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Having dominated the Netflix charts for weeks and emerging as one of the streamer's most-watched originals ever, the British thriller series Adolescence was beaten to the number one spot on Sunday by the new release The Gardener. The Spanish-language romantic thriller scored more points than Adolescence, according to FlixPatrol, a platform that compiles data across streamers to tabulate rankings. On Sunday, Adolescence scored 659 points, while The Gardener led the field with 761 points. The recently released seventh season of the dystopian science-fiction anthology series Black Mirror took the third spot, while the poorly received medical drama Pulse finished fourth. The top five list was rounded out by the true-crime series Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing.

Starring Álvaro Rico, The Gardener follows Elmer, a young man who works as an assassin for his controlling mother. Elmer feels no emotion; it's a condition that he has lived with after a childhood accident.

And Still the Seed (or Todavía la Semilla) is a Puerto Rican short film about protecting and preserving the genetic history of the trees that are native to the country. It’s hardly 14 minutes long, and it manages to deliver such an effective message about how easy it is to keep our planet green and how we choose to destroy our national resources in such violent ways regardless. The Perfect Tomato (alternatively titled El Tomate Perfecto) is about a tomato farmer’s deep-rooted ties to his farm, how it stands at odds with his daughter’s pottery business and his granddaughter’s education, and the decision he makes in order to remember his past while paving the way for his family’s sustainable and healthy future. The wheat-cutting scenes in Rebel Moon have been lambasted, but I think it’s the best farming documentary Zack Snyder has made or is...

An accident left local gardener Elmer void of emotions, making him the perfect lackey for his strict mother, who runs a murder-for-hire business. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with his next target, his mother struggles to keep him on track. Created by Miguel Sáez Carral (Raising Voices), The Gardener stars Álvaro Rico, Cecilia Suárez, and Catalina Sopelana. This series was co-written by Carral and Isa Sánchez (The Ministry of Time), and directed by Mikel Rueda (Veneno) and Rafa Montesinos (Perdida).

Stream all six episodes now.

Check it out at the top of this page.

Elmer (Álvaro Rico) works at a garden center run by his controlling mother. He’s unfazed by her demands, however: A car accident when he was a kid left him without the ability to feel emotions. It’s a bonus for his mom, La China Jurado (Cecilia Suárez), because her business is a front...

Estreno este abril. © Netflix

Netflix ha publicado el primer tráiler y póster de la serie El jardinero, creada por Miguel Sáez Carral (Ni una más).

El jardinero sigue a Elmer (Rico) y de su controladora madre, La China Jurado (Suárez), gerente de un vivero que sirve de tapadera a un próspero negocio clandestino de asesinatos por encargo. Para Elmer, matar es lo más fácil del mundo, ya que un accidente le privó de sentimientos. Sin embargo, cuando planea el asesinato de la encantadora Violeta (Sopelana), una maestra de guardería, se enamora de ella. Ahora, Elmer debe aprender a amar mientras su madre hace todo lo posible para acabar con la vida de Violeta.

La serie de seis episodios está protagonizada por Álvaro Rico (Élite), Cecilia Suárez (Puntos suspensivos) y Catalina Sopelana. Completan el reparto Ivan Massagué (El hoyo), Emma Suárez (Desmontando un elefante), María Vázquez (Los pequeños amores) y Javier Morgade,...

Estreno este abril. © Netflix

Netflix ha publicado el primer avance de la serie El jardinero, creada por Miguel Sáez Carral (Ni una más), y ha anunciado su fecha de estreno.

El jardinero sigue a Elmer (Rico) y de su controladora madre, La China Jurado (Suárez), gerente de un vivero que sirve de tapadera a un próspero negocio clandestino de asesinatos por encargo. Para Elmer, matar es lo más fácil del mundo, ya que un accidente le privó de sentimientos. Sin embargo, cuando planea el asesinato de la encantadora Violeta (Sopelana), una maestra de guardería, se enamora de ella. Ahora, Elmer debe aprender a amar mientras su madre hace todo lo posible para acabar con la vida de Violeta.

