FRANCE
CANAL+ ACQUIRES ‘PATRIA’ FROM HBO SPAIN
HBO SPAIN SERIES ‘Patria’ has secured its first international screen. As revealed by C21, the fiction based on the novel by Fernando Aramburu will premiere on French pay TV through Canal+. HBO premiered the series on September 27 simultaneously in the 21 territories in which HBO Europe operates, including Spain. In Latin America, it will air on HBO in 40 countries and will be available on HBO Go. In the US, it will be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand, HBO Latino and other partner streaming platforms.
LATIN AMERICA
‘DIGNITY’ TO PREMIERE ON AMAZON
MEGAMEDIA, the most important communications holding company in Chile, and Amazon Prime Video announced the premiere of ‘Dignidad’ (‘Dignity’), a ChileGermany co-production that is arriving in Chile and Latin America. Set in Southern Chile, the series tells the story of a mysterious Germanic cult called Colonia Dignidad, founded by a former Nazi soldier, the late Paul Schäfer, and the complicated challenge for a young lawyer to bring him to justice. It has eight episodes and is directed by the Chilean Julio Jorquera. The fiction was made in Chile by film and television production company, Invercine & Wood, and by German production company Story House Pictures, in co-production with the TV fund CNTV and the Mega channel. Its international distribution is in led by Red Arrow Studios.
AWARDS
HBO AND ‘SCHITT’S CREEK’ SWEEP HISTORIC EMMYS THE 72ND EDITION OF THE EMMY AWARDS will go down in history for several reasons. The most obvious: it was the strangest gala ever held. Jimmy Kimmel hosted a ceremony that connected with video calls to more than 100 different locations. But these Emmys also offered other facts that will remain in history. The most striking has a name: ‘Schitt’s Creek’. In its sixth season, the Canadian series created by Daniel Levy achieved the impossible. With a total of 7 awards (which were added to two other Creative Arts Emmys), it marked the first time that a single series won in all comedy categories: best series, best leading actor, best leading actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best director and best screenplay. The other big prizes went to two HBO series: ‘Succession’ excelled in the drama categories, including wins for best series and best actor for Jeremy Strong; while ‘Watchmen’ was voted best limited series. In addition, it was the title with the highest number of awards: 11.
‘SÚBETE A MI MOTO’ SETS PREMIERE DATE ON AMAZON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO announced that ‘Súbete a mi moto’, the 15-episode series about Puerto Rican group Menudo, will premiere on October 9. Produced by Somos Productions, Endemol Shine Boomdog and Piñolywood Studios, the series will be available to Prime Video subscribers in Mexico and Latin America as an Amazon Exclusive. With 15 60-minute episodes, the series was shot in Puerto Rico and Mexico with the participation of Yamil Ureña and Braulio Castillo as Edgardo Díaz, Sian Chiong as Joselo Vega, Marisol Calero as Doña Panchi, Josette Vidal as Julieta Torres, and Rocío Verdejo as Renata Torres.
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
LATIN AMERICA
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Fillms&Series By Pina Mezzera
Report
jmezzera@todotv.tv
Over the last few years, revivals of classic series -whether with the same characters and actors, or through completely new versions- have become a solid trend in the US, as well as in Spain. In LatAm, while there are a few examples, there is plenty of untapped potential.
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
TRENDS
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CLASSIC IPS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLOREL The Queen of the South Telemundo
“In Latin America, these days the nostalgia effect is becoming evident in the surprising results registered by reruns of classic series on broadcast TV screens in countries like Chile, Argentina and Colombia.”
R
evivals of successful franchises, years after their original broadcast, is not something new on TV. However, the explosion of streaming platforms in recent years generated many new productions in this genre and caused the trend to spread from the US to other countries. Thus, we are witnessing more and more updated versions of iconic series, whether in the form of revivals (a continuation of the original story, with the same characters), reboots (same premise, story and different characters) or remakes (an adaptation that’s faithful to the story original, usually in another territory). In the US, the phenomenon covers practically all genres and screens. Because while linear TV seemed to be the creator of this boom -as a way to retain/ win back viewers in the face of new digital offers-, and we saw examples such as ‘Roseanne’(ABC), ‘The X-Files’ (Fox), ‘Will & Grace’ (NBC), ‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ (Showtime) or ‘Mad About You’ (Spectrum); the wave quickly engulfed the streaming world as well, with examples such as ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ (CBS All Access), ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ (Netflix), ‘Veronica Mars’ (Hulu), ‘Amazing Stories’ (Apple TV+), ‘Punki Brewster’ (Peacock), and many others. At the same time, new streaming services are using strong IPs to add subscribers. As a paradigmatic case, HBO Max has heated up its arrival with the promise of a special meeting of ‘Friends’ and the announcement of a new episode of ‘The West Wing of the White House’, to encourage voting in the US presidential elections.
