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- The "+50 Entrepreneurship Awards", supported by Endesa, will be stopping at 13 Spanish cities to seek out entrepreneurs over the age of 50.
- €30,000 in prize money can be won, in an initiative tied in with the film "Abuelos", set for cinema release on 11 October
The "+50 Entrepreneurship Awards" tour, an initiative associated with the cinema release of the film "Abuelos", gets underway on 5 September. The tour includes stops at thirteen cities across Spain and will seek out people over 50 years of age who have great entrepreneurial ideas and initiatives.
The project comes as part of a social initiative that ties in with "Abuelos", a film that the Entertainment One distribution company will be bringing to Spanish cinemas on 11 October. The film follows the adventures of Isidro (Carlos Iglesias), a man struggling to find employment later in life who decides to set himself up in business with the help of two friends. "Our intention with "Abuelos" was to raise awareness of an issue that affects millions of Spaniards but goes practically unnoticed", says Santiago Requejo, the director behind the movie and founder of the production company 02:59 Films. "When we were writing the script, Requejo explains, "we didn't want to simply make a film and stop there. We wanted to take it further and give a voice to a group that has really been left by the wayside by the labour market".
Up to €30,000 in prize money is up for grabs in the "+50 Entrepreneurship Awards". Throughout September and in early October the production company behind the movie will be filming entrepreneurs from an older generation, who will each have 2 minutes and 59 seconds to pitch their business ideas. In the words of Fernando Lallana, head of the "+50 Entrepreneurship Awards", "we want to shine a spotlight on the talent out there among the over 50s. We are specifically seeking out people in this age bracket to tell them that they still have plenty to give to society". There are around half a million people aged over fifty-five who are unsuccessfully seeking employment in Spain. 61% have not been invited to an interview in the last year.
The awards tour will be supported by Endesa, which is taking part in the initiative via Fundación Endesa and its "Savia" project, a programme aimed at enhancing the employability of older generations. "The movie highlights just how much people over the age of 50 can contribute to society, while also fostering values that are critical at present, such as innovation, responsibility, the power of initiative, self-confidence, and so on. Which is why "Abuelos" and the awards organised by the production firm gel so perfectly with what our company is trying to support", says Alberto Fernández Torres, Managing Director of Fundación Endesa and Endesa's Chief Communications Officer.
Over the next few weeks the "+50 Entrepreneurship Awards" tour will be stopping at San Sebastian (5th), Granada (9th), Murcia (10th), Salamanca (12th), Seville (16th), Plasencia (17th), A Coruña (19th), Santander (23rd), Bilbao (24th), Zaragoza (26th) and Alicante (30th), with further stops in October at Valencia (1st) and Barcelona (3rd). The "Abuelos Project" team has already filmed its first set of entrepreneurs in Malaga and Toledo.
There will be a book release to coincide with the premiere of the "Abuelos" film and the "+50 Entrepreneurship Awards". "Abuelos, it's never too late to be an entrepreneur", written by Fernando Lallana and Ana Virtudes, will go on sale over the next few weeks, published by Planeta under its Alienta Editorial brand. The book will provide a comprehensive guide to entrepreneurship over the age of 50.
+50 ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARDS
Full information on the awards can be found at www.premio.abueloslapelicula.es, including requirements, time limits, the jury, other conditions and how to take part. Online submissions are allowed; simply send in a video lasting 02:59 minutes detailing your idea.
"ABUELOS", THE FILM
"Abuelos" is a film directed by Santiago Requejo and starring Carlos Iglesias, Roberto Alvarez and Ramon Barea. The production company, 02:59 Films, was set up in 2010 with a mission to convey human values via audiovisual content creation.
ENDESA and THE SAVIA PROJECT
SAVIA is an initiative run by Fundación Endesa in partnership with Fundación máshumano. Its mission is to improve and drive the employability of senior citizens, as well as to serve as a forum for institutions, businesses and workers. The aim is to provide guidance and support to the unemployed aged over 50, helping them to find new working opportunities, while also reshaping how society and businesses perceive senior talent. Founded in 2018, more than 16,000 professionals are now registered with the initiative platform.
For further information
Endesa Press Office: +34 91 213 09 84
Lucia González-Barandiarán / lucia@0259films.com