{"id":641957,"date":"2026-10-26T16:42:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T16:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/641957\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T16:42:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T16:42:10","slug":"serielizados-pro-takeaways-arte-france-hbo-max-3cat-rtve-beta-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/641957\/","title":{"rendered":"Serielizados Pro Takeaways: Arte France, HBO Max 3Cat RTVE Beta Film"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tSerielizados<\/a> Pro, the industry segment of the fast-expanding series festival Serielizados in Barcelona, had a mandate to \u201cinspire, connect Catalan and Spanish producers, series creators with international players and get projects going,\u201d as the event\u2019s co-founder Victor Sala said in his opening speech Oct. 22 at the modernised Renaissance Palau Bru in the Gothic Quarter.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt delivered again on all fronts. The industry days\u2019 star event \u2013 the Mind the Gap<\/a> international co-pro pitch \u2013 drew twice the number of submissions from the 2025 inaugural gig and closed with a top award to rising Spanish talents Laura Roqu\u00e9, Eloy Zamora and Luis Sorolla for\u201cEl Observatorio,\u201d a drama in early development.<\/p>\n

\n\tAt the Mind the Gap awards ceremony, held at the stunning 19th century Moritz brewery renovated by French architect Jean Nouvel, Arte France<\/a>\u2019s Alexios Kastrissianakis, co-juror with Mubi\u2019s Ben Driscoll, Movistar Plus\u2019 Laura Escriv\u00e1, ZDF Studios\u2019 Susanne Frank and Beta Film<\/a>\u2019s Peter Lohner said: \u201cAfter a great deliberation we\u2019ve decided to award new talent who need to be discovered.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe jury also handed out honorable mentions to two female-led series about abuse, produced by high-profile Euro-banners: Finland\u2019s \u201cDangerous Woman,\u201d to be helmed by Zaida Bergroth (\u201cTove\u201d) for Gutsy Pictures (\u201cMoominvalley\u201d), and \u201cCallback,\u201d a second series by Catalan sister act Joana and Mireia Vilapuig for Barcelona\u2019s Funicular Films (\u201cThis is Not Sweden<\/a>\u201d) and Left Tackle Films.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe industry day on Oct. 22 which hosted 300+professionals at Barcelona\u2019s CCCB arts centre saw top-tier European drama content creators, distributors, commissioners and series fest execs such as Arte France, Beta Film, Imagina Sales, DR Sales, Oble, 3Cat<\/a>, RTVE<\/a> take turns on stage to discuss co-production, financing, digital strategies, the state of global distribution and series production in Catalonia.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tHagai Levi and Rodrigo Sorogoyen<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Vi\u0301ctor Parren\u0303o<\/p>\n

\n\tOther highlights at Serielizados Pro held under the motto \u2018An Eye for It\u2019, included masterclasses with \u201cSherlock\u201d creator Steven Moffat and producer Sue Vertue, and drama heavyweight Hagai Levi. The latter bagged on Saturday the Serielizados Best International Series Prize for his drama \u201cEtty\u201d from the hands of Palme d\u2019Or contender Rodrigo Sorogoyen (\u201cThe Beloved\u201d).<\/p>\n

\n\tFinally the Miniput 12-hour marathon of quality TV programs from international pubcasters focusing on risk, innovation and public service drew hundreds of young Spanish students.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe festival was compact, well run and very welcoming, with a team that clearly cared about making the days work for everyone. That made it easy to have proper conversations and really get to know people,\u201d said first-time attendee Ella Glantz of Denmark\u2019s DR Sales, before adding: \u201cThe series were strong too, and I liked how confident the Spanish-language slate felt, with an interesting mix of international work alongside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSerielizados is pushing new forms of digital storytelling, while keeping at its core quality linear content available for pick up. It\u2019s been very useful to attend and meet up with traditional Spanish producers open to exploring new types of digital formats,\u201d said Alexios Kastrissianakis, commissioner, digital content at Arte France.<\/p>\n

\n\tTaking stock of the 13th Serielizados festival and industry days, a few days before wrap, the event\u2019s co-founder Betu Mart\u00ednez Molero said: \u201cThis year, we solidified our position as the leading international TV series festival in Spain and one of the most prominent in Southern Europe, reaching 18.000 attendees across more than 60 activities, including more than 30 national and international premieres.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019ve seen a growing interest from both media and audiences for our national and international competitions, packing our main venues,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s also been great to see how presenting non-distributed international shows helps put them on the radar of Spanish platforms looking to acquire new series, while also helping local creators connect with key international players in the TV industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tA few takeaways in this event:<\/p>\n

