News

Antonio Banderas has boarded Jesse V. Johnson’s action thriller “Above and Below,” produced by Spain’s Af Films, with Christian Mercuri’s Capstone Pictures acquiring worldwide distribution.

Laura Marano stars alongside Christina Ochoa, Mario Tardón (“Risen”) and Banderas.

Written by Tony Giordano and helmed by British stuntman turned writer-director Johnson, “Above and Below” has begun filming in Spain.

Capstone Global will oversee worldwide distribution, with London-based Capture, Capstone’s recent joint venture with Signature Ent., handling international sales.

Described as an “action-packed thriller, full of twists,” the film starts with a group of friends setting off for an unforgettable vacation. What begins as an adventure of partying and diving quickly turns into a nightmare when they are attacked by criminals in open waters.

Trapped in the depths of the ocean, surrounded by sharks and with a ruthless enemy lurking above, Tatiana – the lead role played by Marano – must use...

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A Widow’s Game is a Spanish crime drama film directed by Carlos Sedes. Inspired by true events, the Netflix film revolves around the murder investigation of an engineer, which reveals hidden dark secrets about his seemingly perfect wife. A Widow’s Game stars Ivana Baquero, Tristán Ulloa, Carmen Machi, Joel Sánchez, and Álex Gadea. So, if you loved the intense drama, thrilling mystery, and complex characters in A Widow’s Game, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Gone Girl (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Fox

Gone Girl is a psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by Gillian Flynn. Based on Flynn’s 2012 novel of the same name, the 2014 film follows Nick Dunne, who suddenly becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s sudden disappearance, but everything might not be as it seems.

Basada en la trilogía de cómics de Léa Mazé. © Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures ha compartido el primer tráiler y póster de Los Muértimer, una película de comedia, misterio y terror, basada en la trilogía de cómics homónima de la ilustradora francesa Léa Mazé.

En Los Muértimer, Nico (Diego Montejo) es un chico inteligente e introvertido de quince años que sufre bullying porque sus padres son dueños de la única funeraria del pueblo. Con la esperanza de hacer un amigo, participa en un programa de intercambio cultural. Solo hay un problema: el chico de intercambio resulta ser una chica, Gabrielle (Iratxe Emparan), una francesa de espíritu desafiante acostumbrada a todo menos a vivir rodeada de muertos. Cuando Pol (Pepe Lorente), el tallador de lápidas, les cuenta una de las muchas historias misteriosas que esconde el cementerio, deciden investigar. El descubrimiento de un cadáver y unas joyas robadas va más allá de lo que esperaban.

Filmax has acquired international rights to “The Mortimers,” a new family-friendly comedy-adventure from Telecinco Cinema and Álex de la Iglesia’s Pokeepsie Films. Combining mystery, terror and dark humor, the film tells the story of five teenagers who uncover a jewel theft plot in a cemetery.

“The Mortimers,” cleverly titled ‘Los Muertimer’ in Spanish, is adapted from “Les Croques,” a best-selling French comic trilogy by illustrator Léa Mazé, who was awarded the Prize for Best Children’s Comic by France’s Association of Journalists and Critics of the Comic Book in 2018.

The plot centers on Nico, a 15-year-old loner bullied at school due to his parents’ funeral business. Through a cultural exchange program, he meets Gabi, a rebellious French girl. Their unlikely friendship leads them, and three of Nico’s tormentors, into a dark investigation after discovering a hidden corpse and stolen jewelry.

Directed by Álvaro Fernández-Armero, the film features...

The Orphanage star Belén Rueda will explore maternal fear, generational trauma, and supernatural mystery in Evil Dress (known in its native Spanish as El Vestido).

Variety reports that Film Factory Entertainment has acquired the worldwide rights for the psychological horror film, which is said to draw inspiration from modern horror milestones like The Others, It Follows, Longlegs, and Hereditary.

Rueda stars as Alicia, a mother struggling in the aftermath of a painful divorce. Seeking a new beginning, she moves into a remote house with her daughter, Carla. But the seemingly quiet setting soon reveals a sinister history.

As Carla connects with the ghost of a young girl through a mysterious blue dress, the house’s dark legacy begins to manifest, leading to terrifying consequences, including a violent incident that leaves a child in a coma. As the investigation unfolds, Alicia finds herself trapped in a nightmare from which there may be no escape.

Del thriller a una sátira ácida y mordaz de nuestro país. © A Contracorriente Films

Termina el rodaje en Gipuzkoa y Biarritz de Cada día nace un listo, la nueva película de Arantxa Echevarría tras llevarse el Goya (ex aequo) a la Mejor Película con el thriller La infiltrada. Se trata de una mordaz sátira de nuestro país, una disección de la picaresca que hoy sigue tan presente en nuestra sociedad.

Cada día nace un listo sigue a Toni Lomas, que saltó a la fama cuando participó en un exitoso talent show. Ahora no tiene donde caerse muerto. Su situación cambia cuando Malena, un amor del pasado, le pone en contacto con Junior, el hijo de un rico empresario, para robar un valioso cuadro de la casa familiar. Para llevar a cabo el golpe, Toni buscará dos aliados: la Mari y el Gallego, formando un equipo en el que cada uno persigue sus propios intereses.

