News

Ernesto Alterio y Pilar Castro encabezan el reencuentro bajo la dirección de Samantha López Speranza. © Disney

Comienza el rodaje de “Todos los Lados de la Cama”, secuela de “El Otro Lado de la Cama” y “Los 2 Lados de la Cama”, que reúne a su mítico reparto 22 años después bajo la dirección de Samantha López Speranza, que debuta en la dirección de largometrajes.

En “Todos los Lados de la Cama”, tras décadas sin verse, Javier (Ernesto Alterio) y Carlota (Pilar Castro) montan en cólera cuando descubren que sus hijos Óscar (Jan Buxaderas) y Julia (Lucía Caraballo) planean casarse. ¿Quién a su edad tiene una relación heteronormativa y exclusiva en 2025 con todo lo que les queda por experimentar? ¿Es que no les han enseñado nada como padres? Ni Paula (Natalia Verbeke), madre de Óscar; ni Rafa (Alberto San Juan), convertido en gurú contra las relaciones tóxicas; ni Pilar (María Esteve), wedding planner...

Spanish broadcaster Rtve and production companies Tornasol and DeAPlaneta have teamed with German production-sales company Zdf Enterprises on “Ana. all in,” a legal thriller starring Maribel Verdú based on Spanish author Roberto Santiago’s best-seller “Ana.” Representing the series internationally, Zdfe will be presenting the series at MipT. Variety was able to speak with the series’ lead actor ahead of the Cannes-based market.

“Ana. all in” turns on Ana, a small-time lawyer thrust into the underground world of illegal gambling when her brother is accused of killing the manager of the Gran Castilla Casino. After assembling a small but energetic team, this Spanish Erin Brockovich goes head-to-head with the Goliath that is one of the world’s largest gambling industries.

Ana’s best friend Concha is played by fellow Spanish standout Natalia Verbeke (“The Other Side of the Bed”), and is one of the most significant people in Ana’s...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Alex de la Iglesia is back on set with “El cuarto pasajero,” Laurine Garaude departs Reed Midem, Chinese video app Kuaishou stuns investors in Hong Kong, Tencent finalizes its Universal Music Group share increase, Mopar Studios hire Jessica Pope as creative director and Pluto TV launches six new networks in Latin America.

Shooting

Spanish genre master Álex de la Iglesia, hot off the heels of his hit HBO horror series “30 Coins,” is back on set to shoot road movie rom-com “El cuarto pasajero” (The Fourth Passenger), a Pokeepsie Films and Telecinco Cinema co-production. The companies will be looking to repeat the joint success they found with the filmmaker’s 2017 Spanish-language remake of “Perfect Strangers,” a top 10 all-time domestic box office hit that pulled a worldwide gross of $33 million in 2017-18.

“El cuarto pasajero” also sees de la Iglesia joined once again by regular co-writer...

Mediawan, one of Europe’s most thriving independent production-distribution groups, is looking to expand its leadership further into Europe with the acquisition of Lagardere Studios and a minority stake in Madrid-based banner Weekend Studio.

Following last month’s clearance by the anti-trust board, Mediawan has finalized its takeover of Lagardere Studios, an expansive French TV producer-distributor comprised of 27 companies, including the Spanish banner Boomerang, whose hit series include “The Time in Between” and “Mum detective;” Atlantique Productions, whose credits include Damien Chazelle’s Netflix series “The Eddy”; and Imagissime, the documentary producers behind hit Netflix documentary series “Who Killed Little Gregory?”

Pierre-Antoine Capton, chairman of Mediawan, said the company is now getting ready to integrate Lagardere Studios’ talent and labels into the org and is preparing to reorganize in order to create more synergies.

“With these new acquisitions we are going to strengthen our footprint in Spain, the Netherlands and Finland,...

Santiago De Compostela, Spain — Continuing its push to produce local content in Spain, Netflix has announced the commission of new original series “Hache,” created and written by “Velvet Collection” scribe Verónica Fernández.

Her 2001 feature “El Bola” earned the writer a Spanish Academy Goya nomination for best original screenplay.

The series’ eight hour-long episodes are based on real events surrounding Helena, a woman at the heart of 1960s heroin trafficking in Barcelona. Helena will be played by Goya-nominated actress Adriana Ugarte, joined on screen by Javier Rey, who this year took home the best actor award at Malaga Film Festival for his performance in “Sin Fin.”

The series is scheduled for release in more than 190 territories in 2019.

Since first launching in Spain in 2015, Netflix has embraced local content production. “Hache” will be the VOD platform’s fifth original Spanish fiction series production. The first, “Cable Girls,” launched in April of 2016. Since then “Elite,...

