Controversy Erupts Over Casting Call in the Canary Islands
A controversy has arisen this week in the Canary Islands following a social media post by a Madrid-based casting agency seeking Canary Island actresses aged between 18 and 30. The ad specified that candidates must “neutralise their accent” and “have tax residency in the Canary Islands.” Criticism has quickly surfaced.
Antonio Díaz, a Twitter user, commented on X: “The continuous attack on our speech, our way of expressing ourselves, our seseo, the use of ‘ustedes’ and aspiration is striking. They are seeking Canary Islanders who live here but don’t speak like us. Inclusive, but not really.”
Ad Withdrawn Amid Backlash
The outcry has been significant enough that the casting agency, which was looking for an actress to portray Berta, the lead character in an unspecified series, has withdrawn the ad just six days before auditions were set to begin. Atlántico Hoy has attempted to reach the agency for comment but received no response. However, they did release a statement on social media expressing gratitude to those who submitted materials for the casting of Berta, stating, “We received wonderful proposals and, above all, an abundance of talent. We want you to know that we are reviewing each application with care and attention. Furthermore, beyond this specific character, we are identifying profiles that we will certainly keep in mind for future characters and projects. Thank you once again for your time and for trusting the process.”
Industry Reactions
Many individuals have expressed displeasure with the requirement to “neutralise” the Canarian accent, including not only viewers but also professionals within the Canarian audiovisual industry. Atlántico Hoy spoke with Alicia Rodríguez, a well-known Canarian actress recognised for her voice in advertising and as the Tram announcer in Tenerife. She remarked, “They require tax residency in the Canaries and yet don’t want to acknowledge that I’m Canarian. It’s outrageous. If I have residency here, I will speak with a Canarian accent. However, Andalusians are allowed to speak with their accent.”
Rodríguez and others are particularly frustrated that no explanation was given for the need to neutralise the accent. The Canary Islands host hundreds of film productions annually, many of which are not specifically about the islands themselves. Rodriguez mentioned that she has successfully performed characters with various foreign accents, including Catalan, Galician, or Argentinian. However, the ad requested a “neutral” accent, the parameters of which remain unclear. “When I lend my voice for ads in the Canary Islands, I adopt a neutral accent: it’s evident I’m Canarian, but it can’t be pinpointed to a specific island. What do they mean?”
The Dynamics of the Industry
Beyond the specific term used regarding accent requirements, the Canarian film industry is thriving, with a substantial number of productions taking place that incorporate a variety of accents and languages. Cristobal de la Rosa, Director General of Cultural Innovation and Creative Industries for the Canarian Government, explained to Atlántico Hoy the nature of this flourishing industry. “What is the original accent of an actor? Often we don’t know. They were likely born somewhere, but in film, you perform roles that always involve inhabiting the accent of the character you are portraying. In other words, film is film.”
Significant Economic Contribution
The Canary Islands have established themselves as a reference point for audiovisual productions over the last seven years, ranking among the top three Spanish autonomous communities for the most films, series, and advertisements produced annually. In 2025 alone, the islands hosted 180 productions, generating €432 million in direct income from actor recruitment and production services, excluding indirect expenses like dining and accommodation.
Tax Incentives: The Key Factor
The attraction of the Canary Islands stems, in large part, from tax incentives, which are pivotal for drawing in productions. Under specific conditions, national or international production companies can deduct up to 54% of their expenditure on production. For comparison, the maximum deductible rate in the rest of Spain stands at 30%, giving the Canary Islands a competitive edge that positions local productions for success at prominent global festivals.
Employment Requirements
But at what cost? The qualifications for availing these deductions differ between Spanish and foreign production companies. For international companies, it is mandatory to contract a Canarian firm that provides all production services. “This Canarian company then generates a series of tax incentives that it transfers back to the production,” explained De la Rosa. National companies can directly avail themselves of the tax reductions but must meet certain criteria, including hiring at least one resident Canarian creative and at least nine technical staff from five different technical teams.
Striking a Balance
In essence, the Canary Islands have positioned themselves as a preferred destination seeking to attract lucrative productions through tax incentives. However, to safeguard local employment, they impose specific conditions regarding the hiring of companies and workers residing in the islands. This explains the controversial requirement for accent neutralisation highlighted in the casting ad.
So, is it a humiliation of local accents or a demonstration of a powerful industry? The latter seems to be the case. De la Rosa noted that around 50% of all personnel hired for productions in the islands are Canarian, amounting to approximately 20,000 local workers who benefit from the considerable financial influx that productions bring annually.
Future Outlook
Would it be preferable for these productions to relocate to other regions to avoid asking local actors to modify their accents when their characters aren’t Canarian? The director is clear: “If I didn’t want to make films with a neutral accent, I simply wouldn’t attend the casting. But if, for whatever reason, I do want to make films with a neutral accent, English or otherwise, I will. What would be wonderful is for a Canarian actor or actress to win a Goya.”
Furthermore, he added, if you are a Canarian actor or technician, you would prefer to be hired for the role, rather than seeing the production opt for mainland talent.
A Flourishing Business Ecosystem
The appeal of the Canarian film industry, bolstered by tax incentives, has led to the development of a robust business ecosystem. Productions are now drawn not just by tax incentives, but by the excellent landscapes and the diverse settings available for filming in a single location.
De la Rosa highlighted the importance of the hotel sector, “It’s not easy to accommodate large production crews without a high-standard hotel infrastructure,” he noted, emphasising the significance of logistical support. The local tourism sector supplies various transport services that facilitate the movement of sets and actors.
Lastly, De la Rosa pointed out that “most importantly, we have our service companies and Canarian talent,” which he claimed are “arguably among the best one can find in a filming location.”
Conclusion
Thanks to years of hard work, as De la Rosa aptly puts it, the Canarian audiovisual industry has begun to thrive, gaining recognition at leading film festivals like Málaga and Berlin with local productions. “Fifteen years ago, had I spoken of this with veterans of the cinema such as Chano from Volcano Films, Ana Sánchez-Gijón, or the Ríos brothers, they would have looked at me as if to say: ‘Well, Cristobal, we were at the San Sebastián festival once and it went really well.’ It’s been a challenge, but we are now consistently present at festivals,” concluded De la Rosa.