© 20th Century Studios, Universal Pictures & Bteam Pictures Amateur © 20th Century Studios

Rami Malek protagoniza este thriller de espionaje dirigido por James Hawes (director de episodios de Slow Horses y Black Mirror). El que fue galardonado en 2019 por hacer de Freddie Mercury interpreta a Charlie Heller, un brillante pero introvertido criptógrafo de la CIA cuya vida da un vuelco cuando su esposa muere en un atentado terrorista en Londres. Cuando sus supervisores se niegan a actuar, Malek toma cartas en el asunto y se embarca en un peligroso viaje por todo el mundo para localizar a los responsables.

La Cita © Universal Pictures

Christopher Landon (Feliz día de tu muerte) vuelve a la carga, esta vez con un thriller de misterio (concentrándose más en el suspense que en su característico humor). Se estrenó en el Festival SXSW de Austin donde no pasó desapercibida. La historia sigue a una joven madre viuda (Meghann Fahy...

Del thriller a una sátira ácida y mordaz de nuestro país. © A Contracorriente Films

Arranca el rodaje en Gipuzkoa y Biarritz de Cada día nace un listo, la nueva película de Arantxa Echevarría tras llevarse el Goya (ex aequo) a la Mejor Película con el thriller La infiltrada. Se trata de una mordaz sátira de nuestro país, una disección de la picaresca que hoy sigue tan presente en nuestra sociedad.

Cada día nace un listo sigue a Toni Lomas, que saltó a la fama cuando participó en un exitoso talent show. Ahora no tiene donde caerse muerto. Su situación cambia cuando Malena, un amor del pasado, le pone en contacto con Junior, el hijo de un rico empresario, para robar un valioso cuadro de la casa familiar. Para llevar a cabo el golpe, Toni buscará dos aliados: la Mari y el Gallego, formando un equipo en el que cada uno persigue sus propios intereses.

Spain’s Film Factory Entertainment has added to its burgeoning Berlin sales slate of star-laden upscale entertainment titles with market potential, acquiring international distribution rights to psychological mystery thriller “Reversion,” starring Jaime Lorente, who played the conflicted Denver in “Money Heist.”

Film Factory Entertainment will present a first promo of “Reversion”at this week’s European Film Market in Berlin.

As producers push casts as a manner to stand out in a far too crowded market, “Reversion” also stars Manu Vega (“With the Years I have Left”), Belen Rueda, lead in J.A. Bayona’s debut “The Orphanage,” and Fernando Cayo, Coronel Tamayo in “Money Heist.”

Co- written by Marco Legarde (“UFO Factory”) and Frank Ariza (“With the Years I have Left”), alongside first-time director Jacob Santana, “Reversion” turns on Mario (Lorente) who moves to a new house with his parents and older brother David (Vega).

One rainy afternoon, Mario witnesses his brother being violently kidnapped.

¡El caos está servido! © Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures ha compartido el primer tráiler de la película Un funeral de locos, una disparatada comedia dirigida por Manuel Gómez Pereira (Cuéntame cómo pasó), con guion de Yolanda García Serrano (Hit).

En Un funeral de locos, los miembros de una familia acuden a despedir al patriarca recientemente fallecido. Pero lo que debería ser un sentido velatorio se convierte en una reunión enloquecida cuando uno de los asistentes saca a la luz el secreto mejor guardado del difunto. Chantajes, alucinaciones y relaciones desquiciadas se dan cita en este alocado funeral, donde el caos está servido.

La película cuenta con un reparto coral de lujo: Quim Gutiérrez (La cara oculta), Ernesto Alterio (El otro lado de la cama), Gorka Otxoa (Machos alfa), Inma Cuesta (La novia), Hugo Silva (Buscando a Coque), Esmeralda Pimentel (El color de la pasión), Belén Rueda (El orfanato), Secun de la Rosa...

Víctor Clavijo y Alexandra Jiménez protagonizan la comedia. © Banijay Iberia

Comienza en Bizkaia el rodaje de “Los Muértimer”, una película de comedia basada en la trilogía de cómics homónima de la ilustradora francesa Léa Mazé.

En “Los Muértimer”, Gabi, una estudiante de intercambio, llega a un pequeño pueblo en el Valle de Murrieta, España, donde se aloja con una familia que regenta una funeraria. Tanto Gabi como Nico, el hijo de la familia, sufren acoso escolar debido a la peculiar profesión de los Mortimer. Ambos chicos encuentran refugio en el cementerio del pueblo, donde nadie se mete con ellos. Un día, el tallador de lápidas les cuenta una historia paranormal que los lleva a investigar. Sin embargo, el descubrimiento de un cadáver y unas joyas robadas los hace enfrentarse a la realidad. Cuando intentan alertar a los padres de Nico, descubren que alguien ha limpiado la escena del crimen y ha huido con las pruebas,...

Seeing isn’t always believing in The Chapel, the latest film from Piggy writer/director Carlota Pereda. Written by Pereda, as well as Albert Bertran Bas and Carmelo Viera, The Chapel is a supernatural drama about intergenerational trauma between mothers and their daughters.