In May, during the presentation of its new series for the 2020/21 season, the Hispanic network announced two other new versions of past series. On the one hand, Telemundo Global Studios will produce ‘Buscando a Frida’, inspired by
Univision, meanwhile, has also commissioned several new versions of old classics in the US, led by Televisa, which did the same in Mexico. The bet was part of the launch of the ‘Fábrica de sueños’, an anthology of 12 serial dramas produced by Televisa Estudios, which aims to “revive and update the most successful telenovelas of the last decades”, in short format (25 episodes), with current plots and a leap in audiovisual quality. Thus, in 2019 ‘La usurpadora’, ‘Cuna de lobos’ and ‘Rubí’ were released. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Patricio Wills told ttv that in 2020 they would be followed by ‘El privilegio de amar’, ‘Los ricos también lloran’ and ‘El maleficio’, but surely we will have to wait a little longer to see them on screen. Spain is no stranger to the phenomenon. Atresmedia leads the way, with three expected returns in production. This August, Globomedia (The Mediapro Studio) began filming the revival of ‘Los Hombres de Paco’, a series that Antena 3 premiered in 2005 and its success led it to continue on screen until 2010, for nine seasons. With the same protagonists, the new series will return to Antena 3.
“Perhaps it is time for the Latin American region to bet on updating and bringing back some of its great and most beloved fiction series.”
In addition, Globomedia and Buendía Estudios (the new joint venture of Atresmedia and Telefónica, which absorbed all the productions of Atresmedia Studios) are producing the reboot of ‘El internado’, a youth phenomenon on Antena 3 between 2007 and 2010, which returns with other characters and plots (it’s titled ‘El internado: Las Cumbres’), and it will be an Amazon Exclusive. Lastly, Buendía Estudios confirmed the miniseries ‘FoQ: el reencuentro’, a revival of ‘Física o Química’ series, another of the great teen classics aired on Antena 3, for the OTT platform Atresplayer Premium. In this case, the new fiction will bring back the same characters.
FRANCHISE VALUE + NOSTALGIA: While creators might be accused of a lack of creativity, the reality is that there are plenty of advantages to betting on a successful classic franchise. It will always be a lower risk to resort to an IP that has already proven to be robust, that has a community of followers already established, and with the expectation generated through the years. And that’s where the so-called “nostalgia effect” comes in. That community, which has aged a few years, turns to those worlds and those characters to feel, even for a moment, that those wonderful times are not as far away as they thought. Iván Escobar, Spanish showrunner behind hits like ‘Vis a vis’ or ‘El barco’, summed up this phenomenon to ttv: “There are platforms that launch 20 or 30 series a week (…) Yet, when we are overwhelmed, we turn to our beloved series, to titles that have accompanied us in our childhood and whose universes remind us of when, I don’t know if we were, but we thought we were better”. In Latin America, these days the nostalgia effect is becoming evident in the surprising results registered by reruns of classic series on broadcast TV screens in Chile, Argentina and Colombia, which came as a solution to the halt in production caused by the pandemic. Perhaps it is time for the region to bet on updating and bringing back some of its great and most beloved fiction series.
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
And, in the US Hispanic market, Telemundo has also been betting on reviving old powerful brands. In 2019 they premiered ‘Betty in NY’, a renewed version of the classic ‘Ugly Betty’, as well as the very successful ‘The Queen of the South’, which continued the story eight years after having finished its first season.
the popular ‘¿Donde está Elisa?’, which will narrate how the disappearance of a 16-yearold girl unmasks a high-class family that is far from being perfect. And, on the other hand, the NBCUniversal network is running a modern adaptation of ‘Café con aroma de mujer’, 26 years after it became a television phenomenon around the world. Produced by RCN Colombia, the new fiction will star William Levy and Carmen Villalobos.
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Fillms&Series
Q&A
Zasha Robles, General Director of Spiral International
BEHIND THE SCENES OF ‘TODA LA SANGRE’ In the following interview with ttv, Zasha Robles, General Director of Spiral International, shares details about the development and production plans for ‘Toda la sangre’, StarzPlay’s original Mexican series, produced in alliance with Fremantle and Pantaya. By Sebastián Amoroso
@sebamoroso
samoroso@todotv.tv
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
T
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his year, Spiral International announced the project ‘Toda la sangre’, an original series of 10 episodes in alliance with streaming services StarzPlay in LatAm and Pantaya in the US.
companies that have a very great knowledge to create an international story that has legs that go outside of Latin America and travel to Europe and the rest of the world.
Then, the announcement took on a new dimension, by confirming Fremantle Mexico as the production house of the project and Fremantle International as an international distribution partner, except in the Americas.
We are simply the vehicle as this agreement is due to content. To the wonderful novel by Bernardo Esquinca, a Mexican author who has sold more than 100,000 copies in Mexico and has created this saga of the character Casasola.
In dialogue with ttv, Zasha Robles, CEO of Spiral International, shares details about the development and production process that this psychological thriller will take, based on the Casasola saga by Mexican author Bernardo Esquinca.
How did the ‘Toda la sangre’ project come about? The project was born with my reading of the novel. When reading the work we immediately began to think about how to create a proposal and take it to the author to take the novel to the small screen. We develop the idea internally and start making the sale until we get to these screens to make it come true.
What does this deal with StarzPlay mean for Spiral, Pantaya? For us it is an honor to be able to work for one of the premium TV brands in the US in its international digital platform that today reaches more than 50 countries in the world, which is StarzPlay; in conjunction with Pantaya, which offers a selection of highly curated content for the US Spanish-speaking audience. This first announcement has been joined by the alliance with Fremantle Mexico and Fremantle International as co-producers... We needed a strong partner to carry this series forward locally and who could also bring international knowledge. That’s where Fremantle International comes in. Pantaya leads the distribution in the US, Starz / Liongsate leads the distribution -through StarzPlay- in Latin America and Fremantle will carry the international distribution in the remaining countries outside the Americas.
