Spain’s film and TV industries are in their second wave as standout content providers for global streamers. Some of the country’s most intriguing titles will take the international stage this weekend at MipTV in Cannes.
Built on a foundation of hits such as “The Red Band Society,” “Grand Hotel,” “Velvet” and “Locked Up,” a new era of internationally renowned content creation in Spain kicked off in 2018 with Alex Pina’s blockbuster series “Money Heist,” picked up by Netflix.
Since then, Spain has enjoyed a place among the steadiest content suppliers for major players worldwide, taking advantage of its often character-driven dramas, high-quality creators and producers, and a language spoken by more than 600 million people around the globe.
Although the market is continuously evolving, local industry has adapted to different new business models, entering bigger and more ambitious productions, often via co-production. Spanish fiction’s global popularity continues to grow to accommodate audience appetites.
Built on a foundation of hits such as “The Red Band Society,” “Grand Hotel,” “Velvet” and “Locked Up,” a new era of internationally renowned content creation in Spain kicked off in 2018 with Alex Pina’s blockbuster series “Money Heist,” picked up by Netflix.
Since then, Spain has enjoyed a place among the steadiest content suppliers for major players worldwide, taking advantage of its often character-driven dramas, high-quality creators and producers, and a language spoken by more than 600 million people around the globe.
Although the market is continuously evolving, local industry has adapted to different new business models, entering bigger and more ambitious productions, often via co-production. Spanish fiction’s global popularity continues to grow to accommodate audience appetites.
- 4/5/2024
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
La serie española se ha convertido en un fenómeno global, alcanzando los primeros puestos en el ranking de Prime Video en más de 120 países. © Prime Video
Prime Video ha anunciado que habrá una segunda temporada de “Reina Roja” gracias a su gran éxito tanto a nivel nacional como internacional. La serie, protagonizada por Victoria Luengo y Hovik Keuchkerian, ha estado en el top 10 de los títulos más vistos en países como Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Alemania, India, México y Australia desde su lanzamiento.
María José Rodríguez, Head of Spanish Originals de Prime Video, expresó su entusiasmo: «Estamos encantados de ver que “Reina Roja” ha cautivado al público español y se ha convertido en un éxito rotundo. Antonia y Jon han cautivado a la audiencia mundial de Prime Video con su química y habilidad para resolver crímenes». James Farrell, VP International Originals de Prime Video, también celebró el éxito de la serie: «Reina Roja nos demuestra,...
Prime Video ha anunciado que habrá una segunda temporada de “Reina Roja” gracias a su gran éxito tanto a nivel nacional como internacional. La serie, protagonizada por Victoria Luengo y Hovik Keuchkerian, ha estado en el top 10 de los títulos más vistos en países como Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Alemania, India, México y Australia desde su lanzamiento.
María José Rodríguez, Head of Spanish Originals de Prime Video, expresó su entusiasmo: «Estamos encantados de ver que “Reina Roja” ha cautivado al público español y se ha convertido en un éxito rotundo. Antonia y Jon han cautivado a la audiencia mundial de Prime Video con su química y habilidad para resolver crímenes». James Farrell, VP International Originals de Prime Video, también celebró el éxito de la serie: «Reina Roja nos demuestra,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Marta Medina
- mundoCine
Lille — Creating a major and ambitious new player on the Spanish-language film-tv scene, Amaya Muruzábal – showrunner, screenwriter, and executive producer on Amazon MGM Studios’ just-out big hit “Red Queen” and creator and executive producer on milestone production “Hernán” – is launching her own film-tv production house, M Content.
M Content is founded with Argentinean Mariano Chihade – the independent producer behind Juan Pablo Kolojdziej’s Netflix Fito Paez bioseries “Love After Music,” working out of Buenos Aires’ Mandarina Contenidos.
The new venture will produce series and films, some large-scale – “for better or for worse, I’ve specialized in big productions,” Muruzábal tells Variety – as well as what she describes as smaller “event” auteur titles.
A first slate will be unveiled in upcoming months. One “priority area” are several feature films: “I need to breathe and handle slightly briefer time periods,” Muruzábal said. Kolojdziej and Muruzábal are collaborating on a series and on a feature.
M Content is founded with Argentinean Mariano Chihade – the independent producer behind Juan Pablo Kolojdziej’s Netflix Fito Paez bioseries “Love After Music,” working out of Buenos Aires’ Mandarina Contenidos.
