A cinema refuses to process a reservation from a school because the teacher communicated in Valencian.

ValenciaThe Yelmo Campanar cinemas in Valencia refused to process a film reservation for a group of students because the teacher who requested the tickets addressed the company in Valencian and refused to switch languages, despite repeated requests from cinema staff. This was reported on January 28th by the school council of the Benicalap neighborhood high school in a statement, and the story was first reported by the newspaper on Thursday. Levant

According to the school board's report, which ARA has obtained, on December 17th, a teacher from the school contacted the company via email to make a reservation for approximately one hundred students. The students intended to see the film. The Captive, which narrates part of the life of the writer Miguel de Cervantes, author of QuixoteThe work was being analyzed in class. On January 8, 2026, the teacher requested more information and inquired about the possibility of a morning screening. The only response she received from the company manager was that she should write to him in Spanish because he did not understand Valencian, adding that he would only consider the request if it was made in Spanish. This response was repeated on four more occasions, with the manager refusing to allow a staff member proficient in both official languages ​​of the Valencian Community to handle the communication on behalf of the exhibitor. Ultimately, the screening did not take place.

The school council of the Valencian center has strongly criticized the company's actions and emphasized that the company manager did not even consider using one of the many free online translators—very easy to use for any written communication—and that he did not apologize for requesting a change of complaint. "On the contrary, it violated our linguistic rights, discriminating against us for speaking Valencian," the statement emphasizes.

The educational community of the Benicalap Institute says it is "speechless" at the treatment received and "astounded" that a major cultural company would show "such serious contempt" for Valencian culture and identity, "demonstrating a clear lack of knowledge and sensitivity."

The accusations from the Valencian institute have been rejected by the company, which, in a statement, denied the accusations made by the school council. The company maintains that during the booking process, its representative, who does not speak Valencian, "politely requested that communication continue in Spanish" with the sole objective of "ensuring smooth and error-free communication." "Under no circumstances was it a demand, a prohibition, or a sign of disrespect towards Valencian," the statement asserts. Yelmo Cinemas added that the service was never "denied" and that in communication with the school, they reaffirmed "that it remained available." They also expressed their "deep respect for the culture and languages" of the Valencian Community and their commitment "to respecting diversity and cultural richness, including its two official languages, Spanish and Valencian." Finally, they asserted that "discrimination based on language is completely foreign to their values ​​and business practices."

General condemnation

Organizations such as Escola Valenciana have condemned Yelmo Cines' actions, calling their behavior "unacceptable" and demanding accountability. The Plataforma per la Llengua (Platform for the Language) has also condemned the actions, labeling them "illegal." It is worth noting that Yelmo Cines is a company that receives subsidies from various state administrations, including the Valencian Regional Government and the Valencian Institute of Culture, as can be seen on its website.