“We developed the idea internally and began to pitch it until we reached these screens to make it come true.” It is an important announcement for us because it marks a milestone in the history of Spiral, working with these types of large
What phase is the project in? We are in full development stage. It is a long process due to the density of the material. There is a lot of content that talks about pre-colonial history. All Aztec mythology. With a ritual assassin as the main character. We are planning a series of 10, 50-minute episodes, which is the right number of episodes to capture the story we want to tell. Fremantle Mexico is going to take it forward with its new fiction team, led by Coty Cagliolo, who runs the Mexico operation and runs it like a Swiss watch. We have worked with her before and she is a crack as she runs her operation. And from the hand of the talented Manuel Martí who just joined the group about 7 months ago. They are both great executives in the industry. So far it has been a delight to work with them.
How is the writing team of the project integrated? The author is one hundred percent involved in the development of his novel. He is a leader who is helping us investigate the psychology of his characters who are incredibly rich in complexity. To join the team of scriptwriters we had the Mexican writer Rodrigo Ordoñez [‘This is not Berlin’]; together with another great writer, Santiago Roncagliolo, author of the novel Abril Rojo that won the Alfaguara Prize. ‘Toda la sangre’ is part of a saga, why did you decide on this third installment in particular? The third novel has some elements that are very suitable to get us into the world of Mexican culture, where the Mexican is really proud of an ancient history. It integrates all this culture within the psychological thriller. Taking into account the current situation, what is the estimated production plan and schedule? The production will be in Mexico City, which is where the story is born and where it has to develop. How long and when do we plan to start? It’s anyone’s guess. We typically have a development and delivery period of about 18 months. Today we have all these uncertainties that we have to decipher. Ideally we would like to start filming in early 2021, to deliver it by the end of 2021. We have been ‘lucky’ to have all this time to develop and redevelop the whole story to have something completely finished and start filming.
ect in Latin America. In terms of international production it was our fourth project. He had already participated as executive producer of the series ‘The Hundred Code’ with Bobby Moresco that won two Oscars… We have worked on drama series before. We were lucky that the first series in Latin America was awarded the Emmy award.
“Latin American content has something very interesting to offer, because in Latin America, like the US, there is the concept of a melting pot; of a pot with a lot of cultures cooking together.”
What is the current state of the distribution business? This year has been complex. I believe that the pandemic has been an accelerator of everything that was about to happen five years from now. It has brought the future to the present. Nobody is prepared for what is going to happen. It can be estimated, but nobody is prepared. This year has been a learning experience for all and, especially for us. We have been fortunate to have a lot of new material in the library, along with partners who supply us with that content, both animation and fiction and non-fiction. And we have managed to close certain agreements that help us to have a little oxygen. Distribution is an important business line for us as well as post-production. Returning to the ‘Toda la sangre’ project, what are the elements that make the story have the potential to travel internationally? First of all, Latin American content has
#FALCO SERIES
How does the process of defining the technical team and the cast come about? We are in the middle of the interview process and defining who will be the members from the technical and artistic side, outside of the members from the writing part.
Is Spiral International involved in all the project processes? As with the ‘Falco’ experience, we take projects from the beginning. We are present from the pre-financing, the development and all the different stages of production, the final delivery and after the sale and distribution. In this sense, ‘Falco’ was Spiral’s first premium series project in the region and won an International Emmy. How do you evaluate the experience and what lessons have you learned? ‘Falco’ was our first proj-
When you talk about the keys to producing, you have to find a topic that you are passionate about, surround yourself with a firstrate team, and know how to listen to your partners. All we can do is assemble a team, from the members of our Miami office to the members and partners who have decided to bet on this story. For us, less content is more and that is why we like to get involved in a project from start to finish.
something very interesting to offer, because in Latin America, like the US, there is the concept of melting pot; of a pot with a lot of cultures cooking. This story adds an ancient concept. Mexican culture goes in parallel with other cultures such as Egyptian. And these stories intrigue everyone. And when you bring out all this culture, you not only touch the heart of those who know it, but also the interest of the rest of the cultures.
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
Today there is a real battle to get hold of the best talents in the region... Yes, the industry is definitely in a production boom in Latin America and we have to sell at all levels. The sale did not end after we placed the series, but we have to continue selling it to those who will be part of the team. It is not an easy subject. What does help is once the team has been formed, that brings more names and more interesting people. It is like a snowball. It is something that takes time.
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Fillms&Series
Snap Media
I
n a truly one-of-a-kind year for the TV industry, international distributor Snap Media is strengthening its content offer and making it more flexible, to be able to meet international buyers’ needs, especially from free TV networks. “This has been a special year for everyone. Not only because of the pandemic and its consequences, but also because of how the industry has changed and evolved towards on-demand, making the distribution business change notably,” Ariel Tobi, CEO of Snap Media, said to ttv. In this context and keeping in mind how fast the entertainment industry is changing in general, the executive said digital platforms “have compensated for the drop in free TV.”
A YEAR MARKED BY VARIETY AND FLEXIBILITY Por Sebastián Amoroso
@sebamoroso
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
Snap Media is strengthening its 2020 catalog with big series and independent films, in addition to adding new titles from MarVista Entertainment and Hemisphere Media Group.