\n\tHealthy Catalan ecosystem<\/p>\n

\n\tAmid headwinds in the global audiovisual sector, Catalonia holds strong thanks to healthy public support from its governmnetal ICEC (Catalan Institute for Cultural Enterprises) which can pump in up to \u20ac1.5m ($1.7m) per TV project and its 3Cat public media group. According to a report from OPA (Observatori de la Producci\u00f3 Audiovisual), 67 Catalan series were produced between 2024-2026 \u2013 most of them one-off dramas. Over 2024-25, 3Cat was by far the biggest commissioner of local drama (19 series), ahead of Netflix (7), RTVE Play (7), Atresplayer (5), Prime Video (4), Movistar Plus+ (3) and HBO Max<\/a> (3). Another trend is that in an atomized ecosystem, Catalan producers are weighing in more heavily in Catalan language series (28.6% of productions in 2024 versus 52.2% in 2025) although collaborations with international partners continue to rise (8.7% in 2024 to 28.6% in 2025).<\/p>\n

\n\tMind the Gap Works<\/p>\n

\n\tOnecase in point: two projects pitched last year at Serielizados inaugural Mind the Gap, have wrapped. \u201cGenesis<\/a>\u201d, the 3Cat drama about Catalan iconic chef Ferran Adri\u00e0 co-produced by Netflix world premiered at San Sebastian. \u201cPast Waters<\/a>\u201d (\u201cAguas Pasadas\u201d) produced by Portugal\u2019s Caracol and Spain\u2019s TV ON Producciones for RTP has been boarded by \u201cMoney Heist\u201d\u2019s Enrique Arce, and Helena Caldeira. A third series pitched last year at Mind the Gap \u2013 the comedy \u201cRobbery, Beating & Death<\/a>\u201d from \u201cThis is Not Sweden\u201d\u2019s Funicular Films, is in pre-production. As reported in Variety, Filmin and Belgium\u2019s Boucan Film Production have boarded the project, backed by ICEC.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThis is Not Finland\u201d After \u201cThis is Not Sweden\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDouble Mind the Gap winner this year for \u201cCallback\u201d from the Vilapuig sisters, buzzy Funicular Films whose series \u201cThis is Not Sweden\u201d was a game changer for Catalonia, is now in full swing with the follow up series \u201cThis is Not Finland, currently filming in Barcelona.\u201d Toplining the stellar creative team are creators Aina Clotet, Valentina Viso and Daniel Gonz\u00e1lez. Wizz talent Clotet directs with Celia Giraldo and Sara Fantova, and reprises her title role as Marianna, next to Marcel Borras as Samuel. Here the focus is on \u201cbladed families, dining one\u2019s place within the evolving family structure and reconciling expectations with reality,\u201d says the logline. Funicular is producing with Nanouk Films for 3Cat, Movistar Plus+ and Yle in Finland.<\/p>\n

\n\tVertical Drive: Arte France, RTVE Show the Way<\/p>\n

\n\tMicrodrama is here to stay and to expand, said Arte France and RTVE digital commissioners Alexios Kastrissianakis and Alberto Fern\u00e1ndez respectively. In a major coup, Kastrissianakis said the cultural channel has bought its first Spanish microdrama \u201cA Christmas Bride\u201d (\u201cUna novia por navidad\u201d) from Atresmedia. The one-minute 55-episode show will play as a Christmas calendar, from Nov. 2 until Dec. 22 on arte.tv and Youtube. \u201cIt\u2019s a love story, with a queer element, which tries to push the typical micro-romance genre,\u201d said the Arte executive who is attentively following Atresmedia microdrama release strategies.<\/p>\n

\n\tMeanwhile Fern\u00e1ndez said its youth-oriented platform PlayZ will morph into an App for vertical drama in November, with the premiere of its first microdrama \u201cEst\u00fapido Cupido.\u201d Fern\u00e1ndez said the Spanish pubcaster is fully committed to microdrama to fight off competition from the global streamers and to attract GenZ viewers. However, next to the popular mini soap operas, \u201cmaking relevant content is the way ahead,\u201d he said, while warning the industry about the rise of AI-generated microdrama, now ruling in China. \u201cThis is the real threat for us in Europe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n\tMicrodrama in Catalan language was also celebrated at Serielizados via the Microseries Showcase where five projects competing for the EVA Award and Young Jury Award (AVisual Pro) were presented: \u201cBarna Rupestte,\u201d \u201cBarcelona pos\u2019t guapa\u201d, \u201cCurrelas,\u201d \u201cMegaestructures en un Minut!\u201d and \u201cNeocurros.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHBO Max-3Cat Successful Partnership<\/p>\n