La serie de seis episodios está protagonizada por Álvaro Rico (Élite), Cecilia Suárez (Puntos suspensivos) y Catalina Sopelana. Completan el reparto Ivan Massagué (El hoyo), Emma Suárez (Desmontando un elefante), María Vázquez...

Series from Atresmedia TV, Rtve, Movistar Plus+, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (“La Mesías”), Zeta Studios (“Elite”) and director Carlota Pereda and Morena Films (behind Sundance hit “Piggy”) will unspool or be unveiled at the Berlinale. They underscore the breadth and depth of Spanish TV output:

“Death to Love,”

Carlota Pereda dazzled at Sundance with first feature, “Piggy.” Now, Pereda’s at the Berlinale Co-Pro Series on Feb. 20 with her debut series, “Death to Love,” in which afemale vampire struggles over centuries to end a toxic relationship with her vampire female lover and culminates in a modern-day climax. “A visceral and romantic proposition,” Pereda says.

“Dressed in Blue: Veneno Season 2,”

The Sundance world premiere “La Mesías” sealed the standing of Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi as most probably the coolest creative duo in Spain. This time around, they produce, with Mikel Rueda, a director on “Veneno,” and Claudia Costafreda and Ian de la Rosa,...

“Veneno” writer-director-creators Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo – popularly known as Los Javis – have dropped an international trailer for its sequel, “Vestida de Azul” (“Veneno 2: Dressed in Blue”) sharing it in exclusivity with Variety.

Sold to HBO Max for the U.S., where it aired to acclaim, “Veneno” was picked as one of Variety’s best international series in 2020.

This time round, Los Javis produce through Suma Content, the Madrid-based label they launched in 2021, where they also serve as its creative directors. The series is its fourth production after “Una navidad con Samantha Hudson,” a Christmas special, “Cardo,” and “Cardo 2.” An Atresplayer original series, “Vestidas de Azul” is produced for Atresmedia Television in collaboration with Suma Content. Atresmedia TV International Sales handles international distribution.

The trailer begins two years after “Veneno” with Valeria, her figure inspired by the real-life Spanish journalist Valeria Vegas who penned La Veneno’s memoirs, returning...

Spanish SVOD service Atresplayer Premium has announced at the Berlinale Series Market a raft of new cast members joining the continuation of its award-winning trans series “Veneno,” which played on HBO Max in the U.S. to large acclaim.

Joining the cast of the seven-episode series “Vestidas De Azul” are supporting cast members Susana Abaitua (“Crazy about Her”), Elena Irureta (“Patria”), Luis Callejo (“Jefe”), drag artist Estrella Xtravaganza, Mercedes Sampietro and Anabel Alonso (“7 Vidas”), among others.

The announcement was made at a Q&a on Monday focused on the continuation of the series. It forms part of a Next from Spain event focusing on first looks at four new series.

Currently shooting, Atresmedia,Atresolayer Premium parent, says it plans to begin streaming the new series in the fourth quarter of the year.

The original series was based on the life of Cristina Ortiz Rodríguez (La Veneno), a famous trans personality and singer from Spain.

This year’s Berlinale Series Market kicks off Monday as Spanish series “The Snow Girl,” a missing girl suspense thriller produced by Spain’s Atípica Films, has attracted huge heat for Netflix, punching 101.7 million hours watched in its first three weeks. Doing so, it ranked as the streamer’s No. 1 non-English show in the world over Jan. 30 – Feb. 5.

In all, Spain has more shows and movies in Netflix’s all time non-English Top 10s than any other country in the world, seven to France’s two, for example.

Spain, it could be argued, has cracked online. But its drama series industry wants to ring more options.

As scripted commissions look to have dropped from second half 2022 in not only the U.S. but also Europe and Latin America, an energetic posse of Spanish producers and stars are rolling into Berlin to present new productions. These look set to explore an...