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“There was a significant increase in platforms and this makes distribution grow. We believe this trend will continue and there generate a distribution circuit, mainly on the pay TV sector,” he explained. Because of this, Snap Media has been cautious and meticulous in terms of curating its content catalog. “We were very careful when confirming acquisitions for new titles to distribute. And we are now preparing a new slate to present in
Adventures of a Boy Genius Family
samoroso@todotv.tv
the upcoming markets, mainly at Natpe Miami 2021,” he revealed. And for this year and the upcoming months, Snap Media has added a total of 20+ new hours of shows, including titles such as ‘Adventure of a Boy Genius’, ‘The Magic Kids - Three Unlikely Heroes’ and ‘Four Enchanted Sisters’. This, in addition to a selection of MarVista Entertainment productions, including ‘7 Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss’, ‘Love at Look Lodge’, ‘The Christmas Ball’, ‘Going for Gold’, ‘Next Level’ and ‘Lift Me Up’. Furthermore, the company is presenting Hemisphere Media Group titles such as ‘Chaparreando’, ‘Dos veces tú’ and ‘Que Leones’, the second film for Puerto Rico’s Ozuna. And to complement its catalog of TV series and productions, Snap Media is also offering a vast collection of family films. “We are working on an alliance with a film distributor to be able to offer more mainstream titles,” he said.
Ariel Tobi,
CEO of Snap Media “We are very in tune with free TV networks’ content and financial needs, to be able to become an ally during these difficult times,” he concluded.” “We see networks are starting to renew their slate after a difficult year. We see free TV networks slowly beginning to get ready for 2021 and look for content for the near future. We are very in tune with their content and financial needs, to be able to become an ally during these difficult times,” he concluded.
Fillms&Series
Q&A
Margie Moreno, Head of LatAm Originals at YouTube and Arturo Yépez, CEO of Touché Films
ENCHUFE.TV LAUNCHES ‘MORTAL GLITCH’ The Ecuadorian YouTube channel launched its first original fiction series, made up of 5 30-minute episodes, available worldwide as of September 2nd. By Sebastián Amoroso
@sebamoroso
samoroso@todotv.tv
of the creation of the first YouTube Originals production in Ecuador, starring Antonella Valeriano, Orlando Herrera and Diego Ulloa. As an introduction, how did Enchufe. tv and Touché Films come about? Arturo Yépez (AY): Touché Films was born nine years ago from four youngsters recently graduated from Film School who wanted to create different content. In Latin America we have positioned ourselves as producers of auteur cinema, that festival cinema, very niche; and not as producers of entertainment, especially humor.
ARTURO YÉPEZ,
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
CEO OF TOUCHÉ FILMS
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“Work began on this idea of the universe of video games, where a secondary character comes to life and goes against their programming to search for something else, in the universe of 16-bit video games.”
MARGIE MORENO,
HEAD OF LATAM ORIGINALS AT YOUTUBE
“There is no standard for how we distribute content.”
O
n September 2, YouTube Originals and Touché Films, the production company behind Enchufe.tv, one of the most important comedy channels in Latin America, launched ‘Mortal Glitch’, a fantasy and humor series of five 30-minute episodes, full of excitement and adventure. In dialogue with ttv, Margie Moreno, Head of LatAm Originals for YouTube, and Arturo Yépez, CEO of Touché Films, shared details
They worked on the Enchufe.tv project, a series of sketches, and presented it to all the TV channels in Ecuador and, one by one, they rejected the project. And they found on YouTube that opportunity to generate content without anyone telling them how to do it and with a very own and local idea, telling those stories as we young people in Latin America speak. Enchufe.tv began to grow rapidly on YouTube, a platform that allowed content to be processed and monetized in order to reinvest in it. A very close relationship is generated with YouTube, which takes great care of its creators at the moment that Enchufe. tv becomes an important channel with an important community. There was always the idea of making a movie. In 2015, work began on the project of the feature film Dedicada a mi ex, which was filmed in 2017 and premiered in 2019 in Latin America. This is Enchufe.tv’s first premium product. And at that point, Enchufe.tv begins an approach with YouTube Originals. How many subscribers does Enchufe.tv have today? AY: There are 23.4 million as of today.
How did the ‘Mortal Glitch’ project come about? AY: The director and creator of ‘Mortal Glitch’ is Christian Moya, one of the founders of Touché Films and a fan of video games. He was one of the sketch directors, very close to the creative area. And he proposes something with the spirit that Touché always had to break with what we were doing. Work began on this idea of the universe of video games, where a secondary character comes to life and goes against his programming to search for something else, in the universe of 16-bit video games. I think it is a metaphor for what a teenagers experience in today’s world. How does this project get to YouTube Originals? Margie Moreno (MM): We began to have conversations with Enchufe, which we already knew as a great channel on YouTube, when they proposed the ‘Mortal Glitch’ project to us under the idea of taking the universe of video games from the vision of someone who loves video games 90’s and create it with a different perspective. From the YouTube Originals side, it allowed us to do an interesting new project with creators who are loved on YouTube and who have never been presented in this way to their fans. I’m talking about a great production, with great sets and great visual effects, but based on the strength of Enchufe.tv, which is comedy. What we are always looking for is how to take an idea born from the creative talent of the region and that speaks for the region, but that also allows it to grow towards an international audience. We are very excited about the concept and decided to invest as partners in the development of Enchufe and Touché project.
