Bombillo Amarillo, the Medellín-based Colombian animation studio that co-produced "The Violinist" — winner of the top Cristal for best animated feature at France's Annecy festival — is opening a new studio in Spain. Called BA Estudios, the operation will be up and running from the week of 13 July, based in Bilbao in the Basque Country. The move gives the Colombian company a European foothold at a time when animation orders from global streamers and the US have fallen sharply, and it is intended both to produce original titles and to offer animation services.

Founded in 2010, Bombillo Amarillo contributed nine minutes of animation to "The Violinist" and has previously worked on Netflix's "Kayko y Kokosh" and "James", Prime Video's "The Boys" and Cartoon Network's "Los Colorado". CEO Daniel Vélez said a Spanish base would widen the studio's market reach and aid international co-productions, which increasingly rely on tax incentives: Bizkaia offers tax credits of up to 60% of investment, rising to 70% for titles shot in Basque, while Colombia offers strong regional tax breaks and additional risk capital. The expansion coincides with the 2026 Bogota Audiovisual Market showcasing seven Colombian animation titles, and with Annecy having named Colombia its 2027 Country of Honour.