The new venture will produce series and films, some large-scale – “for better or for worse, I’ve specialized in big productions,” Muruzábal tells Variety – as well as what she describes as smaller “event” auteur titles.
A first slate will be unveiled in upcoming months. One “priority area” are several feature films: “I need to breathe and handle slightly briefer time periods,” Muruzábal said. Kolojdziej and Muruzábal are collaborating on a series and on a feature.
- 3/19/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Red Queen is an Amazon Prime TV series based on a popular Spanish-language book by Juan Gómez-Jurado. The story centers around Antonia Scott, a remarkably intelligent girl with an Iq of 242. She’s recruited to be part of a secret police project in an organization called Red Queen. Police officer Jon Gutiérrez asked to be her squire, and they’re tasked with solving two interconnected crimes. The first case involves the gruesome murder of the son of a powerful banker named Laura Trueba in her mansion. Simultaneously, the daughter of the wealthiest man in Madrid named Ramon Ortiz is kidnapped. Antonia and Jon suspect these crimes are linked, orchestrated by the same perpetrator to send a chilling message. As they dive into the investigation, they encounter numerous challenges. Will they be able to decipher the clues and catch the culprit before it’s too late? Or will they fall victim...
- 2/29/2024
- by Sutanuka Banerjee
- Film Fugitives
A sign of Spain’s rising profile as a top market for Prime Video, Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, and James Farrell, the L.A.-based VP of international originals at Prime Video, flew to Madrid this week, with the world premiere of “Red Queen” (“Reina Roja”), the series adaption of the first book in Juan Gómez-Jurado’s hit trilogy, taking place on Monday night.
The streamer is rolling off the record-breaking finale of its first weekly live entertainment show “Operación Triunfo,” and has revealed that the top three of the the ten most-watched Spanish Originals of 2023 – “My Fault,” “Awareness” and “Los Farad” – have received on average 80% of streams outside of Spain, reaching a milestone for the international reach of Prime Video’s non-English language content.
“The last 12 months has been a truly remarkable time for Spanish-language content,” said Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios at Prime Video.
The streamer is rolling off the record-breaking finale of its first weekly live entertainment show “Operación Triunfo,” and has revealed that the top three of the the ten most-watched Spanish Originals of 2023 – “My Fault,” “Awareness” and “Los Farad” – have received on average 80% of streams outside of Spain, reaching a milestone for the international reach of Prime Video’s non-English language content.
“The last 12 months has been a truly remarkable time for Spanish-language content,” said Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios at Prime Video.
- 2/28/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Spanish public broadcaster Rtve, Prime Video and Telekom Srbija have boarded “Cicatriz,” a high-end action thriller, based on the best-selling Spanish novel of the same name by Juan Gómez-Jurado.
It is a first, large-scale co-production between Spain and the Adriatic countries, the partners said.
Spanish powerhouse Plano a Plano and Mexico’s Dopamine will produce, in collaboration with Asacha Media Group and Adrenalin.
It is the latest project to be packaged by Asacha Media Group, the pan-European production studio.
The Serbian production company Adrenalin will serve as filming partners in Serbia.
Representatives from the new partners were at Mip on Tuesday to talk up the landmark project to press and buyers.
Adapted by Pablo Roa and Fernando Sancristóbal, co-writers of Netflix hit megabit “La Casa De Papel” (“Money Heist”) and Verónica Marzá, the eight-part drama is scheduled to go into production at the end of the year, filming in Spain and Serbia.
It is a first, large-scale co-production between Spain and the Adriatic countries, the partners said.
Spanish powerhouse Plano a Plano and Mexico’s Dopamine will produce, in collaboration with Asacha Media Group and Adrenalin.
It is the latest project to be packaged by Asacha Media Group, the pan-European production studio.
The Serbian production company Adrenalin will serve as filming partners in Serbia.
Representatives from the new partners were at Mip on Tuesday to talk up the landmark project to press and buyers.
Adapted by Pablo Roa and Fernando Sancristóbal, co-writers of Netflix hit megabit “La Casa De Papel” (“Money Heist”) and Verónica Marzá, the eight-part drama is scheduled to go into production at the end of the year, filming in Spain and Serbia.
- 10/18/2023
- by Liza Foreman
- Variety Film + TV
Spain’s TV fiction industry is exercising some caution after high-end Spanish-language series lifted off in 2018.
“We all wanted to launch so many projects, so many new platforms arrived that there was no time for analysis,” says Bambú co-founder Ramón Campos.
As streamers scale back on originals and sales cycles slow, the industry has time for larger re-calculation.