Madrid — Two female-driven feature comedy projects with potential international appeal, Cristina Trenas and Isabel Delclaux’s “Three Astronauts” and Roberto Goñi and Laura Molpeceres’ “Two Friends,” proved top highlights at the fifth edition of Pitchbox, held in Madrid.

Organized by online platform Filmarket Hub, the films-in-development showcase took place May 22, attracting a typically select but high-quality caliber of executives and represented companies from key players such as Telecinco Cinema, Atresmedia Cine, Tve, Warner Bros. España, DeAPlaneta, Tornasol Films, Morena Films, Latido Films, Dynamo and TriPictures.

The seven projects pitched, previously filtered and analyzed by Filmarket Hub, generated a wide-ranging selection in terms of film genres and budgets, while reflecting women’s growing visibility in creation, direction and lead characters.

Event’s networking also served to confirm that Spanish film industry problems remain, from regulatory uncertainty to under-capitalized public funding schemes and the commitment to independent production of many public broadcasters.

Sweet Filthy Boy is the latest novel from Christina Lauren, the pen-name of writing duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. In just over a year they’ve published seven New York Times bestsellers (yes, you read that right) and their first novel Beautiful Bastard has been optioned for a movie. Sweet Filthy Boy is yet another huge success for the pair and marks the debut of their newest series, Wild Seasons. And boy, do we have a treat for you!

You’ve seen Mia’s side of the story when she wakes up in Sweet Filthy Boy after a Vegas all-nighter with a sexy, fun, Frenchman. But for the first time ever, see what transpired the morning after from Ansel’s point of view! Once you’ve finished, check out our interview with the lovely authors, who spill on everything from crafting the perfect book boyfriend to where we can find Ansel and Mia next.

How many times have you awoken after a long night of partying only to find your place trashed, your head pounding, and all of your fellow party people dead? While that may just be your average Saturday here at Dread Central, most people would find such a situation unsettling.

According to Variety, Spain's Telespan 2000, Telecinco Cinema, and Film Factory are teaming on debut director Miguel Larraya's slasher After Party.

Tomas Cimadevilla (The Other Side of the Bed, Soccer Days") produces, Telecinco Cinema (The Impossible, Pan's Labyrinth) will co-produce while Film Factory has worldwide rights outside Spain.

A smart genre shocker, After Party stars Luis Hernandez (Three Steps Above the Sky) and Ursula Corbero (Paranormal Experience 3D). The screenplay, by Larraya and Fernando Sancristobal, focuses on a teen TV idol and three girls who wake up after a wild party to find themselves trapped in the house. He receives cell...

MADRID -- Two years after its launch, Madrid-based production house Lazonafilms unveiled its first television and feature film slate Monday. Lazonafilms has sealed a deal with broadcaster Telecinco's production branch Telespan 2000 to co-produce director David Serrano's next two films. The accord rolls off a long-term relationship with Telecinco, where Lazona CEO Ignacio Salazar-Simpson headed feature film production and was responsible for greenlighting such hits as Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's Intact and the biggest-grossing Spanish film of 2002, The Other Side of the Bed. Salazar-Simpson pointed out that the company had waited until it had a strong lineup to move forward and credited -- in part -- a change in the Spanish market.

Yet more good news... Variety reports that the Sundance Channel and Loews Entertainment have partnered with Newmarket Films for potential expansion of the Sundance Film Series. An effort to promote four different indie films, the series commences today with the release of the Spanish musical-comedy The Other Side of the Bed. The rest of the slate is as follows: In This World (9/19), Dopamine (10/10) and Die Mommie Die! (10/31). Each film is set for a two-week run, though further expansion (with Newmarket's assistance) is possible depending on each film's performance. As a final, optimistic note, it should be mentioned that Bed was Spain's top-grossing film last year.

The 2002 Toronto Film Festival has announced its line-up for the 27th festival, which will showcase 343 films from 50 countries, including 263 features, of which 193 are world and North American premieres. Seven Gala films were announced in addition to the previously announced presentations; they include Joel Schumacher.s Phone Booth (world premiere), Neil Jordan.s The Good Thief (world premiere), Danièle Thompson.s Jet Lag (world premiere), Todd Haynes. Far From Heaven (world premiere), Jim Sheridan.s In America (world premiere), The Other Side of the Bed (world premiere), and Patrice Leconte.s L.Homme Du Train (North American premiere). Special Presentations films, in addition to those previously announced, include Robert Duvall.s Assassination Tango, Matt Dillon.s City of Ghosts, Alan Rudolph.s The Secret Lives of Dentists, Michael Hoffman.s The Emperor.s Club, Paul Schrader.s Auto Focus, Menno Meyjes. Max, Pedro Almodóvar.s Talk To Her, and two films from Philip Noyce: Rabbit-Proof Fence and the long-delayed The Quiet American. See http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2002/ for the complete schedule.