The film opens in 1631 in a small Spanish town that is besieged by the Black Plague. Men in plague masks gather up sick individuals to lock them in the titular chapel to preserve the health of the community and, as the crowd watches, a young, infected Uxoa (Alba Hernández) is separated from her mother, who refuses to help.

The moment of familial discomfort is upended, however, when a member of the crowd raises a smartphone to shoot video of the event, shattering the authenticity of the moment. It turns out what we’re seeing is a historical reenactment: these are actors who are playing a part in an annual five day festival.

¿Quién ocupará el segundo lugar: ‘Amigos Imaginarios’ o ‘Garfield: La Película’?

Este fin de semana, según los datos obtenidos a través de Comscore Spain, la taquilla española ha vuelto a estar marcada por el éxito de “El Reino del Planeta de los Simios”, de 20th Century Studios, que ha mantenido su reinado en el primer puesto. La película, que continúa la saga de “El Planeta de los Simios” muchas generaciones después de la historia de César, ha logrado una recaudación sólida de 1.253.837 euros en su segunda semana en cartelera, consolidando su posición como favorita del público. Sin embargo, la semana que viene con el estreno de “Furiosa”, de la saga “Mad Max”, todo podría cambiar.

En el segundo lugar se encuentra “Amigos Imaginarios” de Paramount Pictures, una nueva propuesta familiar, dirigida por John Krasinski (“Un Lugar Tranquilo”), que ha conseguido una recaudación destacada de 791.781 euros en su primer fin de semana en cines,...

Descúbrelo todo sobre el thriller emocional producido por J.A. Bayona. © Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures ha publicado el tráiler y el póster de “Caída Libre”, un thriller emocional producido por Juan Antonio Bayona que promete ser una adición más al tropo del ‘artista obsesionado’ (ese tropo que vemos en “Whiplash” o “Cisne Negro”).

El filme está protagonizado por Belén Rueda en el papel de una autoritaria entrenadora de gimnasia rítmica cuya vida personal se resquebraja. A sus 60 años, Marisol (Rueda), Es una entrenadora emblemática de gimnasia rítmica de élite, la mejor. Es metódica, controladora, autoritaria, dominante, se irrita con facilidad y carece de la más mínima capacidad de autocrítica. Ha construido un mundo a su medida, que se resquebraja el día en que Octavio, su marido, le confiesa que se marcha de casa para rehacer su vida con una mujer más joven a la que ha dejado embarazada. Ella se embarca...

It’s a star-studded Marbella of the 1980s, and the glam Andalusian backdrop frames an opulent narrative that fuses suspense, betrayal and slow-simmering vengeance in the Atresmedia original series “Eva & Nicole,” teased by its producers – Spain’s Atresmedia TV (“Veneno”) alongside Good Mood (“Cristo y Rey”) – at the MipDrama showcase on April 7, a precursor to the broader MipTV international series market in Cannes, running April 8-10.

Handling global distribution, Atresmedia TV International Sales will attend MipTV.

One of only 10 international series selected by the MipDrama jury, the eight-episode affair is directed by David Molina, Antonio Hernández and Álvaro Vicario and structured around a fast-paced script written by Daniel Écija, Patricia Trueba, Andrés Martín Soto, Iñaki San Román, Paula López Cuervo and César Mendizábal.

The series opens with gusto at Nicole’s, the social club named after its owner who is framed from the back as she fiercely pulls open...

The votes are in: Atmospheric (and claustrophobic) Finnish mystery thriller “Icebreaker,” already one of the most buzzed of projects hitting the competition, has been crowned the winner of the 8th edition of MipDrama, receiving its Coup de Coeur award.

Sold by About Premium Content, created by Mia Ylönen, who exec produces with Aleksi Bardy, the Elisa Viihde-commissioned show “Icebreaker” is set on a stranded boat.

As its crew members start to disappear, one by one, coastguard Sanna Tanner (Jessica Grabowsky) is trying to find answers – but what she is dealing with goes way beyond rational explanations.

“We wanted to build up slowly, like a classic whodunnit, but you get a sense there is something else going on. Something is lurking on this ship, but we don’t know whether it’s human or not,” creator Mia Ylönen previously told Variety. The show is produced by Helsinki-filmi, an independent subsidiary of Aurora Studios.

Audiovisual from Spain, an umbrella brand created to support Spanish content producers and distributors, is organizing the first Brand New Spanish Content Breakfast, an invitation-only sales event for international buyers,

It’s unclear what’s being served but if it’s a typical Spanish breakfast, then expect some pinchos de tortilla, café con leche and some bollos (buns), at least. What is guaranteed is a widely diverse range of shows, from period dramas to thrillers, romcoms and children’s fare.

The Oct 17 event at the Seaview Producers Hub in Cannes will showcase the latest content from the most prominent Spanish distributors, led by such heavy hitters as Rtve, Moviestar +, Filmax, Atresmedia, Plano a Plano and Onza.

Acquisition execs attending will have pre-scheduled meetings based on their selections.

Audiovisual from Spain’s Mipcom participation is coordinated by Spanish trade institute Icex, with the support of the Spain Audiovisual Hub of the...

The director of last year’s Piggy, Spanish filmmaker Carlota Pereda is back with new movie The Chapel, and Filmax has shared the supernatural horror film’s teaser trailer today.

