Rotterdam Competition Contender ‘Destello Bravio’ Picked Up by Patra Spanou Film (EXCLUSIVE)

Emiliano De Pablos First they conquered Hollywood film shoots, now they’re aiming to drive up local production, adding a new local edge to one of Europe’s most popular big shoot locales.A decade ago, Spain’s Canary Islands started to become a top shoot destination for big international films, offering wide-ranging landscapes and unique tax advantages.An influx of international film and TV shoots served to establish an industrial base, nurturing high-profile crew talent and sparking the creation

Emilio Mayorga Barcelona-based film-TV studio Filmax has acquired international sales rights to Cesc Gay’s new comedy “Stories Not to Be Told,” which is currently shooting.Filmax will also handle Spanish distribution to the latest outing from Gay, whose 2021 Goya Awards contender “The People Upstairs,” has sold to major territories in Europe and North America.Written by Gay and regular co-scribe Tomás Aragay “(“In The City,” “Truman”), Gay’s ninth feature is produced by Marta Esteban at

Spain’s three major film sales agencies – Filmax, Film Factory and Latido – are banding together to launch VICA, a joint organization that the companies hope will give them a united voice and will further the promotion of Spanish film and TV around the world.

Emilio Mayorga Jan Naszewski’s Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales has picked up international sales rights to “Matria,” the awaited feature debut of Spain’s Alvaro Gago, a Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance in 2018 for his same-titled short.Produced by Galicia’s Matriuska and Madrid’s Avalon, in co-production with Catalonia’s Ringo Media, “Matria” has been selected for the official lineup at next week’s Berlinale Co-Production Market.Expanding on the short, the feature further develops its

Netflix and Federation Spain, the Spanish division of Paris and L.A.-based Federation Entertainment, are teaming to produce “Las niñas de cristal,” a psychological drama set against the world of classical ballet that toplines “Money Heist” and “Elite” star Maria Pedraza.The movie is one highlight in Netflix’s first announcement of a production-distribution slate focused entirely on Spanish original movies.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaMark Duplass was suffering from some serious quarantine fatigue.“With the pandemic going on I started thinking, what are the things I can do to better myself besides watch ‘Groundhog Day’ again with my children,” the indie filmmaker remembers.

Naman Ramachandran Content group iZen has optioned Eduardo Mendoza’s acclaimed Spanish historical novel “City of Marvels” (La Ciudad de los Prodigios) and is developing it as a six-part series.

Tim Richard, the founder and CEO of European cinema giant Vue, has been named chair of the British Film Institute. Richards —who was appointed by U.K.

Pedro Pascal is sending love to his sister Lux as she comes out as a trans woman. Lux, 28, publicly came out in the new issue of magazine, and Pedro proudly celebrated her on social media. «Mi hermana, mi corazón, nuestra Lux,» Pascal wrote in Spanish alongside Lux's stunning magazine cover.

Pedro Pescal is sharing his sister’s happiness after a big announcement.

Multidisciplinary artist Amalia Ulman makes an appealingly idiosyncratic first foray into features with El Planeta, a captivating throwback to the shaggy aesthetic of micro-budget '90s New York indies that plays like Grey Gardens with a hint of early Almodóvar. Ulman and her real-life mother Ale play a reduced family unit in the Spanish seaside town of Gijón, living beyond their dwindling means in willful denial as the foundations crumble beneath them.

Top Spanish Auteur Pedro Almodovar is preparing to head into production on his next movie Parallel Mothers (Madres Paralelas), which will star Penelope Cruz alongside the newly-announced Aitana Sánchez-Gijón (The Machinist), Israel Elejalde (Love Above All Things) and Milena Smit.

Emiliano De Pablos Spain’s Bendita Film Sales has picked up worldwide sales rights to coming-of-age drama “The Saint of the Impossible,” the feature debut of Swiss director Marc Wilkins.

Netflix has picked up the global SVOD rights to the Sundance documentary “Misha and the Wolves,” it was announced on Monday.In addition, Netflix will debut the film exclusively in North America and other markets.

Emilio Mayorga Few producers in Spain have earned more festival prizes than Barcelona-based Luis Miñarro, whose credits range from Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Cannes Palme d’Or laureate  “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” to Karlovy Vary top prize winner “The Mosquito Net” and Rotterdam Tiger Award winner “Finisterrae.”So Miñarro’s support for Spaniard Ainhoa Rodríguez’s debut feature, Rotterdam Tiger contender “Destello bravío” – which he’s boarded as a co-producer in

The minefield of early adolescence is a treacherous phase in Spanish visual artist Pascual Sisto's John and the Hole, in which Charlie Shotwell gives a rivetingly affectless performance as an apathetic 13-year-old who holds his parents and sister captive in an underground bunker. The director has jokingly referred to his psychological coming-of-age thriller as a Michael Haneke version of Home Alone, which isn't far from the truth.