UK court OKs harassment claim against Spain's former king

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefJapanese studio-based comedy format “Chiko’s Challenge” is to be adapted for broadcast in Spain via public broadcaster TVE. It is the first time that Japanese public broadcaster NHK has seen one of its entertainment formats adapted internationally.The deal involves Netherlands-based distribution company Lineup Industries and Spanish production company Mediacreast, which will produce 60 episodes under the local title “Mapi.” “Chiko’s Challenge” confronts celebrities with child-like questions which are often surprisingly difficult to answer.

In the Apple TV+ series Pachinko, Solomon (Jin Ha) speaks Korean, Japanese and English. The show, based on Min Jin Lee’s book, traces four generations of his family from Korea and Japan (as Zainichi Koreans), so all three languages are involved. Ha does not speak Japanese and studied the different dialects with vocal coach Yu-Mi Kang.

The Spanish government has reportedly ‘backtracked’ on the easing of Covid restrictions for UK holidaymakers.

When I returned to Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1 today with a bag to check in I was expecting the worst. With the airport boss quitting yesterday after daily pictures and stories of mayhem, I was not hopeful in having a smooth journey to Malaga in the south of Spain.

EXCLUSIVE: Dave Logan, creator of Acorn TV’s Harry Wild and writer on Roald Dahl film To Olivia, is developing a crime drama TV series set in Malta with his Harry Wild co-writer Jo Spain.

A spell of bad weather is hindering holiday plans for tourists heading to Spain over the next few days. Downpours, high winds and stormy seas have been battering the country.

Emilio Mayorga “Son,” “Cosas de chicos,” “Votamos” and “36” are among eight shorts at this year’s Madrid en Corto, an increasingly key Spanish platform for new talent now in huge demand in a platform age.Recent past editions have included Carlota Pereda’s original “Cerdita,” whose feature version dazzled at January’s Sundance, and shorts from Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, director of Berlin Panorama player “Lullaby,” which swept the Málaga Film Festival on Saturday night, and Javier Marco whose “Josephine” proved a prominent feature debut at September’s San Sebastián. In all, over its 18 editions, titles in Madrid en Corto’s distribution catalog have earned 32 nominations for Spanish Academy Goya Awards. This year, the Goya fiction short winner (Verónica Echegui’s “Totem Loba”) doc short laureate (“Mama”) and “The Monkey,” which snagged best animated short, all feature in Madrid en Corto’s catalog.  Women look likely to make much of the running at this year’s edition, organised by ECAM Distribución, the distribution arm of the enterprising Madrid Film School (ECAM), whose Screen-Incubator has fast become one of the key industry development labs in Spain.

Lullaby” and “Utama,” shot on an awe-inspiring Bolivian Altiplano, swept the board at a historic, 25th Málaga Film Festival which said a lot about the current state of the Spanish film industry. Running March 18-26, the Festival proved a vibrant affair, galvanised by renewed interest in the Spanish cinema after a buoyant reception for its major movies at Berlin, as well as the joy of proving the first time many industry attendees had seen each other in person in two years and backing from Spain’s AVS Hub plan for a vastly larger industry presence. In Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s “Lullaby,” coming after Sundance hit “Piggy” and Carla Simón’s Berlin Golden Bear triumph “Alcarrás,” Spain would look to have a third art pic breakout in just the first three months of 2022, all driven by a young generation of women cineastes, directors and producers. Carlota Pereda’s “Piggy” uses quite brilliantly a plus-size girl’s complicity with a serial killer to force home to audiences the terrifying hatred inspiredly bullying.

Manchester United shot-stopper David de Gea has been handed fresh disappointment after being shunned again by Spain boss Luis Enrique, this time to replace Robert Sanchez.

Derbyshire Life, he spoke about his passion for Derby, who are currently in financial trouble and facing liquidation.The club are also fighting relegation after a deduction of 21 points following historical financial breaches. They have, however, earned praise for their play under the management of former Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney.In the interview, Clooney said he started following the club after working with Jack O’Connell on the film Money Monster in 2016.He told the magazine: “I have worked with quite a few British football fans and their moods were often dependent on how well their favourite soccer team had performed in their latest game.“I found it quite curious and wanted to know what made that happen.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are in Spain promoting their new movie!

Emiliano De Pablos Antonia Nava’s Barcelona-based Neo Art Producciones has teamed with Rome’s Pupkin Production to co-produce gay romantic drama “Si las paredes hablasen” (“If Walls Had Ears”), the feature debut of Spanish femme director, Ceres Machado.Scheduled to roll by this year-end or the first quarter of 2023 in Barcelona and Rome, the film will be produced by Nava and Pupkin’s Rita Rognoni.Spanish actor Fernando Tejero (“La que se avecina,” “My Heart Goes Boom!”) is attached to star in a cast that will combine Spanish and Italian actors.Co-written by Machado and scribe Salva Martos Cortés (“Maniac Tales”), “If Walls had Ears” will narrate, in 10 sequences, a Barcelona and Rome-set story of intense love, passion and pain between two men. They are Juan, a 50 year-old married man who hides his homosexuality, and Leonardo, a 23-year Italian who arrives in Barcelona to try his luck as a soccer player.Over a decade, they will live their romance, but it remains burdened by Juan’s inability to accept his sexuality and the conflicts that it creates with Leonardo, who despite working in a homophobic environment, is open about his sexual orientation as he tries to break social barriers and stereotypes.“The concept is universal and, unfortunately, a highly topical issue.