Two elements that were fundamental in the story and that there is not yet a large capacity installed in Ecuador, is that of visual effects and risk scenes. We found the 3DAR company in Argentina with whom we made the visuals and the Rolling Stunts company in Colombia who sent the professionals for the stunts. It was a collaborative process where it was always essential that the creative part be born in Ecuador, relying on the technique, knowledge and experience of these companies.
How many talents are participating on screen? AY: There are about 35 actors who have lines in the series and about 250 extras who participated in the massive scenes of the series. The launch will be on September 2. In what modalities will it be available on YouTube? MM: Last year we started with a new distribution model. We were making things available for free to anyone with access to YouTube, under an advertising model: 2 billion subscribers worldwide with access to YouTube Originals content. As for the launch, if you are a YouTube Premium subscriber, you can watch all the episodes on the same launch day, September 2. Otherwise, you can wait for the release of each episode on Tuesdays. What stories does YouTube Originals seek to develop in Latin America? MM: We are obviously looking to make the region grow. The type of content we are looking for is that the concept is relevant to audiences. It can be scripted, it can be a documentary or a short format. One of the unique things about YouTube Originals is that there is no definition. We can do content like the one we did with Justin Bieber a few weeks ago, where we have 5 or 10 minute episodes. There is no standard for how we distribute content. At the same time, we can create an event like we did in Mexico with Aislados. It can be a unique event to talk about topics that are relevant to the region and tell it from a special perspective. The two most important things about YouTube Originals is that we are looking for voices that tell unique and new stories, but with the flexibility to do so in different ways, especially when it comes from the talent available in Latin America. I believe that it is an incredible opportunity for the type of content that you want to create in the region and make it available to larger audiences. How has ‘Mortal Glitch’ been promoted at the launch? AY: We have done an interesting campaign together with YouTube. We did the launch of a promo, then we released the trailer that tells a little more about the story
and the tone, and we made a real adventure game within the virtual world, where we put several tests to the audience so that they could get to know the elements and the story’s characters. How has the feedback been to date? AY: It’s really funny because Enchufe.tv’s audience is extremely frontal. When we launched the promo there were comments like: Is it a movie? A series? Much curiosity and conversation. It’s really nice to see how people start to respond to the quality of the trailer. There has been a very nice reaction. What other fiction projects does Touché have in development? AY: In 2019, we set up a development area and set ourselves the goal of generating IPs and projects for premium series and movies. After the premiere of ‘Mortal Glitch’ we will announce a couple of projects that are already closing with other platforms. It has been an interesting year. We have managed to draw attention to what we can do. How do you see Latin America and its ability to satisfy the demand for glocal content by big players like YouTube? MM: It is a very exciting time. Those of us working in the region know the incredible talent that is available and the quality of content that can be developed. Now there are more platforms that are investing in the region, not only focusing their content strategy, but also opening offices that are allowing local content to grow in the territory and how to make it grow in the international market. As Arturo said: before Latin America was known for its films; It is now recognized for having a business model with all types of content and that grows in all markets. Now the little creators are having their chance. What is the strategy to discover those creators? MM: We are very lucky because YouTube has offices throughout Latin America. We have what we call Partner Managers who work with local talent, channels and media that we talk to on a daily basis. They bring us ideas based on the conversations they have in the region. It is very important to know what kind of stories are relevant in the region. That is an advantage YouTube has over other companies. And at the same time, like other traditional platforms, they send me projects from all over Latin America. What other local projects is YouTube Originals developing? MM: We have a new project that we are going to announce in about three weeks. More recently, we made the documentary Isolated, which was made in the middle of the quarantine, from the perspective of different Latin American content creators who live in different countries of the world. We work with music artists like Maluma. Those are some examples.
ttv Magazine / Films&Series
The series has a very interesting visual component. How was the production process and, in particular, the post-production process? AY: Ecuador is a diverse country, with amazing landscapes and we had the technical and artistic capacity to conceive what was being proposed on paper. The project closed at the beginning of 2019 and we filmed in November and December and some scenes in January of this year. We started post-production just two weeks before the pandemic hits and locks us all in, and we entered this process of doing the post remotely.
Is the cast Ecuadorian or is there also participation from countries in the region? AY: The majority of the talent is Ecuadorian. We have three cameos from youtubers in which 2 are international and the other is a gamer from Ecuador called Raptor Gamer, but the talent is Ecuadorian. The base of the audience connects with the faces of Enchufe. tv. We also did a nationwide casting looking for theater, TV and film actors. The protagonist Antonella Valeriano comes from cinema and theater. It was a very long and meticulous process to find the actors.
