2019s Adarna<\/strong>, selected for CineMart 2026<\/a>. Following his recent experimental works such as Ariel<\/strong> <\/a>(IFFR 2025), Pati\u00f1o now embarks on his most narrative-driven film to date: a speculative exploration of the afterlife. For Zamora, the project\u2019s openness was what made it resonate with her: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t speak about certainty or fixed truths, but about possibilities.\u201d She adds that what truly connects her to Pati\u00f1o is that: \u201cHe believes there is a path toward understanding one another, toward understanding why we cling to life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to CineMart for the second time, Zamora speaks of the platform as a turning point for Romer\u00eda<\/strong>. \u201cIt gave us the momentum we needed so the film wouldn\u2019t stay in a drawer,\u201d she says. Reflecting on her experience and her \u201cfond memories\u201d of IFFR, she offers valuable advice to new participants: \u201cUse your time in the best possible way in one-to-one’s. And IFFR also gives you the chance to meet incredibly interesting people in the film business. Make the most of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-By Paula Estany Hachuel<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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