“We come from a spectacular moment, in terms of both quality and volume,” says Sonia Martínez, series editorial director at Buendía Estudios.
That groundbreaking moment, championed by series like “Money Heist” and “Elite,” propelled Spanish fiction production to historic heights of global popularity.
“There is a virtuous circle that began in 2018 and has been continuously regenerating. Spain’s talent base already interests international audiences,” says María Valenzuela, Movistar Plus Intl.’s general manager.
But the country’s TV production scene is still cycling through the fruits of the boom: the number of...
“We all wanted to launch so many projects, so many new platforms arrived that there was no time for analysis,” says Bambú co-founder Ramón Campos.
As streamers scale back on originals and sales cycles slow, the industry has time for larger re-calculation.
“We come from a spectacular moment, in terms of both quality and volume,” says Sonia Martínez, series editorial director at Buendía Estudios.
That groundbreaking moment, championed by series like “Money Heist” and “Elite,” propelled Spanish fiction production to historic heights of global popularity.
“There is a virtuous circle that began in 2018 and has been continuously regenerating. Spain’s talent base already interests international audiences,” says María Valenzuela, Movistar Plus Intl.’s general manager.
But the country’s TV production scene is still cycling through the fruits of the boom: the number of...
- 10/16/2023
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Amazon’s Prime Video has announced a 2023 Spanish production slate which takes in movies and series from directors, writers and above all producers who have set Spain’s box office and global streamer rankings on fire over the last decade.
Talent attached to the three new movies and three series unveiled Tuesday in Madrid at a Prime Video Presents Spain event include “Hildegart,” from the producers of 2022 Berlin Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs,” “Un hipster en la España vacía,” produced by Lazona Films, which made ”Spanish Affair,” the highest grossing Spanish film ever in Spain; and “Apocalipsis Z: El principio del fin,” backed by Nostromo Pictures, behind “Through My Window,” the sixth-most watched non-English movie ever on Netflix.
Another title, docuseries “El Circo de los Muchachos” is co-written by Pepe Coira, co-scribe of “Hierro” and “Rapa,” two of the most popular series to date on Telefonica’s Movistar+.
The news slate...
Talent attached to the three new movies and three series unveiled Tuesday in Madrid at a Prime Video Presents Spain event include “Hildegart,” from the producers of 2022 Berlin Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs,” “Un hipster en la España vacía,” produced by Lazona Films, which made ”Spanish Affair,” the highest grossing Spanish film ever in Spain; and “Apocalipsis Z: El principio del fin,” backed by Nostromo Pictures, behind “Through My Window,” the sixth-most watched non-English movie ever on Netflix.
Another title, docuseries “El Circo de los Muchachos” is co-written by Pepe Coira, co-scribe of “Hierro” and “Rapa,” two of the most popular series to date on Telefonica’s Movistar+.
The news slate...
- 4/25/2023
- by John Hopewell and Pablo Sandoval
- Variety Film + TV
Leading Spanish indie Plano a Plano has snagged TV adaptation rights to “Lejos de Luisiana” by Luz Gabás, last year’s winner of Spain’s prestigious Planeta Award.
Plano a Plano acquired the rights from Book & Film Rights, the Editorial Planeta division which oversees local and international audiovisual adaptation deals as well as translation rights in international markets.
Since 1952, Planeta has bestowed an annual reward to outstanding unpublished Spanish-language works with the largest endowment worldwide, one million Euros.
Gabás’ acclaimed debut novel “Palm Trees in the Snow” (“Palmeras en la nieve”) was successfully adapted to the screen in 2015, winning two Goya, translated to multiple languages and grossing $18.3 million in Spain.
“Lejos de Luisiana” (translated to “Far from Louisiana”) follows a love story between a Native American and a French Creole Woman in Mississippi at the end of the 18th century. It takes place over four decades during the time when...
Plano a Plano acquired the rights from Book & Film Rights, the Editorial Planeta division which oversees local and international audiovisual adaptation deals as well as translation rights in international markets.
Since 1952, Planeta has bestowed an annual reward to outstanding unpublished Spanish-language works with the largest endowment worldwide, one million Euros.
Gabás’ acclaimed debut novel “Palm Trees in the Snow” (“Palmeras en la nieve”) was successfully adapted to the screen in 2015, winning two Goya, translated to multiple languages and grossing $18.3 million in Spain.
“Lejos de Luisiana” (translated to “Far from Louisiana”) follows a love story between a Native American and a French Creole Woman in Mississippi at the end of the 18th century. It takes place over four decades during the time when...