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Listings Mipcom 2020
Trickster
Films&Series
The Secrets She Keeps
ABACUS MEDIA RIGHTS sales@abacusmediarights.com www.abacusmediarights.com
EXECUTIVES
Anton Romalijskij, Director of Sales Hana Palmer, Sales Consultant Lesley Whittock, Director of Marketing & Acquisitions
TOP EXECUTIVE
Jonathan Ford, Managing Director
TRICKSTER (Drama - 6 x 60’) Based on the bestselling trilogy Son of a Trickster, written by Eden Robinson, Trickster is a supernatural mystery which delves into an indigenous mythology rarely, if ever, seen before on TV. Created by Michelle Latimer (‘RISE’, ‘Nuuca’) and Tony Elliott (‘Orphan Black’) and directed by Latimer
The Favourite
DCD RIGHTS Winchester House 259, 269 Old Marylebone Road, London NW1 5RA (+44 0)20 3869 0190 team@dcdrights.com www.dcdrights.com
EXECUTIVES
Nicky Davies Williams, CEO James Anderson, Sales Manager
TOP EXECUTIVE
ttv Magazine
DISNEY MEDIA DISTRIBUTION LATAM Two Alhambra Plaza 9th Floor, Coral Gables, FL33134, USA (+1) 305-567-3700 (+1) 305-774-3913 www.disneymediadistribution.tv
EXECUTIVES
Ezequiel Olzanski, CEO, President Distribution & Co-Production
TOP EXECUTIVE
Ezequiel Olzanski, CEO, President Distribution & Co-Production
TOP EXECUTIVE
THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS (6 x 60’)
This second series of Secret Nazi Bases explores even deeper mysteries, secrets of decaying structures, and nefarious plans the Third Reich put into motion to further Hitler’s plan to dominate the world. From a hidden high command ultra-bunker, to a top-secret super-gun base, to secret tunnels under castles, to a primeval forest housing a dark biological experiment, the Nazis left clues to their secrets if one can pick up the trail. Newly uncovered documents, in-field investigations and excavations will shed light on the darkest plans, and, what could have been had they succeeded.
Buenos Aires, Argentina eze.olzanski@eodistribution.com www.eodistribution.com
EXECUTIVES
Fernando Barbosa, SVP, GM Media Distribution &Production LATAM & US Hispanic
An adaptation of bestselling author Michael Robotham’s acclaimed novel, which tells the story of two women who have a chance encounter in an affluent Sydney suburb. They are the same age, both heavily pregnant and due at the same time. Meghan (Jessica De Gouw - ‘The Crown’, Vienna Blood, ‘The Hunting’) is a glamorous online ‘influencer’ on the rise with an ambitious television sports reporter husband Jack (Michael Doran – ‘For All Mankind’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Wonderland’). Agatha (Laura Carmichael – ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘Marcella’, ‘The Spanish Princess’) works in the supermarket as a shelf stacker. Both women have secrets. And both will risk everything to conceal the truth. But their worlds are about to collide in one shocking act that cannot be undone.
EO DISTRIBUTION MEDIA
Henri Ringel, VP, Acquisitions and Content Sales Barbara Lorenzo, Manager, Content Sales Fabiola Bovino, Director, Marketing
Rick Barker, Head of Sales
SECRET NAZI BASES (Series 2 - 8 x 60’)
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Parasite
THE FAVOURITE (Drama, Sci-Fi - 104’) Early 18th century England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way. BREAKTHROUGH ‘Breakthrough’ is based on the incredible true story of one mother’s unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds. When Joyce Smith’s adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost. But as John lies lifeless, Joyce refuses to give up. Her steadfast belief inspires those around her to continue to pray for John’s recovery, even in the face of every case history and scientific prediction.
PARASITE Oscar Award Winner 2019 Best Picture, Directing, International Feature Film & Original Screenplay. From the genius Joon-ho Bong, an unemployed father, mother, and two sons find a way to improve their life by taking advantage of the rich and glamorous Park family through a succession of deceptions. But what begins as a great opportunity will gradually lead to a tragic outcome. SHIRLEY A young couple in search of new horizons agrees to move into the home of Shirley Jackson, a famous author of horror books, and her husband Stanley, a cynical university professor. But what initially seemed like an attractive opportunity will be transformed into an intense drama that will test their relationship. LASSIE COME HOME Remake of the classic and beloved story. Due to financial difficulties, Flo’s family is forced to move. Flo is heartbroken, but Lassie is unwilling to part with her friend and embarks on an adventure-filled journey home.
Unsoul
Bloodlands
EONE
GLOBO
45 Warren Street, London, W1T 6AG, United Kingdom (+44 0) 203 691 8600 tvinfo@entonegroup.com www.eOne.internationaldistribution.com
Avenida Brasil, 1.594, Jardim América 01430-001, São Paulo, Brazil (+ 55 11) 5112 - 4559 www.globo.com/screening
EXECUTIVES
Suzanne Flowerday-Nilson, Manager, Sales - EMEA
EXECUTIVES
Pablo Ghiglione, Sales Director, Latin America Isadora Filpi, Sales Executive, Latin America Marina Melo, Sales Director, North America Paula Ventrum, Sales Executive, North America
TOP EXECUTIVE
BURDEN OF TRUTH (Drama - 10 x 60’) Burden of Truth follows Joanna Chang (Kristin Kreuk, Smallville), a ruthless, big-city corporate lawyer as she tackles high profile cases with ties to her small hometown of Millwood. Alongside her former high school classmate Billy Crawford (Peter Mooney, Rookie Blue, Heroes Reborn), Joanna fights for her clients whilst also unearthing dark secrets from her past. NURSES (Drama - 10 x 60’) Nurses is a high-stakes, ensemble medical drama set in the emergency unit of St. Mary’s Hospital. Five newly appointed nurses must navigate the traumatic and emotional rollercoaster of modern nursing while trying not to let their personal lives seep into their life-and-death work.