\n\tAt a time of shrinking budgets and acute competition, alliances between broadcasters \u2013 public and commercial \u2013 and streamers is now common practice in Spain as internationally. One success story \u2013 the collaboration between 3Cat\u2019s fiction division and HBO Max\u2019s acquisition team \u2013 was a highlight at Serielizados. The partners received the inaugural Audiovisual 451 Award, honoring \u201coutstanding contributions to the development of the Catalan audiovisual industry through co-productions and alliances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSo far three high quality premium series, deeply rooted in Catalan culture have come out of that collaboration: Leticia Dolera\u2019s family drama \u201cPubertat<\/a>\u201d (\u201cPuberty\u201d) which bowed at San Sebastian 2025, Pol Rodr\u00edguez\u2019s crime show \u201cRavalear<\/a>\u201d (\u201cNot for Sale\u201d), which premiered this year at Berlin\u2019s Special Series section, and Marc Crehuet and Alejandra Guimer\u00e0\u2019s dramedy \u201cIn Vitro<\/a>.\u201d Launched Oct. 19 simultaneously on 3Cat and HBO Max, the show won a Special Mention from the national competition at Serializados. \u201cIn Vitro\u201d and \u201cPubertat\u201d are both sold by Beta Film and \u201cRavalear\u201d by Filmax.<\/p>\n

\n\tA fourth series has just started filming in Barcelona, before moving to Tenerife and Paris: \u201cLos Huerfanos (\u201cThe Orphans\u201d) created by Miguel Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez (\u201cFrontera\u201d) with helmer Patricia Font for NewCo Audiovisual. From the starting point of children abandoned in a train station, the story \u2013 inspired by true events \u2013 turns on the past and present of a family. The show, starring Iria del R\u00edo, Enric Auquer, Mima Riera and Carlos Cuevas, will premiere in 2027 on HBO Max and subsequently on 3Cat.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cEveryone wants the first window, but with HBO Max, we decide on a project by project. It\u2019s exceptional to have this collaboration with a huge platform like HBO Max. On all our projects, we share our creative vision. We\u2019re super happy to work with them,\u201d 3Cat\u2019s head of fiction and film Oriol Sala Palao told Variety.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOur collaboration with 3Cat reflects HBO Max\u2019s commitment to support the local industry by fostering synergies between the various Spanish players,\u201d added HBO Max\u2019s acquisition executives Joana Correia da Silva and Jessica Ortiz.<\/p>\n

\n\tDistributors Cautiously Optimistic<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cConsolidation is happening, budgets are shrinking, but we remain truly independent \u2013 fiercely European, and Mipcom was super busy for us,\u201d said Beta Film\u2019 Peter Lohrer at a panel on the state of distribution. \u201cBefore you would finance product with public coin, get an minimum guarantee. Now everything is more detailed in every aspect. Trust is key, work is intensive, but you need to find a way to finance product to distribute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOne key job which is needed to navigate the windowing puzzle today is a head of business affairs. Producers underestimate how important this job is,\u201d said Oble\u2019s Katia Sol, who was repping at Serielizados \u201cSegunda Temporada\u201d which won Best Screenplay at the national competition. \u201cAs an indie distributor, we are more relevant, aggressive and daring than ever to get the best window. Streamers don\u2019t do 100% buyouts for huge money anymore. Everyone is open to new solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tImagina Sales\u2019 B\u00e9atrice Nough, concurred. \u201cWe are more relevant than before and elaborate international strategies, working with everyone.\u201d The sales exec was pushing at Serielizados \u201cCeleste\u201d Season 2 for which Carmen Machi nabbed Best Actress in a Spanish series.<\/p>\n

\n\tOptimistic by nature, DR Sales\u2019 Ella Glantz said \u201cthe market is slightly opening up. As distributors, we collaborate strategically with producers at an earlier stage to improve the sales prospects. Being part of the Danish public group DR means we take risks, and it pays off,\u201d she said, mentioning the politically-charged Danish doc \u201cMr. Nobody Against Putin\u201d which won an Oscar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Serielizados Pro, the industry segment of the fast-expanding series festival Serielizados in Barcelona, had a mandate to \u201cinspire,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":641958,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[307540,314795,118847,156,3484,111,139,69,314796,26176,314797,314798,437],"class_list":["post-641957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-3cat","tag-arte-france","tag-beta-film","tag-entertainment","tag-hbo-max","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-pubertat","tag-rtve","tag-serielizados","tag-this-is-not-sweden","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641957\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=641957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}