Carlota Pereda describes The Chapel as “a very personal story” about “how hard being a mother and daughter can be, how, sometimes, we don’t understand each other until we reach adulthood and, like in all ghost stories, it’s too late…. Or maybe, just maybe, this time, it isn’t.”

In the film, “Emma wants to learn how to communicate with the spirit of a little girl who has spent centuries trapped inside a chapel and so she tries to convince Carol, a skeptical and fake medium, to help her. Contacting the spirit will help her to remain close to her sick mother once she dies. What Carol doesn’t suspect is that Emma really does have “the gift” and,...

Belén Rueda stars in drama about demanding national gymnastics coach.

Spanish sales company Film Factory has boarded Laura Jou’s Free Falling, which is being produced by Juan Antonio Bayona and stars Belén Rueda.

Bayona, who directed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and The Impossible, is producing Free Fall alongside his regular producers Sandra Hermida and Belén Atienza at Suspense Entertainment, who are both behind Bayona’s upcoming The Society of Snow for Netflix. Free Fall is also co-produced by Oriol Maymó Corte at Confección de Películas.

Free Falling is Jou’s second feature after Life Without Sara Amat, which won plaudits from local reviewers.

Belén Rueda stars in drama about demanding national gymnastics coach.

Spanish sales company Film Factory has boarded Laura Jou’s Free Fall, which is being produced by Juan Antonio Bayona and stars Belén Rueda.

Bayona, who directed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and The Impossible, is producing Free Fall alongside his regular producers Sandra Hermida and Belén Atienza at Suspense Entertainment, who are both behind Bayona’s upcoming The Society of Snow for Netflix. Free Fall is also co-produced by Oriol Maymó Corte at Confección de Películas.

Free Fall is Jou’s second feature after Life Without Sara Amat, which won plaudits from local reviewers.

Phenomena is a brand-new release on Netflix, and we have a feeling that this story of a trio of paranormal investigators may be breaking its way into the streamer's top 10 films very soon. The premise is nothing new, but the characters are rich, complex, and completely engaged in this Spanish dark comedy based on the real-life group called the Hepta Group that investigated the unnatural. It stars Emilio Gutierrez Caba as Father Pilon, a priest who recruits three women to unite, each with a slightly different specialty in the field of tracking and communicating with the dead, to wage war with untold spirits and things from mysterious other planes of existence that are causing great discord for their Madrid-based clients. The women on his team include Gloria (Toni Acosta), who is a two-pack-a-day smoker who happens to be a gifted spiritual medium, Sagrario (Belen Rueda), a psychic and widow who...

Phenomena is a movie directed by Carlos Therón starringr Belén Rueda, Gracia Olayo and Toni Acosta.

Starting this Friday on Netflix.

Nice within its pretensions, and with the grace of letting us appreciate Belén Rueda in a horror film after having seen her in so many horror films… way more serious than this one.

Very curated in the photography… but in the rest, an entertainment that “goes to the point” and, without leaving its light tone, manages to entertain for a while and be forgotten very quickly.

Movie Review

It will not go down in history, but it leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth, without pretensions, without wanting to be anything other than what it is, without seeking to find the original and, with a tone of self-conscious parody, just aiming at entertaining without looking for absolutely nothing else.

Deeply Spanish, with that humor that succeeds in the Spain that consumes national production that,...

April is Halfway-to-Halloween, and this month embraces horror offerings accordingly. While The Pope’s Exorcist, Beau is Afraid, Renfield, and Evil Dead Rise ensure a robust theatrical slate for horror in April, the TV premieres get even more extensive. Of course, it doesn’t stop there. The new releases coming to streaming this month keep the Halloween spirit alive and well.

Here are ten noteworthy horror titles available for streaming in April 2023 on some of the most popular streaming services, along with when/where you can watch them.

Chupa – Netflix (April 7)

Chupa. Evan Whitten as Alex in Chupa. Cr: Netflix © 2023

The vampiric Chupacabra gets re-envisioned in Netflix’s fantasy film Chupa. The Nun’s Demián Bichir stars in this family adventure that sees a teen boy discover an adorable Chupacabra cub. Christian Slater also stars. Chupa is directed by Jonás Cuarón (Desierto), son of acclaimed filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón.

Holy Spider...

In an early market deal at this week’s Málaga Film Festival, Guido Rud’s sales house FilmSharks has nabbed worldwide sales rights to Spanish period thriller “Olvido” (“The Forgotten Killings”).

Directed by Inés París and written by Fermín P. Pina, “The Forgotten Killings” is produced by José Luis Rancaño at Madrid-based La Dalia Films.

Inés París’ “La noche que mi madre mató a mi padre,” also produced by Rancaño at La Dalia and starring Spain’s Belén Rueda and Argentina’s Diego Peretti, snagged the audience prize at the 2016 Málaga Film Festival.

In post-production, “The Forgotten Killings” is set in the Mediterranean city of Valencia in Oct. 1957. After the Turia River overflows its banks, journalist Olvido Granell and police sergeant Fermín Capilliure investigate the appearance of six bodies. But the bodies, which have not been victims of the fury of the river, appear with strange scars that point to a dark conspiracy.