HAT TRICK INTERNATIONAL 33 Oval Road, Camden, London NW1 7EA (+44 0) 20 7184 7777 intsales@hattrick.com www.hattrickinternational.com
EXECUTIVES
James Mill, Sales and Marketing Executive
After her husband’s suicide, a woman and her daughters move to Brigida, a small town that is about to bring back the pagan festivities of Ivana Kupala, which had been banned 30 years before. But terrifying events, along witha dangerous ritual of transmigration of souls, unsettle the community and bring to light the secrets of a crime that ties three families’ destinies through time. In this supernatural thriller full of mysticism, the mysteries mount up in a complex puzzle until the shocking revelation of what connects them all. ARUANAS (Telenovela - 10 x 60’) Three idealistic friends set up Aruana, an NGO that investigates the activities of a miningcompany operating in the Amazon rainforest. It is a place of harsh reality where strange events occur. The activists, each one following their own investigative leads, have come up with a plethora of evidence revealing environmental crimes.While these women unravel a dangerous web of crimes and secrets, they also must deal with their own ghosts and personal dramas.
396 Alhambra Circle, Suite 400, Coral Gables, FL 33134, USA (+1 786) 501-8317 internationalsales@hbo-la.com
EXECUTIVES
Vanessa Cruz, Manager, International Distribution
TOP EXECUTIVE
Xavier Aristimuño, VP, Licensing
James Mill, Sales and Marketing Executive
Angella Colla, Sales Director
UNSOUL (Series - 10 x 60’)
HBO LATIN AMERICA
TOP EXECUTIVE
TOP EXECUTIVE
Carolina Den Baas, Director, Sales, International Distribution, Central Europe & Russia
The Bronze Garden
BLOODLANDS (Drama - 4 x 60’) Created by new writer Chris Brandon and executive produced by acclaimed showrunner Jed Mercurio. When an expensive car is pulled from the sea, veteran Northern Ireland police detective Tom Brannick (James Nesbitt - The Missing, Cold Feet) instantly sees the connection to an infamous cold case that holds enormous personal significance for him. Bloodlands follows Tom Brannick’s obsessive campaign to identify and unmask the semi-mythical figure behind the case – code-named Goliath, after the giant shipyard cranes, Samson and Goliath that dominate the Belfast skyline. It contrasts an aspirational urban landscape of new buildings and up-market restaurants with a beautiful, timeless and sometimes unforgiving landscape. KATE & KOJI (Drama - 6 x 30’) From the creators of Outnumbered and What We Did on Our Holiday, comes this entertaining studio sitcom series, starring Golden Globe winner Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Secrets & Lies). Kate (Brenda Blethyn) runs a small café in a neglected seaside town. Once a thriving concern, the cafe is now on the brink of going under. Kate develops a strong, if sometimes volatile, friendship with highly-educated, African doctor, Koji (Jimmy Akingbola – In the Long Run) who is seeking asylum. Although from very different worlds, a symbiotic relationship is born between this oddest of odd couples.
THE BRONZE GARDEN (Drama - 8 x 60’) Based on the book of the same name by Gustavo Malajovich, ‘The Bronze Garden’ follows the desperate struggle of architect Fabián Danubio to find his daughter, Moira, who has disappeared inexplicably and without a trace. Getting no answers from the police, Fabián decides to take matters into his own hands, conducting the search investigation himself. In the second season, the plot follows Fabián and Moira’s life after reuniting. They each struggle to fight their own internal battles following everything they’ve been through, while Fabián decides to take on another case. THE BUSINESS (O NEGÓCIO) (Drama - 13 x 60’) The Business follows the daily lives of Karin, Luna, Magali and Mia, four luxury escorts who come together with the common goal of revolutionizing the world’s oldest profession. With the use of different marketing strategies to gain territory in the market, and establishing their own company, “Oceano Azul,” these girls deal with the most unexpected situations, while dealing with their own internal conflicts. SR. ÁVILA (Drama - 10 x 60’) The International Emmy award-winning series Sr. Ávila follows the story of Roberto Ávila, a tormented man living a double life as a criminal and a family man. A very complex character, Ávila gets involved in an underground web of contract killings and ends up appointed the head of the organization.
ttv Magazine
Burden Of Truth
53
Listings Mipcom 2020
Adventures Of A Boy Genius
Films&Series
The Rurik Dynasty
Dos Lagos
SNAP MEDIA
STAR MEDIA
Bonpland 1281 / 1291 / 1293, 2nd Floor, CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina +5411 4773 8826 dcoifman@snaptv.tv / sstanko@snaptv.tv
Bld. 1, 31 Nizhniye Polia Str., Russia, Moscow (+7 499) 356 54 00 www.starmediafilm.com
EXECUTIVES
EXECUTIVES
Diana Coifman, VP Sales & Distribution Sonia Stanko, Sales Executive
Ksenia Kalistratova, Head of Sales, Russia William J Peck, Head of Sales, UK
TOP EXECUTIVE
TOP EXECUTIVE
Ariel Tobi, SVP Production & Distribution
Vlad Ryashin, CEO
The Internationals… Connection Buenos Aires
TV AZTECA INTERNATIONAL Periférico Sur 4121, Col. Fuentes del Pedregal, C.P. 14140, México, CDMX (+5255) 5166 2330 jrico@tvazteca.com.mx tvaztecainternacional.com
THE RURIK DYNASTY (Drama - 8 x 52’)
Emmett is a popular junior at Heart High School. He also happens to be a highly imaginative twelve-year-old genius. After his brother Luke, also a junior and Emmett’s best friend, is accused of being involved in a rash of thefts at school, Emmett must find a way to prove his innocence before their mom ships Luke off to boarding school.
