The Balañá family, the discreet family of theaters, cinemas, and bullfighting that now has a foothold in Telefónica

MadridFor years, a brown-haired girl would ask moviegoers to be quiet when they were about to see a film in one of the theaters that had a navy blue B as their seal. It was a B for Grup Balañá, and the girl who ordered the audience to be quiet through a brief pre-film announcement was closely linked: she was Anna Martínez Balañá (Barcelona, 1992). Now, she is part of the fourth generation of one of the most influential families in the Catalan business world, the Balañá family. has just set foot in Telefónica. The telecom The Catalan bank, chaired by Marc Murtra, has appointed her as a member of the board of directors, and since last week she has held the position of independent director, making her one of the youngest directors on the Ibex35.

Anna Martínez Balañá is probably one of the most well-known figures in the Balañá family—among other things, she hosts the family business podcast. The Balañás have always been known for their discretion, especially in the media, although this hasn't stopped them from building an empire of theaters and movie theaters, but also of bullrings, a business in which the management and subsequent purchase of the Monumental de Barcelona stood out. "They were businessmen who never wanted to make noise," says a source close to the family.

The businesswoman is the great-granddaughter of the founder of all this, Pedro Balañá Espinós—Don Pedro, as he was known in the bullfighting world. But the patriarch's first steps toward making money weren't in culture or bullfighting, but rather in a dairy farm located in the Barcelona neighborhood of Sants. From there, he gained popularity and also became involved in politics; first with republicanism, and was even considered a "man of the country," although under the dictatorship he became closer to Franco's regime, as explained in the book. One hundred Catalan businessmen (LID Editorial, 2006). It was in the 1920s that he saw a business opportunity in bullfighting: he took it upon himself to sell the bulls he had stabbed in the Arenas, and from there, everything began to take shape. Las Arenas was, in fact, the first in a series of bullrings he would eventually manage. "He was known throughout Spain as the bullfighting entrepreneur," explains those in the Catalan business world. At that time, bullfighting was the quintessential mass spectacle in the country.

It wasn't until 1943, already under Franco's dictatorship, that he entered the world of cinema, purchasing his first cinema in Barcelona—the Avenida de la Luz cinema—which was quickly managed by his only son, Pere Balañá Forts, and grandfather of Anna Martínez Balañá. "He felt a profound admiration [for his father]," explains someone who knew him closely.

Balañá Forts inherited everything, but unlike his father, he was determined to grow the cinema and theater business, but not the bullfighting business. "His true passion was the performing arts. Also works of art. He had a large collection," says the voice from before, who exemplifies it this way: "One day, in his Mercedes A-Class, we parked in front of the Aribau [Cines], and he counted the motorcycles outside: "There are 90 people." He went to a different room to see how many people there were and then took control of the business."

Among the children of Pere Balañá Fuertes, María José Balañá Mumbrú, or Tete, as she is known privately, mother of Anna Martínez Balañá, remains in charge of managing the theaters. Her brother, Pedro Balañá Mumbrú, or Pete, would take charge of the cinemas and bullrings.

Compensation for the Monumental

Perhaps the blow to which the Balañá family received the most media attention was in 2011, when the Generalitat (Catalan Government), under the government of Artur Mas (CiU), put an end to bullfighting in Catalonia. The last bullfight, in fact, was held in the Plaza de la Monumental. The closure came with a €329,699 compensation payment to the family. The only compensation given. However, the Balañá family had sought €10 million. "It wasn't an easy time for him [Pere Balañá Forts]. It's not that he didn't understand the end of bullfighting in Catalonia, but he was surprised that no one [from the Generalitat] spoke to him, not even Artur Mas," says a close friend.

Politically, Balañá Forts had been linked to CiU, while his children have always been rumored to be close to Ciutadans (the party rented the Tívoli, a theater belonging to the family group, to hold the founding event). The strong opposition to the ban on bullfighting by the party then led by Albert Rivera further fueled the rumors. "Nothing," states journalist Albert Balanzà in an investigation published in Média.cat, in which he points out how "the Balañá family passed them the bill without any discount."

In any case, the farewell to bullfighting in Catalonia didn't just involve a give-and-take with the Generalitat. The bullfighting world didn't hesitate to express disappointment: "[The Balañá family] fans expected more. There was a feeling of helplessness," said Salvador Boix, manager of the bullfighter José Tomàs, in an interview with ARA, in 2011.

Pere Balañá Forts is said to have inherited his father's "pragmatism." Today, the Monumental hosts shows, parties, and concerts, while the Arenas are a shopping center, also home to some of the movie theaters the family manages. Both businesses are joined by other movie theaters throughout Barcelona, as well as the Borràs, Coliseum, and Tívoli theaters. Bullfighting has never completely abandoned them, and they retain a stake in the bullrings in Palma and Jerez de la Frontera.

From a startup to general manager of Balañá en Vivo

Last week, when Anna Martínez Balañá arrived at Telefónica, from the telecom They highlighted his experience in "developing business projects in the cultural and service management sectors," as stated in the press release. "He has a short but intense career," says a source who has closely witnessed the signing.

He holds a degree in business administration from Esade Business School and a master's degree in innovation and entrepreneurship from the same school. Before following in the family footsteps and entering the entertainment, theater, and cinema business, he founded thestart-up Sheltair, dedicated to offering private work spaces. In 2023, when the Balañá Group split into Balañá en Vivo and Mooby Cines, she was appointed general manager of the first business, dedicated to live shows, primarily theater. She then assumed the position of CEO of Marianna at Viu, the production company linked to the group that launched in 2025.

"She comes from a lineage in which the cultural business has not only been passed down from generation to generation, but has also become sophisticated," reflects the previous source. One of the challenges facing Marc Murtra's Telefónica is to become strong in content and entertainment and transform the Movistar+ platform into a production machine. And that, which is vital for Murtra, will also be one of Anna Martínez Balañá's challenges at the company. The president of the telecom has placed its trust in it to identify what can attract—but above all, retain—customers to the platform. Therefore, it's doing what the Balañá brothers achieved by programming shows like those of Rubianes or La Cubana, now a landmark in Catalan theater. "[Pedro Balañá Forts] was a seemingly conservative man, and La Cubana was a totally transgressive group at the time, but when he saw artistic potential, he signed him, and he wasn't wrong," reflects a close friend.