Netflix, Amazon Among Top Investors Expanding Spain’s Entertainment Biz

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Germany’s Beta has licensed Spanish special ops thriller “La Unidad – Kabul,” to Max for the U.S., the third instalment in one of Movistar Plus+’s longest running franchises, “La Unidad,” whose six episodes deliver an engrossing and sometimes shocking take on the 2021 Fall of Kabul. With the purchase, all 18 episodes of Spanish series “La Unidad” are now available to stream on Max in the U.S.   Beta has previously sold the thriller, spangled by action scenes and haunting in its sudden deaths, to 50 territories including France, Latin America, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Australia.  

Prime Video is not about to let rival Netflix forget about its previously benevolent attitude toward password sharing.

Emiliano De Pablos Variety’s Global Locations Panel Conversations kicked off Saturday with a focus on Spain in which Juan-Manuel Guimeráns, Spain Film Commission general secretary, posited a new further reason for shooting in Spain.  Much is made of the country’s OMG locations, highlighted in “Game of Thrones,” its talent and technical prowess, and now extraordinary incentives. Now, as big international companies seek cost control and to promote sustainability, increasing attention will be paid to the Spanish industry’s ability to produce quality, cost-effective film and TV content very largely shot on a limited number of soundstages. Variety’s John Hopewell, in conversation with Guimeráns, pointed to the example of milestone series from Spain, such as “Grand Hotel,” “Velvet” and the first two parts of “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”). In the final stretches of the conversation, Guimeráns drilled down on some of key projects and recently opened studio facilities in Spain. 

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Álvaro Morte, immortalized by his performance as the Professor in “Money Heist,” has inked a multi-year producing deal with Sony Pictures Television through his Madrid-based production company 300 Pistolas, which he founded alongside Blanca Clemente. The accord sees 300 Pistolas, a theater company, making the transition into producing scripted TV, with Morte developing English-language scripted series exclusively with SPT, which he and Clemente will serve on as producers via 300 Pistolas.  Morte and Clemente will have access to SPT’s development teams. SPT will serve as exclusive production and distribution partner to any projects produced under the deal, SPT confirmed Wednesday.

Back in 2012, Liam Scholey and Andres Budnik, assistants at WME and Creative Partners Group respectively, met by chance at Laurel Hardware, a vibey bar-restaurant in West Hollywood. Scholey, who grew up in Panama, overheard the Chilean Budnik speaking Spanish, and the two got to talking.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent CANNES —  Belinda, one of Mexico’s biggest popstars and a star of Netflix hit “Welcome to Eden,” is attached to headline “The Red Diamond,” the latest project from Erik Barmack’s L.A. and Mexico City-based Wild Sheep Content. One of the fastest-growing of production companies in international markets, Wild Sheep has a production alliance with The Mediapro Studio.  “The Red Diamond” is also set up at Mexico City’s Wild Sheep Content Latin America, headed by producer Jimena Rodríguez who produced “3 Idiots,” the second highest-grossing Mexican movie of 2017. Rodríguez was instrumental in helping bringing Belinda to the project.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Spain’s Revelations showcase has focused on shorts, not features, unveiling the huge breadth of animation talent and techniques in Spain. Some shorts directors are already stars, such as Alberto Mielgo with the Oscar-winner “The Windshield Wiper.” Diego Porral, director of “Leopoldo From the Bar,” served as animation lead on “Love, Death + Robots” episode “Kill Team Kill.” Standouts among new projects in Revelations included “Latente,” a Next Lab Generation winner from Carlos Zaragoza and Aurora Jiménez, and Martín Romero’s “To Bird or Not to Bird,” from Uniko and Abano Producións, which is a 2D short made largely in black and white featuring an angst-ridden clock cuckoo and other birds beset by environmental destruction.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Former Netflix exec Juan Mayne has hung up his own shingle, Madrid-based N&L Films, built with strong talent relationships, a strategic alliance with Exile Content Studio and a sure sense of market opportunities. Exile Content Studio and N&L Films have struck a first-look development deal. Jeff Glaser, who oversaw Netflix production finance in Mexico City and Madrid, has joined N&L Films.  N&L’s first slate include a Mexican remake of “Miracle in Cell No. 7” and “Aristides: A Righteous Life,” the true-life account of a Portuguese diplomat who saved thousands from the Nazis in WWII, from Seanne Winslow.

MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish court on Friday ordered Jade Jagger, the daughter of Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, to pay 2,200 euros ($2,422) in fines and compensation for attacking a police officer on the island of Ibiza. The 51-year-old jewelry designer was arrested on Wednesday along with a man following an altercation at a restaurant in the island's capital, Ibiza Town.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Spain’s status as Cannes’ Marché du Film’s Country of Honor is a “milestone,” says María Peña, CEO of ICEX Spain Trade & Investment. But it’s also a mark of recognition, she says, after Spain’s big wins just this year at the Berlinale (three prizes for Estibaliz Urresola’s “20,000 Species of Bees”) and France’s Cesars (foreign film win for “The Beasts” and actor trophy to Benoît Magimel for Albert Serra’s “Pacification” and cinematography for its DP, Artur Tort). Peña also points to April’s MipTV, where Rafael Cobos’ “The Left Handed Son,” from Movistar Plus+, won Canneseries’ Short Format Competition, and “The Caravan,” produced by Barcelona’s Caravan Films, the first MipDoc International Buyers Screenings honors.

