Woody Allen in deal for 3 films set in Spain

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 | 3:20 PM ET

CBC News

Director Woody Allen has signed on to make three movies in Spain with producer-distributor Mediapro and Gravier productions.

It's not the Match Point and Annie Hall director's first film in Spain: romantic comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona was shot there last year and is scheduled for North American release this fall. It stars Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

Film director Woody Allen, shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2007, has found backers for three films to be made in Spain.
(Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)

Allen, once known for his attachment to Manhattan, was lured away to shoot in London with Match Point because of an offer of money.

In a recent interview with CBC cultural affairs show Q, Allen said he sometimes has difficulty getting backers in part because he wants to have complete creative control.

"The way I work I don't let anybody see a script. No one has anything to say about casting; I have complete control of everything," he said.

"Of course it's always hard to raise money because I go in and say, 'Look I don't make a fortune on my films and I have to have complete control of everything and I want you to put up the money and then leave me alone.' People are very often reluctant to take that proposition." 

The three films will shoot over 2009, 2010 and 2011, but locations are not yet settled.

A report in Variety from the San Sebastian Film Festival estimated Allen's budgets at a modest 15 million euros ($22 million Cdn), about the same cost as Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Mediapro also produced Isabel Coixet's The Secret Life of Words, Agustin Almodovar's El Deseo and Oliver Stone's Comandante.