La ermita

Not too many filmmakers on our list will have three film outputs in just as many years but this appears to be the case for madrileños filmmaker Carlota Pereda. After collective project The Devil’s Tail (2021) and Sundance breakout Piggy (2022), Pereda moved into Basque backdrop for La ermita. Production on her sophomore film took place in October with Belén Rueda toplining. Maia Zaitegi, Josean Bengoetxea, Loreto Mauleón, Jon Olivares, Elena Irureta and Nagore Aranburu also star in a tale of about a medium tormented by her past. Laura Fernández produces the project.

Gist: This tells the story of how Emma (Maia Zaitegi) who wants to learn how to communicate with the spirit of a girl who has been trapped in a hermitage for centuries, and to that end, she tries to persuade Carol (Rueda), a sceptical medium, to help her.…...

A producer on one of the highest-grossing of Spanish films in the last decade, Alex de la Iglesia’s “Perfect Strangers,” Madrid-based Nadie es Perfecto is ramping up production as it rebrands and, following the hire of ex-Netflix exec Juan Mayne, focuses on broadening its bridges with Mexico and Latin America.

In one move, Christopher Hool at Mexico’s Sdb Films has boarded two upcoming Nep titles, “La Navidad está en sus manos,” from Joaquín Mazón, and Kike Maillo’s”Locomía.”

Nep also adapted Mexican hit series “El Juego de la Llaves,” a property of Corazón Films, for Spain, producing with Warner Bros. and local broadcaster Atresmedia.

As a sign of its expanded ambitions, the company is now rebranding as Nadie es Perfecto+.

“We aim to make more films, be present in more series and open up to other formats, and we’re already advancing on a brace of titles,...

Spanish indie production shingle Nadie es Perfecto, producer of Alex de la Iglesia’s hit comedy “Perfectos Desconocidos,” has tapped former Netflix exec Juan Mayne to join the company as it revs up its slate with a slew of new projects.

These include two pics in pre-production: “La navidad en sus manos,” in co-production with Bowfinger and Esto También Pasará, directed by Joaquín Mazón, starring Ernesto Sevilla and with a special collaboration from actor-filmmaker Santiago Segura, who has worked with de la Iglesia and Guillermo del Toro; and “Locomía,” directed by Kike Maillo, starring Jaime Lorente and Alberto Ammann.

Mayne’s 20 plus years of experience in the entertainment industry includes stints at Warner Bros. and Disney before heading the film division of Netflix in Spain. Said Mayne: “I am tremendously excited to begin this new role as an independent producer in a company that has spent two decades telling the best stories,...

Valdimar Jóhannsson’s Icelandic-Swedish-Polish drama “Lamb,” starring Noomi Rapace was awarded best film and actress for Rapace at the 54th edition of Sitges’ International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, which wrapped Sunday.

The prizes add to an Originality Prize which the film received when competing at July’s Cannes Un Certain Regard.

“Lamb,” a horror-comedy combo, follows protagonist Maria, played by Rapace, a woman living with her husband in the total loneliness of the Icelandic countryside. According to a Variety review, “creepy-funny-weird-sad ‘Lamb’ proves just how far disbelief can be suspended if you’re in the hands of a director — and a cast, and a SFX/puppetry department — who really commit to the bit.” Lamb is produced by Go to Sheep, Black Spark Film & TV and Madants with New Europe Film Sales and A24 attached.

Rapace shared best actress honors with Susanne Jensen in Peter Brunner’s “Luzifer.” Justin Kurzel...

The festival draws near and more news comes our way in the manner of awards given out by the festival. Directors Mamoru Hosoda and Carlos Saura, and actress Belén Rueda, will receive the Grand Honorary Award at the festival. Hosoda is the director of beloved anime films like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars. Spanish actress Rueda is known for roles in The Orphanage and Julia's Eyes. Spanish director Saura's career has spanned over six decades.    Filmmakers Neill Blomkamp and Lucile Hadzihalilovic are also being recognized by the festival while presenting their latest films, Demonic and Earwig. There's more information in the annoucement below.    Mamoru Hosoda, Carlos Saura and Belén Rueda, Sitges 2021 Grand Honorary Award Winners   The Festival announces the...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The second fiction feature by Arantxa Echevarría, a comedy also starring Jesús Vidal, Gonzalo de Castro and Carolina Yuste, is nearing the end of post-production. With Carmen & Lola, a drama about youthful lesbian love that was set in the milieu of the Spanish Gypsy community, Bilbao-born Arantxa Echevarría garnered critical acclaim, was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and picked up a well-deserved Goya Award for Best New Director in 2019. For all these reasons, her new work, entitled La familia perfecta (lit. “The Perfect Family”), which the director shot last year and which is currently having the finishing touches put to its edit, is particularly hotly anticipated. On this occasion, it will represent a complete change of direction in terms of genre, concept and style, as it will be a madcap comedy starring Belén Rueda, José Coronado (who previously worked together on the thriller...

