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Exclusive: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (I Feel Pretty) have closed deals to write and direct Big Pink, an English-language remake of the Spanish dramedy La lista de los deseos for Monarch Media.

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Like the original 2020 film written and directed by Álvaro Díaz Lorenzo, the remake will be a heartwarming and funny tale about a group of women from different generations who, after completing treatment for breast cancer, go on a road trip adventure and learn to live life to the fullest.

Steve Barnett and Alan Powell will produce through their Monarch Media shingle, with their Monarch partner Vicky Patel exec producing.

Exclusive: Chase Stokes (Outer Banks) is set to star in the Steve Barnett-directed thriller Valiant One from Monarch Media, which heads into production in Vancouver in September.

The film tells the story of a U.S. helicopter crashing on the North Korean side of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. With tensions between the North and South already on the verge of war, the surviving U.S. Army non-combat tech soldiers must work together to protect a civilian tech-specialist and find their way across the Dmz, without the possibility of U.S. military support.

Eric Tipton penned the script for Valient One, from an original idea by Barnett. Bernie Goldmann and Monarch principals Barnett and Alan Powell will produce, with Monarch principal Vicky L. Patel serving as exec producer.

“We are incredibly excited to have Chase Stokes on board ‘Valiant One,’ and can’t wait to share this incredible story of survival...

Spanish distributors, who have enjoyed a strong track record selling remake rights to local pics, have received a major boost this year with the Malaga Festival Industry Zone’s (Mafiz) inaugural Remake Day event on Thursday.

Leading film sales companies, among them Cinema Republic, Latido Films, Filmax and Feel Content, presented showcases of films considered particularly adaptable to foreign markets. Not surprisingly, comedies and genre pics made up most of the selections.

David Castellanos’ Cinema Republic offered one strong example with Borja Cobeaga’s hit 2009 romantic comedy “Pagafantas,” which has over the years sold to Germany, Italy and Mexico.

Cinema Republic also touted Icíar Bollaín’s “Rosa’s Wedding” (“La Boda de Rosa”), about a woman in her mid-40s who decides to finally take charge of her life and fulfill her dream of starting a business.

In Robert Bellsolà’s 2014 laffer “Dos a la Carta” (“Menu for Two”), another Cinema Republic title,...

Library deals, remake rights deals, movie production — Spanish film sales agents are diversifying in multiple ways to battle the uncertainty of current times.

The coronavirus pandemic has added another wrinkle to an already complex landscape, with sales agents at the crossroads between traditional distribution and streaming platforms.

In February, as the shock waves of the Covid-19 crisis threatened to reach the Berlinale, Spanish sales companies were rapidly doing business. But deals were already impacted by the impending pandemic.

“Everything was rushed after Berlin,” says Iván Díaz, head of international at Filmax, who at the European Film Market clinched several territory-by-territory sales on David Victori’s psychological thriller “No matarás” (“Cross the Line”), toplining Spanish star Mario Casas.

Mainly acquired for theatrical release, the film’s buyers include Wild Bunch in France, Russian Report for Cis, Cai Chang for Taiwan and Dexin for former Yugoslavia. Further contracts negotiated at the Efm were signed several weeks after.

Exclusive: The trio of investor-philanthropist Vicky L. Patel, producer Steve Barnett and singer-actor-writer Alan Powell have teamed to launch Monarch Media, a new film and TV production company. The plan is to develop and produce 2-3 feature films a year in all genres and budget levels, as well as make a push into developing TV series and live event/theatrical properties.

Among the first projects in the Monarch pipeline is Deathrow-mance, a film written by Nick Ball and John Niven and based on an original concept from Tommy Wirkola (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters) and Benedicte Westbye. Monarch optioned the script via its film fund and is now packaging the project, which will be directed by Wirkola.

Deathrow-mance centers on a British media executive who hastily marries an American death row inmate as a loophole to avoid being deported and losing a huge buyout of her company. After new evidence...

Navarre’s 35% tax credit has mainly lured a large list of national feature productions since its launch in 2015. Further international film and TV projects partially shot there, accessing Spain’s 20% tax deductions; other benefited from R&d incentives for Navarre-based animation and post-production companies. Here are some recent highlights:

Title – Year Of Production – Director – Production Company – Location

-”Ventajas de Viajar en Tren.” 2019. Aritz Moreno. Logical Pictures, Morena Films, Señor & Señora. Pamplona.

-“Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds.” 2019. Toni García. Apolo Films. Animation.

-“Line Walker: Operation Midnight Shadow.” 2018-2019. Babieka Line Walker. Filmed in Pamplona, Tafalla.

-“Offering to the Storm“ (The Baztán Trilogy). 2018-2019. Fernando González Molina. Nostromo Pictures, Atresmedia Cine, Nadcon. Baztán Valley, Elizondo, Pamplona.

-“The Legacy of the Bones” (The Baztán Trilogy). 2018-2019. Fernando González Molina. Nostromo Pictures, Atresmedia Cine, Nadcon. Baztán Valley, Elizondo, Pamplona.

-”Los Japón.” 2018. Álvaro Díaz Lorenzo. Dlo Producciones, Atresmedia Cine,...