Notizie

Spain’s Aquí y Allí Films, behind Antonio Méndez Esparza’s “Life and Nothing More,” winner of the John Cassavetes Spirit Award in 2017, is preparing a new film, “Stay,” an identity dramedy set in Madrid’s queer community.

London-based Altitude Films has boarded the project as its international sales agent.

In it, Sophie, a “normal” American girl who studies in Madrid is introduced to Spain’s queer community by her non-binary tutor, where she breaks free from the rules and expectations which have governed her life.

Set to be presented at the Spanish Screenings on Tour Producers’ Showcase at the American Film Market, “Stay” has been penned by American writer Angela Paolini and Spain’s Caru Basakatua.

Paolini has also been a consultant and co-editor on several novels, including five No. 1 New York Times bestsellers and is the author of one of the stories in the anthology “The Fork, The Witch,...

Akelarre Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival

The Official Selection at San Sebastian Film Festival has been expanded by the announcement of several Spanish titles, including Pablo Agüero’s Akelarre and Antonio Méndez Esparza’s Courtroom 3H.

Akelarre is a period film which sees women accused of witchcraft and marks the second time Agüero has competed for the Golden Shell after Eva Doesn't Sleep in 2015. Esparza, who won the Fipresci prize at the festival with his previous drama Life And Nothing More returns with a documentary observing a Floridian court that deals with family cases.

Two series also join the line-up - Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s six-part Riot Police, playing out of competition, and Aitor Gabilondo’s eight-episode Patria, which will be a special screening.

The festival has previously announced that the Official Selection will open with Woody Allen's Rifkin's Festival, which will also play out of competition.

In...

Spanish-French-Argentinian co-production Akelarre and US-Spanish title Courtroom 3H form part of the official selection of the Basque festival. Of the 14 Spanish-produced films included in the 68th San Sebastian International Film Festival, taking place from 18–26 September, only two are in the running for the Golden Shell: Akelarre, a historical film directed by Argentinian director Pablo Agüero, and a co-production of his home country, France and Spain (it was also the winning film of the Art Kino International Prize of the 6th Europe-Latin America Coproduction Forum 2017); and Courtroom 3H, a feature-length documentary, filmed and co-produced in the United States, by Antonia Méndez Esparza. It is worth noting that both directors have appeared in numerous previous editions of the festival. Agüero’s most recent appearance in the festival was 5 years ago with Eva Doesn’t Sleep, and Méndez Esparza in 2017 with Life and Nothing More, also filmed on the other...

The first non-fiction film by the director of Life and Nothing More is once again being produced by Aquí y Allí Films, like his previous works. Madrilenian helmer Antonio Méndez Esparza is currently shooting his third film, 2nd Judicial Court, a documentary about the Tallahassee Unified Family Court in Florida, USA, where he lives and works as a university professor. The film, like his two previous efforts – Aquí y allá: Here and There (2012) and Life and Nothing More – is being produced by Aquí y Allí Films. The latter title was the first Spanish production to obtain the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards, in 2018. His new feature marks a real step forward for this filmmaker who has always hovered in between fiction and documentary, and who is forging a strong career hinging on social problems, as he demonstrated with his previous movies. Méndez Esparza...

Antonio Méndez Esparza’s “Que nadie duerma,” Fernando Franco’s “La consagración de la primavera” and Agustí Villaronga’s “3.000 obstáculos” figure among the seven projects to be pitched at Paris’ Small Is Biutiful forum.

The closing event for the alternative Spanish film festival Dífferent 12!, Small Is Biutiful takes place June 26, bringing together French distributors and sales executives around a selection of Spanish feature projects seeking partners.

Backed by the Cannes Film Market, Different! is organised by Espagnolas en Paris and the Ile-de-France Film Commission.

Past projects presented at Small Is Biutiful take in Oliver Laxe’s “Mimosas,” which won Cannes 2016 Critics’ Week; Carlos Vermut’s “Magical Girl,” San Sebastián’s top Golden Shell Award in 2014, and Arantxa Echevarría’s “Carmen & Lola,” winner of breakout director and supporting actress nods at February’s Goya Awards, as well as a Cannes Directors’ Fortnight contender.

“Que nadie duerma” is produced by Pedro Hernández...

Madrid — Nicolás Britos’ “Nada,” Jorge Hernández and Ainara Mentxaka’s “Los años de plomo” and Pablo Díaz and Alberto Heredia’s “La novena provincia” figure among the seven TV drama projects in development set to be presented at the 2nd Madrid TV Pitchbox.

An event focused on Spanish TV drama, organized by online platform Filmarket Hub, The 2018 Madrid TV Pitchbox will take place on Dec. 18.

The seven projects will be pitched before executives from some of the most important Spain-based TV companies. Broadcasters Mediaset España, Rtve and Atresmedia Studios, and Telefónica’s leading paybox Movistar + have confirmed their presence.

For this upcoming edition, organizers are opening Madrid TV Pitchbox to key independent production houses such as Weekend Studio and Dynamo, which have good relations with global Ott operators.

After the pitching session, there will be a networking lunch, where projects representatives and companies’ executives will be able to share impressions.