A study by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) has found that the local cinema industry could lose up to €19 million as a result of the proposed new law of Catalan cinema (article in Castilian, El Periodico). The law would mean that 50 percent of the films screened in Catalunya have to be either dubbed into or subtitled in Catalan. The UPF report indicated that both cinemas and distribution companies would be negatively affected by the implementation of this legislation, and that the loss of €19 million was the worst-case scenario that it foresaw for the industry; this amount represents almost 14 percent of the money earned by cinemas here in 2008. The study was commissioned by the Union of Cinema Businesses of Catalunya and the Federation of Cinema Distributors who are concerned that the law is one that seeks to promote language and does not take into account cinema or the industry, said Pilar Sierra, head of the Union of Cinema Businesses. The number of people going to the cinema in Catalunya has fallen in recent years: from 29.3 million tickets sold in 2003 to 22.3 million in 2008.

Also in the news: Girona restaurant awarded three Michelin stars (Avui); Nadal eliminated from London Masters (La Vanguardia); Three Catalan universities amongst the best in Spain (El Periodico)