The order and its wording

The culture department of Castilla y León, led by Vox's Alberto Díaz Pico, has barred 2026 subsidies for feature films, documentaries, fiction, animation and TV series pilots that involve ideological indoctrination, partisan propaganda or explicit support for specific political options. Applications for the aid can be filed until 3 November. Europa Press dates publication of the order in the regional gazette, the Bocyl, to 9 October, while EL PAÍS reports the department made it public on 8 October. The order does not say who would decide what counts as indoctrination or which criteria would apply, and EL PAÍS reports that the measure has drawn sharp complaints from voices in the film sector. The clause became public knowledge on Tuesday, 20 October.

Ministry vows court challenge

Spain's culture minister Ernest Urtasun told reporters in Barcelona on Wednesday, 21 October, after visiting an exhibition by the Teatre Lliure at the Palau Robert. He called the regional resolution "absolutely unacceptable" and said it attacks freedom of expression. Urtasun said the ministry will take the order before the courts. His position was stated in plain terms:

“Trying to condition aid for creation in our country on ideological and political criteria is a form of censorship that I do not intend to tolerate.”

Equality minister Ana Redondo also turned on Vox, posting on X that the party is censoring artistic freedom now that it holds power in the region. Her post carried this line:

“Those who call themselves defenders of freedom, as soon as they touch power, what they do is censor artistic freedom and creation.”

Junta defends its expert panel

Díaz Pico, speaking after the plenary session in the regional parliament, denied that any film is being vetoed. He said a commission of technical staff and civil servants, working alongside sector experts, will assess projects and weigh their ideological significance. Projects with sufficient quality would be funded, he added, and public money should not finance ideological positions or political propaganda. He summed up his position this way:

“Common sense is what should determine what is ideologized or not.”

Díaz Pico also criticized what he called ideological biases in the central government and said he was used to the national government using the courts when it suited it. Vox's Carlos Hernández Quero, speaking to reporters at the regional parliament, said aid should turn on quality rather than ideology, and questioned central ministry criteria covering LGTBI issues, environmental matters and quotas. Both men declined to judge La Bola Negra, a film reporters asked about, because they had not seen it.

Seminci and the regional budget

Díaz Pico said the Valladolid film festival, Seminci, "has much to improve in ideological neutrality". He criticized the festival for making room for what he called a more ideologized cinema, and suggested opening it to sociological debates beyond those now prevailing. He said the regional contribution to Seminci remains in the 2027 draft budget, pending parliamentary approval. EL PAÍS reports that the festival's 72nd edition starts in a few days. Redondo's post ended with a farewell to the festival, and the Junta says it will wait for the ministry's appeal before responding further.