The shoot for the director’s second feature, a thriller toplined by the star of Palm Trees in the Snow and being produced by Filmax, wrapped in Barcelona in early July. Bearing the same Spanish title ("No matarás") as an episode of Dekalog by Krzysztof Kieslowski, Cross the Line will be the name of the second feature by David Victori, the Manresa, Barcelona-born filmmaker who won a YouTube competition in 2010 with his short film The Guilt and managed to get sponsorship from Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender for his subsequent short, Zero. Then, one year ago, he released his eagerly awaited feature debut, The Pact, a drama-horror toplined by Belén Rueda, which grossed more than €1.5 million in Spain and even secured a release in the USA. Now, after a six-week...

Mediaset España, Spain’s top-rated broadcaster, is reinforcing its content strategy with the launch of new brand Mediterráneo to integrate its affiliate production companies, as it unveils a strong TV drama slate for the 2018-19 TV season.

With a €40 million-€50 million ($45.30-$56.60 million) annual investment, Me represents a key pillar for the Spanish TV fiction sector. Currently it has 12 series projects underway, totaling 150 hours of TV drama production.

Newest TV fiction projects takes in Aitor Gabilondo’s “Madres,” Verónica Fernández’s “Caronte,” and Curro Royo and Miguel Angel Fernández’s “Desaparecidos.”

Me’s ambitious TV drama pipeline announcement comes amidst a Spanish TV fiction boom, with a spectacular increase of local series production -from 6 to 14 for the period 2014-17 – and new players such as Movistar + and Netflix aiming respectively around 14 and 12 original series for next year.

The move also comes after Atresmedia, Me’s main rival at the Spanish free-to-air TV market,...

Eleven films to play in competition.

Estonia’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (November 16 – December 2) has added twelve titles to its First Feature Competition.

Among the new entries are Spanish director Victor Cabaco’s A March To Remember, a 1976-set thriller following a radio journalist during a workers’ strike in a provincial capital.

From India is Hello Arsi, chronicling the day in the life of two strangers who have met on a highway and go on to share a car ride and conversation. Director Sambit Mohanty passed away last year soon after shooting completed.

Eleven of the new titles are in competition,...

Exclusive: HBO Latino has snapped up U.S. rights to thriller Dark Buildings (Las Grietas De Jara) and comedy Empowered (Sin Rodeos) from Argentinian sales outfit FilmSharks.

Oscar Martinez (The Distinguished Citizen) and Joaquin Furriel (La Quietud) star in the former about a dark secret at an architecture firm. The film has also been picked up by HBO Europe for Eastern Europe. Disney/Buena Vista previously picked up multi-territory rights to the movie in South America.

Comedy Empowered comes from Torrente franchise director Santiago Segura and stars Maribel Verdu (Pan’s Labyrinth) in the lead role as a woman who, after a visit to an Indian healer, starts saying aloud what she would previously have only thought. The pic has also newly sold to Edel for German-speaking Europe. Previous deals included Contracorriente for Spain, Colarado for Italy and Palace Pictures for Aus/Nz.

Meanwhile, also for FilmSharks, Tribeca horror You...

Directed by “La Casa Muda’s” Gustavo Hernández and starring “The Orphanage’s” Belén Rueda, “No dormirás” (“You Shall Not Sleep”) continues to rack up new major territory sales for FilmSharks Intl.

Produced among others by Pablo Bossi (“Nine Queens”), “You Shall Not Sleep” is one major highlight at Thursday’s Blood Window showcase Latin American Genre Films Today.

It is set in an abandoned psychiatric hospital, where a radical theater group experiments with insomnia, falling prey to the place’s dark energies.

The building supernatural chiller caught attention last August when 20th Century Fox stepped in to acquire rights to the U.S., most of Latin America and German-speaking territories.

Receiving its international premiere at the recent Tribeca Festival, “You Shall Not Sleep” has now been sold by FilmSharks Intl. to At Entertainment for Japan, Sycomad for Korea and StarCastle for Mexico, Peru, Ecuador & Bolivia. On other unannounced sales,...

Sony Pictures International Productions, Ikiru Films and 4Cats Pictures are set to co-produce El Pacto, the feature directorial debut of David Victori whose digital series Zero was produced by Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender. Belen Rueda is starring in the horror thriller with filming underway in Barcelona. Rueda plays Monica, a woman faced with the unexpected and imminent death of her only daughter, who will have to descend into Hell itself in order to stop it from…...

Sony Pictures International Productions has come on board to co-produce the feature film debut of up-and-coming Spanish filmmaker David Victori, greenlighting his horror thriller El Pacto (The Covenant) together with Spanish producers Ikiru Films and 4Cats Pictures.

El Pacto follows Monica, a mother who, faced with the unexpected and imminent death of her only daughter, descends into Hell itself to stop it from happening. Belen Rueda (The Orphanage) will play the lead, with fellow Spaniards Mireia Oriol and Dario Grandinetti co-starring.

“What would you be capable of doing to stop the death of a loved one and what happens to...