‘+90dB’

A Basque rock band travels the globe playing to diehard fans from Japan, the U.S., Germany and France. Marina Lameiro’s second film, produced by Arena Comunicación and Txalap.art.

‘918 Nights’

Arantza Santesteban writes and directs her first feature documentary in which she explores the experience of being incarcerated for what seemed to be 918 nights. Txintxua Films and Hiruki Filmak currently produce.

‘Bromo: Agent Gernika’

Directed by Gerard Escuer the documentary follows the tumultuous life of José Laradogoitia a Basque double spy that worked against the Nazis during the World War Two. Produced by Area Audiovisual the documentary that plays with fictionalized scenes was selected in the Co production Forum of Documentaries Lau Haizetara on the 67th edition of San Sebastian. Is currently in preproduction.

‘Bye, Bye, Mr. Etxebeste’

Asier Altuna and Telmo Esnal’s follow-up to their 2005 social satire “Hello, Mr. Etxebeste,” the first Basque-language feature in years,...

“4×4”

(Television Abierta, Mediapro)

First solo feature from Mariano Cohn, this is a pointed social dramedy about a thief trapped in a 4 x 4 by the car’s owner.

Sales: Latido

“Advantages of Traveling by Train”

(Morena Films, Señor y Señora Films, Logical Pictures)

Aritz Moreno’s debut feature, penned by Javier Gullón, revolves around stories told by untrustworthy narrators: a young editor and a psychiatrist who unexpectedly meet on a train.

Sales: Seville Intl.

“A Sun That Never Sets”

(Miramemira, Kowalski Films, 4 A 4 Prods., Tarantula)

Olivier Laxe, 2016’s Cannes Critics’ winner, now plays Un Certain Regard with this arthouse thriller about a convicted arsonist returning to his native Galician forests.

“Baby”

(Fragil Zinema)

A young junkie gives her newborn baby to a child trafficking racket and soon regrets the act. Juanma Bajo Ulloa directs.

“Bikes”

(Animation Bikes A.I.E., Cvc Group, Aleph Media)

The first Spain-China co-production is an animated...

A selection of Basque pictures, projects and productions in 2018:

70 Big Ones

Sayaka Producciones, Pokeepsie Films, La Panda Producciones and Setenta Invisibles L.P. Aie produce the next thriller from Basque genre specialist Koldo Serra (“The Backwoods”), starring Emma Suárez, Nathalie Poza and Hugo Silva. It features a desperate woman in need of $41,000, with two muggers in her way. Filmax handles world sales.

Above 592 Metres

Maddi Barber’s latest explores the life chances left when a territory is completely altered by the construction of the Itoiz dam in the Navarrese Pyrenees. Selected by prestigious shorts program Kimuak, “Above” screens at the 9th Zinemira Basque film showcase and competes for the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award.

Advantages Of Traveling By Train

Acquired by Entertainment One’s Seville International and produced by San Sebastian-based Sr. y Sra. and Madrid’s Morena Films, this film, starring Luis Tosar and Pilar Castro, marks Aritz Moreno’s feature debut,...

The festival’s Zabaltegi strand is introducing a competition for the first time.

The 64th San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 16-24) has completed the line-up for its Zabaltegi-Tabakalera strand, which will be competitive for the first time.

New additions include sci-fi Midnight Special from Us filmmaker Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud), which premiered at the Berlinale in February.

Todd Solondz comedy-drama Wiener-Dog, first seen at Sundance in January, has also been selected for the strand. It marks the third time the Us writer/director has been chosen for Zabaltegi, after presenting Happiness in 1998 and Storytelling in 2001.

As previously announced, Bertrand Tavernier’s Voyage A Travers Le Cinema Francais (A Journey Through French Cinema) will open the strand.

Other highlights include Gimme Danger, Jim Jarmusch’s documentary about Iggy Pop and The Stooges, which premired at Cannes in May.