Conquest and the struggle of power, victory and defeat, love and betrayal, the rise of culture and the ashes of conflagration – these are just some of the elements of the Rurik dynasty.
FOUR ENCHANTED SISTERS (Family - 97’)
Nineteen-year-old Anna, living at the end of the nineteenth century, unexpectedly discovers that she possesses supernatural powers. The spirits of the dead literally haunt her, begging to help. Aided by her visions, Anna manages to investigate and solve a number of mysterious crimes which have baffled the police. An experienced detective, 37-year-old Yakov Shtolman teams up with Anna and becomes her partner in hunting down criminals. Yakov is a materialist, and his relationship with Anna is very complex in the beginning. However, in time their rivalry transforms into friendship, and later, into love.
Four sisters with magical powers, but only together they are strong enough to fight against Glenda, mistress of the black arts, who tries to separate the sisters and wants to take over control of their home, Cantrip Towers, and it’s magical fountain. MAGIC KIDS - THREE UNLIKELY HÉROES (Family - 90’)
ttv Magazine
Three magical losers - a vampire who can’t take the sight of blood, a fairy with a fear of flying and a werewolf allergic to animal hair - square up against an infernal opponent and win the greatest of all possible victories: accepting themselves as they are.
54
DETECTIVE ANNA (Drama - 56 x 50’)
COLD SHORES (Drama - 8 x 52’) A rich heiress, Maria Sorokina, goes missing after a quarrel with her husband. Boris Novinsky, head of the police station, entrusts this case to a young detective, yesterday’s intern, Alina Novinskaya, his daughter. It turns out that a maniac who strangles and disfigures young women who look like Maria Sorokina operates in the town. The search for Maria brings her husband, Mark, and Alina together.
Cuyo 1844, Martínez, Buenos Aires, Argentina vis-americas@vimn.com www.viacominternationalstudios.com
EXECUTIVES
EXECUTIVES
Dulce Avila, Sales Manager Melissa Pillow, Sales Representative for Africa, rest of Europe (including France, Spain and Portugal), USA and its territories, UK (clients related to Africa) Andrés.R.Payá, Marketing
TOP EXECUTIVE ADVENTURES OF A BOY GENIUS (Family - 91’)
VIACOM INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS
Patricia Jasín, VP of TV Azteca International
DOS LAGOS (Series - 12 x 60’) Dos Lagos is a series that tells the story of three families who live in the same house in three different times in history (1944, 1975 and 2015). In addition to living in the same house, the three families “share” a chilling presence: the spirit of a girl who died strangely in 1944 and who will not rest until the mystery of her death is solved by the inhabitants of the house in Dos Lagos. EL CÉSAR (Serie - 26 x 60’) ‘El César’, the chronicle of a country that saw an idol fall and a man rise, is a dramatized biographical series about Mexican and international boxing legend, Julio César Chávez. For 13 years, 11 months, and 14 days, Julio was undefeated and had it all: family, fame, handfuls of money, and legions of fans. Julio entered a privileged world that led him to associate with dangerous drug gangs, to have affairs with famous television stars, to rub shoulders with the highest echelons of Mexican political power, and to become involved in a whirlwind of addictions to alcohol and drugs. Drugs that would end his career and almost cost him his life. Rehabilitated and active in boxing, Chávez returns with ‘El César’, an exciting 26-hour-long series that follows the stormy life in and out of the ring of the Great Mexican Champion, as he travels the difficult path that will make him a legend.
Elena Antonini: Director Content Sales & Co Production Natalia Delmas: Manager Content Sales & Co Production
TOP EXECUTIVE
Guillermo Borensztein, VP Content Sales & Co-Productions, VIS Americas
THE INTERNATIONALS… CONNECTION BUENOS AIRES (Drama - 8 x 60’) In 1991, Fausto was a member of Colombia’s best band of thieves. His ingenious heists around the world, with no violence or weapons, made him a legend. But it all went wrong. Fausto broke a sacred code within “Los Internacionales”, when he became involved with Mafe, his partner’s lover. On that same night, the cheated husband was murdered by the police and Fausto ended up behind bars for the confusing and deadly incident. Eleven years later, he is free and decides to put together a new band of internationals. He summons a group of young people and seeks to instill in them the ancient codes. They travel together to Argentina in the midst of the biggest crisis in the country’s history. The reason for this choice is to get a hold of the dollars on the street. Fausto’s secret objective is to find Mafe, and meet his son. SPELL KEEPERS (Teen Telenovela - 50 x 22’) Spell Keepers is a fun, exciting, mysterious and fantastical suspense series. It focuses on two strong and determined heroines –Kirki and Laila, fraternal twins who were separated at birth and have set out to perform their crucial roles in the world. As they strive to save humanity, they must choose between their own personal happiness and fulfilling their destinies, while facing an inevitable collision between good and evil.