Spanish film and TV producers chief Pedro P¨¦rez steps down

Pedro P¨¦rez, the president of the FAPAE producers association, which unites the whole of Spain¡¯s film and television production sector, resigned Thursday morning.

P¨¦rez, who has headed the association since 2003, and was also in charge from 1993 to 1997, justified his decision on having completed the conversion of the FAPAE into a confederation. At the beginning of the year, the association joined with the FPROA Catalan producers federation, thus bringing together almost all of Spain¡¯s producers.

On Wednesday P¨¦rez spoke to some of his closest colleagues including Enrique Cerezo, president of the EGEDA producers rights management organization ¡ª and also the boss of Atl¨¦tico Madrid soccer club ¡ª as well as board members to explain that he had been considering the decision for several weeks.

In his two spells in charge at FAPAE, P¨¦rez demonstrated a great willingness to negotiate with whoever the government of the day was and showed himself to be a man with a great skill for establishing consensus in the intricate and complex Spanish movie industry. Although considered a man close to the ruling conservative Popular Party, he has been harshly critical of the attitude of the current government and in particular of Finance Minister Crist¨®bal Montoro, who last September slapped a 13-point hike on the value-added tax rate for movie tickets, which has had a devastating impact on the industry.

P¨¦rez, who was a founding board member at El Mundo newspaper and also sat on the board at Antena 3 Televisi¨®n, will for now be replaced by FAPAE vice president Jos¨¦ Portela, the head of the Basque producers, until new elections are held at the end of the quarter.