The first teaser poster and trailer have arrived for No Dormiras (You Shall Not Sleep), the latest horror offering from Uruguayan director Gustavo Hernandez (The Silent House).    Though the film is only beginning production they were quick to gather some snippets of footage together including a foreboding shot of the beguiling Belen Rueda at the end. The teaser poster also conveys a sense of helplessness and despair.      In an abandoned psychiatric hospital, a theater company experiments with insomnia for the preparation of a stageplay. As the days without sleep go by, they cross new thresholds of perception, that expose them to the secrets of the place and the energies that inhabit it.    When Bianca, a young actress ,  joins the cast,...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Exclusive: Anick Poirier and her team have licensed key territories on the elevated Spanish sci-fi from Cactus Flower Producciones, Mono Films, Dynamo and Telefonica Studios.

Orbiter 9 has gone to The Jokers Films for France, Koch Films for Germany, Lemon Tree for China, Exponenta Film for Russia, Activers Entertainment for South Korea, and Nettai Museum for Japan.

Hatem Khraiche Ruiz-Zorrilla makes his feature directorial debut on the story about Helena, a young woman alone on a deep space mission whose parents abandoned ship 20 years earlier to save the mission.

Helena’s life is transformed when an isolated engineer enters her life. Clara Lago (pictured), Alex Gonzalez, Andres Parra and Belen Rueda star.

The Spanish production filmed in San Sebastián and Victoria in Spain, and Medellín in Colombia.

“The response to Orbiter 9 has been incredibly strong,” said Poirier. “We are fortunate to be working with Hatem and producers Cristian and Miguel, and we are thrilled to be handling this bold...

Exclusive: Spanish sci-fi is from writer-director Ruiz-Zorrilla.

Seville International chief Anick Poirier and her team haved kicked off sales at Toronto Internatioanl Film Festival (Sept 8-18) on Hatem Khraiche Ruiz-Zorrilla’s [pictured] Spanish feature directorial debut Orbiter 9.

Ruiz-Zorrilla wrote the elevated sci-fi from Cactus Flower Productions, Mono Films, Narcos producers Dynamo, and Telefonica Studios. The story centres on a young woman alone on a deep space mission after her parents abandoned ship 20 years ago whose world is turned upside-down when a sole engineer arrives.

Clara Lago, Alex Gonzalez, Andres Parra and Belen Rueda star in Orbiter 9, which shot in Spain and Colombia. Cristian Conti and Miguel Menéndez serve as producers. Ruiz-Zorrilla previously wrote and directed several award-winning short films including Goya nominee Machu Picchu.

“Hatem is a master of melding high-concept, moody narratives with authentic human emotion, weaving the interpersonal stakes of his protagonists with repercussions much larger than themselves,” said Montreal-based Seville International senior vice-president of sales...

'The Sea Inside': Javier Bardem and director Alejandro Amenábar. 'The Sea Inside': Outstanding supporting cast help to lift flawed Right to Die drama Alejandro Amenábar's The Sea Inside often verges on melodrama, featuring as its centerpiece a showy performance by Javier Bardem as a tetraplegic man eager to end his life “with dignity.” Its not inconsiderable flaws notwithstanding – including a simplistic “right to die” debate – this real-life-inspired drama is in and of itself both compelling and touching enough to merit a look; but what makes The Sea Inside a must-see are the superb performances of those in Bardem's periphery. The story revolves around Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem), a middle-aged man who has been bed-ridden and dependent on the care of others since a diving accident in his early 20s. (Hence the original Spanish title “Into the Sea.”) Yearning for freedom from his mostly immobile body,...

Marvellous, Happy Valley, The Missing and Lilyhammer were among the major winners at the Golden Nymph Awards.

Prince Albert II presented awards to leading drama and comedy programmes tonight (June 18) as part of the 55th Monte-Carlo Television Festival.

Happy Valley took the night's top prize for Best European Drama Series, and its lead actress Sarah Lancashire was named Outstanding Actress for Drama.

Best International Drama and Outstanding Dramatic Actor went to Gomorrah and its star Marco D'Amore respectively.

Winners for comedy included Welcome to Sweden for Best International Series, Lilyhammer and its star Steven Van Zandt for Best European Comedy and Outstanding Actor, and B&b, de boca en boca's Belen Rueda as Outstanding Actress.

Marvellous was named Best Television Film, while its stars Toby Jones and Gemma Jones won in the film acting categories.

The Missing was named Best Miniseries, with the category's acting awards going to Anthony Hayes...

Anzac Girls, Secrets & Lies and Love Child have been nominated for the Monte Carlo Television Festival.s Golden Nymph Awards.

Screentime.s Anzac Girls and Hoodlum.s Secrets & Lies are in the running for best miniseries and Playmaker Media.s Love Child is up for best drama.

Anzac Girls. Georgia Flood is nominated for best actress in a miniseries and Love Child.s Jonathan Lapaglia and Secrets & Lies. Anthony Hayes are vying for best actor in the drama and miniseries categories.

Aussie Frances O'Connor gets a nod for best actress for her work in the British miniseries The Missing.

The Monte Carlo TV Festival and Golden Nymph Awards were founded in 1961 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to "encourage a new art form, in the service of peace and understanding between the people."

Last year Top of the Lake won three gongs: best miniseries and best actor and actress for Peter Mullan and Elisabeth Moss.