- 4/6/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood Stars Ryan Reynolds And Rob McElhenney To Be Given Welsh Award
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are to receive a special award from the people of Wales to show their support for raising the profile of the nation in Welcome to Wrexham. The pair bought the Welsh football club and showcased Wales to the world via the FX show’s first season. One episode focuses on the history and language of the nation. Welsh broadcaster S4C has partnered with the Welsh government and Football Association of Wales on the award, which will be given as part of the Wales to the World New York Concert next month taking place in Times Square. “S4C is delighted to be recognizing the contribution that Rob and Ryan have made by inspiring a whole generation to celebrate and embrace Wales to the World,” said S4C CEO Sian Doyle. “Their passion for Wrexham,...
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are to receive a special award from the people of Wales to show their support for raising the profile of the nation in Welcome to Wrexham. The pair bought the Welsh football club and showcased Wales to the world via the FX show’s first season. One episode focuses on the history and language of the nation. Welsh broadcaster S4C has partnered with the Welsh government and Football Association of Wales on the award, which will be given as part of the Wales to the World New York Concert next month taking place in Times Square. “S4C is delighted to be recognizing the contribution that Rob and Ryan have made by inspiring a whole generation to celebrate and embrace Wales to the World,” said S4C CEO Sian Doyle. “Their passion for Wrexham,...
- 10/21/2022
- by Max Goldbart and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Asacha Media Group, the expanding pan-European company, is partnering up with Spain’s Plano a Plano and Mexico’s Dopamine on “Cicatriz,” a high-end action thriller based on Juan Gómez-Jurado’s bestselling novel.
“Cicatriz” is developed by a pair of established writers, Pablo Roa and Fernando Sancristóbal, whose credits include “Toy Boy,” “La Casa de Papel” and “Vis a Vis.”
The high-concept series revolves around a brilliant but lonely entrepreneur on the verge of making his millions, who meets a young woman hell-bent on a long-planned revenge mission. “Cicatriz” will be headlined by a prominent international cast and is currently in the financing stage.
Asacha Media Group has come on board as a strategic partner and will co-produce, secure pre-sales and develop an international strategy for the production.
“We are thrilled to board this very special project,” said Marina Williams, co-ceo of Amg. “This is a story with great international...
“Cicatriz” is developed by a pair of established writers, Pablo Roa and Fernando Sancristóbal, whose credits include “Toy Boy,” “La Casa de Papel” and “Vis a Vis.”
The high-concept series revolves around a brilliant but lonely entrepreneur on the verge of making his millions, who meets a young woman hell-bent on a long-planned revenge mission. “Cicatriz” will be headlined by a prominent international cast and is currently in the financing stage.
Asacha Media Group has come on board as a strategic partner and will co-produce, secure pre-sales and develop an international strategy for the production.
“We are thrilled to board this very special project,” said Marina Williams, co-ceo of Amg. “This is a story with great international...
- 10/21/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
In yet another sign of explosive growth on Spain’s drama scene, Amazon Prime Video has unveiled four new Amazon Original series or movies tapping the large talents of some of its most successful comedy directors, producers, novelists and drama series creators.
In a sign of Amazon Studios’ hiked ambitions, the productions were described by Georgia Brown, Amazon’s head of European Originals, as “local stories that resonate with local audiences and have a global impact.” In the past, Amazon has stressed more the need for the former.
Also updating Spanish journalists in Madrid on Wednesday morning on progress on the already announced “Sin Huellas” and “Un asunto privado,” Prime Video’s new slate shows it enrolling some of the biggest stars in Spain, led by “Below Zero’s” Javier Gutiérrez and Carmen Machi.
Alongside Sílvia Abril, the two actors topline family time-travel comedy “Mañana es hoy” which is directed...
In a sign of Amazon Studios’ hiked ambitions, the productions were described by Georgia Brown, Amazon’s head of European Originals, as “local stories that resonate with local audiences and have a global impact.” In the past, Amazon has stressed more the need for the former.
Also updating Spanish journalists in Madrid on Wednesday morning on progress on the already announced “Sin Huellas” and “Un asunto privado,” Prime Video’s new slate shows it enrolling some of the biggest stars in Spain, led by “Below Zero’s” Javier Gutiérrez and Carmen Machi.
Alongside Sílvia Abril, the two actors topline family time-travel comedy “Mañana es hoy” which is directed...
- 1/12/2022
- by Jamie Lang and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
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