Also in the line-up is Portuguese director João Pedro Rodrigues’s fifth feature O Ornitólogo (L’Ornithologue), playing in competition...

Three Spanish titles will compete for this year’s Golden Shell.Scroll down for full line-up

This 64th San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 16-24) has revealed the line-up of Spanish titles that will play across its sections.

There will be a total of 15 Spanish-produced films on show, including four shorts.

Competing for the Golden Shell – the festival’s top prize – will be Alberto Rodríguez’s El Hombre De Las Mil Caras (Smoke And Mirrors), Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Que Dios Nos Perdone (May God Save Us) and Jonás Trueba’s La Reconquista (The Reconquest), all of which are world premieres.

Goya Award-winning director Alberto Rodríguez is nominated for his third Golden Shell following 2014’s Marshland and 2005’s 7 Virgins. El Hombre De Las Mil Caras (Smoke And Mirrors) [pictured top] tells the story of spy Fransisco Paesa.

Rodrigo Sorogoyen presents his third feature Que Dios Nos Perdone (May God Save Us) – following 2013’s Goya-nominated Stockholm – which tells the story of a detective...

Three Spanish titles will compete for this year’s Golden Shell.Scroll down for full line-up

This 64th San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 16-24) has revealed the line-up of Spanish titles that will play across its sections.

There will be a total of 15 Spanish-produced films on show, including four shorts.

Competing for the Golden Shell – the festival’s top prize – will be Alberto Rodríguez’s El Hombre De Las Mil Caras (Smoke And Mirrors), Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Que Dios Nos Perdone (May God Save Us) and Jonás Trueba’s La Reconquista (The Reconquest), all of which are world premieres.

Goya Award-winning director Alberto Rodríguez is nominated for his third Golden Shell following 2014’s Marshland and 2005’s 7 Virgins. El Hombre De Las Mil Caras (Smoke And Mirrors) [pictured top] tells the story of spy Fransisco Paesa.

Rodrigo Sorogoyen presents his third feature Que Dios Nos Perdone (May God Save Us) – following 2013’s Goya-nominated Stockholm – which tells the story of a detective...

London Lgbt film festival records biggest box office to date.

BFI Flare: London Lgbt Film Festival concluded on Sunday (March 29) with the European premiere of Malcolm Ingram’s new documentary, Out To Win, celebrating the battle for equality by Lgbt sports people. Special guests included director Malcolm Ingram and basketball star John Amaechi.

The closing night screening broke all box office records in the festival’s 29 years, with audiences of more than 23,500 recorded over the 11-day festival - up by 6.8% on the previous year.

This year’s festival also saw a step-change in industry attendance with a substantial increase in delegate accreditation, including 120 film-makers and more than 200 other industry attendees.

An expanded industry offering included a series of daily workshops on all aspects of film-making, fund-raising, marketing and the creative process.

Mentorship

The inaugural BFI Flare Mentorship programme in association with Creative Skillset was launched with five film-makers.

A partnership between BFI Flare and the British Council...

Cannes slate includes trio of classics as well as slew of new films, including pictures from Arto Halonen and Tala Hadid.

Wide Management has picked up international sales on Jean Renoir’s 1939 picture The Bitch (La Chienne), which is screening in Cannes Classics this year.

The tale of a humble clerk who falls victim to a prostitute and her violent, scheming pimp, was Renoir’s second sound film.

It recently restored by Les Films du Jeudi - the historic production company of Renoir’s late producer Pierre Braunbreger - and the Cinémathèque Francaise with the support of France’s National Cinema Centre and the DGA and WGA-backed Franco-American Cultural Fund.

“Screening in Cannes Classics gives a masterpiece like La Chienne, which is part of cinema history, a new lease of life and visibility,” said Wide Management’s founding chief, Loic Magneron. “This is a timeless classic that should be seen by new audiences.”

Wide’s slate...