A Monster Calls

Director: Juan Antonio Bayona // Writer: Patrick Ness

Spanish filmmaker Juan Antonio Bayona began as one of the talents supported by Guillermo Del Toro, blazing into the international horror realm back in 2007 with The Orphanage, which showcased the wonderful Belen Rueda. But his 2012 sophomore film, The Impossible, which depicted the onslaught and aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand, that really brought Bayona acclaim. That film snagged Naomi Watts an Oscar nod for Best Actress and proved the director’s penchant and flair for working with big budget special effects. We’re quite excited to see that he’s adapting Patrick Ness’ celebrated children’s book A Monster Calls for his third feature, which concerns a little boy coping with his mother’s terminal illness and being bullied at school with the help of a tree monster. Liam Neeson stars as said monster, while Felicity Jones plays the...

★★★☆☆ Spanish horror The Body (2012) is the entertaining directorial debut from Oriol Paulo, the scribe behind 2010's Julia's Eyes. Opening on a stormy night, we see the white-eyed security guard of a morgue fleeing for his life, only to be hit by a car and end up in hospital, comatose. So the mystery begins. Enter Inspector Jaime Peña (José Coronado), a coffee-swilling chain-smoker who's haunted by his own dark past. He quickly discovers that a body has vanished without a trace, and that the only potential suspect is the dead woman's husband and business partner Álex (Hugo Silva), whom Jaime brings in for questioning.

After these riveting first fifteen minutes we, learn that Álex is indeed the murderer, but there's a twist - he wasn't responsible for the disappearance of the body. For the most part, the film's drama is contained within the setting of the shadowy morgue, accompanied by atmospheric (if hammy) thunder and lightning.

The Body, the sharp, claustrophobic thriller from the producers of The Orphanage arrives on DVD & Blu-ray 9th September and we’ve got 5 copies of the movie to give away on Blu-ray.

The Oriol Paulo directed film gained rave reviews when it screened at last year’s London Film Festival and stars Belen Rueda (The Orphanage) as the titular Body. Paulo is best known for his writing duties on the critically acclaimed Julia’s Eyes (2010) but here makes his feature-length directorial debut which firmly places him as one to watch.

Inspector Jaime is haunted by his own past which is dragged out of the shadows by the disappearance of a body from the morgue. On the case, Jaime must investigate how a corpse can vanish from its freezer without a trace, the only witness being a guard left in a coma cause by indescribable fear.

With his own nightmares driving him to despair,...

Rodar y Rodar's new flim, The Body (El Cuerpo) directed by Oriol Paulo, has found itself some Stateside distribution via Outsider Pictures. Still no word on when we'll be seeing it here, but at least we know that it's coming.

The film stars Jaime Pena as a police inspector sent to investigate the disappearance of a woman's body from a morgue. José Coronado, Belén Rueda, Hugo Silva, and Aura Garrido also star.

Synopsis

While fleeing in panic, a man is knocked over by a lorry. When the police arrive, they discover that he is the night watchman at a morgue near the site of the accident. When they enter his workplace, they find that one of the bodies, Mayka Villaverde, a society personality, has disappeared from Room 3.

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Screen Daily reports that a new version of Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Orphanage (pictured), previously attempted by New Line Cinema with Larry Fessenden and then The Mothman Prophecies’ Mark Pellingon at the helm, is on the schedule of Spanish company Rodar y Rodar, which produced the original. Also on its slate is a similar revamp of Guillem Morales’ blindness chiller Julia’S Eyes, which starred Orphanage’s Belén Rueda; both movies had del Toro on their producing teams. Rodar y Rodar further plans to revisit Morales’ 2004 psychological chiller The Uninvited Guest and the mystery/thriller The Body, which marked the directorial debut of Eyes scripter Oriol Paulo, in English. For more on director Andy Muschietti’s Mama, including words with Guillermo del Toro, pick up Fango #320, on sale now.

Screen Daily reports that a new version of Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Orphanage (pictured), previously attempted by New Line Cinema with Larry Fessenden and then The Mothman Prophecies’ Mark Pellingon at the helm, is on the schedule of Spanish company Rodar y Rodar, which produced the original. Also on its slate is a similar revamp of Guillem Morales’ blindness chiller Julia’S Eyes, which starred Orphanage’s Belén Rueda; both movies had del Toro on their producing teams. Rodar y Rodar further plans to revisit Morales’ 2004 psychological chiller The Uninvited Guest and the mystery/thriller The Body, which marked the directorial debut of Eyes scripter Oriol Paulo, in English. For more on director Andy Muschietti’s Mama, including words with Guillermo del Toro, pick up Fango #320, on sale now.

Screen Daily reports that a new version of Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Orphanage (pictured), previously attempted by New Line Cinema with Larry Fessenden and then The Mothman Prophecies’ Mark Pellingon at the helm, is on the schedule of Spanish company Rodar y Rodar, which produced the original. Also on its slate is a similar revamp of Guillem Morales’ blindness chiller Julia’S Eyes, which starred Orphanage’s Belén Rueda; both movies had del Toro on their producing teams. Rodar y Rodar further plans to revisit Morales’ 2004 psychological chiller The Uninvited Guest and the mystery/thriller The Body, which marked the directorial debut of Eyes scripter Oriol Paulo, in English. For more on director Andy Muschietti’s Mama, including words with Guillermo del Toro, pick up Fango #320, on sale now.