Sales: Luxbox Living in an idyllic Andalusia, a couple in love grapples with the realities of making a living through OnlyFans. Screened at Seville and Tallinn. Sales: Begin Again Films. One of the big Spanish action-thrillers hitting this Cannes market, from a specialist (“Sky High”). Pre-sold to France (Kinovista), Germany and Italy (Koch Media) with Tripictures releasing in Spain. Sales: Latido

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Spain’s Nostromo Pictures, producer of “Through My Window,” one of the most-watched non-English movies ever on Netflix, is producing “Control Room,” a female-led sci-fi action movie pitched by producer Adrián Guerra as “‘Aliens’ meets ‘The Guilty.’” Based on an original screenplay from Julien Deladrière, “Control Room” is directed by Luiso Berdejo, helmer of “The New Daughter,” starring Kevin Coster, and writer of horror smash hit “[REC”].” Produced by Guerra, Nuria Valls and Miguel Angel Faura for Nostromo Pictures, “Control Room” is currently in post-production. Film Factory is launching worldwide sales at Cannes.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are enjoying their pre-summer vacation!

MADRID (Reuters) - Jade Jagger, the daughter of Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, has been arrested on the Spanish island of Ibiza for attacking police officers, a police source said on Thursday without providing further details. The 51-year-old jewelry designer had been staying at a hotel on the popular party island since at least May 11, according to her Instagram account.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Founded in 1953, bought by Julio Fernández in 1987 and now run by his brother Carlos Fernandez and daughter Laura Fernández, Filmax is one of its biggest true-blue independent studios in Spain, involved in film and TV pro- duction, and movie distribution, international film and TV sales and exhibition. Founded in 1953, bought by Julio Fernández in 1987 and now run by his brother Carlos Fernandez and daughter Laura Fernández, Filmax is one of its biggest true-blue independent studios in Spain, involved in film and TV production, and movie distribution, international film and TV sales and exhibition. How it got there is another question. “At Filmax, we’ve always bet on creative talent. In Spain, there’s always been creative talents that have revolutionized its sector: Architects, artists and designers,” says Laura Fernández, a Filmax executive producer. “Filmax has known how to find talent in all parts of film production: Composers, screenwriters, DPs, casting, VFX and directors.”

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Five Catalan movies made Cannes Festival’s cut, six were selected for Marché du Film sections. Details and other top Catalan movies on the Croisette: “20,000 Species of Bees,” (Estibaliz Urresola) One of the big winners at Berlin, taking Leading Performance, and two other key prizes, and now healthy racking up healthy sales, including a Film Movement U.S. pickup, “Bees” builds from a naturalistic base – a family off for a village summer holiday – to become a moving an ode to women’s freedom. Produced out of Barcelona by Valérie Delpierre’s Inicia Films. Sales: Luxbox

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Spanish genre producer Filmax, which is behind such films as “The Machinist,” “Darkness” and “[REC],” is bringing Carlota Pereda’s “The Chapel,” the Spanish director’s follow-up to “Piggy,” to the Cannes market. Bowing at 2022’s Sundance, “Piggy” was hailed by Variety as a “viciously impressive debut.” A Filmax and Bixagu Entertainment production backed by Netflix, RTVE and EiTB, “The Chapel” is written by Albert Bertrán Bas, Carmelo Viera and the director. It turns on Emma, 8, who seeks out Carol, a fake medium, to communicate with the spirit of a little girl which has spent centuries trapped in a chapel.  Contact, Emma thinks, will allow her to still talk with her own terminally ill mother when she dies. What Carol doesn’t realise is that Emma has a real gift and, if she goes on trying to use it without Carol’s help, will put her young life in mortal danger.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “Lobo Feroz,” the latest film from “La Casa Muda” director Gustavo Hernández, has sold to getting on half the world, underscoring the market punch of high-profile genre movies from name directors. Sold by FilmSharks International, “Lobo Feroz” has closed Australia and New Zealand (Palace Film), the U.S. and Spanish-speaking Latin America (ViX) and Russia/CIS (Nashe Kino).  A Spanish-language remake of Israel’s “Big Bad Wolves,” “Lobo Feroz” has also a licensed Taiwan (AV-Jet Intl. Media), Eastern Europe (AMC for TV/SVOD) and Uruguay (Alvaro Caso-ENEC Cine).  The Palace, Nashe Kino, AV-Jet and ENEC deals all have a theatrical component, said FilmSharks’ Guido Rud. France, Italy, Japan, Korea and Germany/GAS are in discussions, he added.

EXCLUSIVE: FilmSharks has acquired world rights to the Spanish horror pic The Boogeyman: The Origin of the Myth (El Hombre Del Saco) and locked a series of key international deals out of Cannes.

Thania Garcia Latin hip-hop found its footing in the bicoastal stomping grounds of the East and West Coasts where Spanglish-speaking communities were influenced and surrounded by urban rap and trap. Today that reach is much more global with booming subgenres extending beyond the United States, into Mexico, Puerto Rico and all the way down to Argentina. Amazon Music wants to showcase Latin rap’s growth and multicultural evolution by interviewing and spotlighting its most influential pioneers for hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with the new “Hip-Hop X Siempre” campaign. With visuals designed by Puerto Rican artist COVL, “Hip-Hop X Siempre” invites audiences to explore the intersection between Spanish language hip-hop with unique programming and editorial content including an Amazon Original by Eladio Carrión, and new playlists like “Hip-Hop x Siempre,” “Sin Filtro,” “pov: ur hyped,” “Puro Trap,” and “Puro Rap.”