TV Movies, Factual, Animation & More from Spain

MADRID/SEGOVIA/BARCELONA: In the second part of our report from TV Latina and World Screen’s visit to Spain, organized by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), the activities of production companies such as CINTV, Vodka and TV3 are highlighted.

Wednesday, November 9 started with a visit to Muñecos animados, puppet maker for television shows, whose credits include Lunnies for TVE. According to Manuel Román at Muñecos animados, the company is currently at work on a project titled Amigoos that is planned to air on five public broadcasters in Africa and Central America. The social-skewing program will have local versions in said territories.

The visit continued in the city of Segovia, where Compañía de Inventarios Naturales, CINTV, is based, in which Vértice 360 has a 50-percent stake. The company produces a diverse portfolio of factual programming for the international market. Clients include TVE, TV3, Nat Geo, france 5, Discovery and Galavision in the U.S. “To this last channel we licensed Un mundo aparte, a 13-part documentary series,” said Víctor Fraile, the director of coproduction and development for CINTV.

Fraile also took time to highlight other projects the company is working on, including Sonrisas de Bombay, a 52-minute documentary in HD, and Wild Connection, a 6×52 production, also in HD.

Vodka Capital is an animation company based in Segovia that, together with 737 Shaker, is working on the new project Pirata & Capitano. Recently, the company announced various deals for its preschool 3D animation Jelly Jamm, which launched in Latin America and will roll out in more than 150 countries during the fall.

Steven Posner, managing partner at Vodka Capital, said Pirata & Capitano, which launched at MIPCOM, was “embraced by international buyers.”

And in Barcelona, the first visit on Thursday, November 10, was to TV3, founded in 1983 with includes channels TV3, 33 (cultural), 3/24 (news), Esport 3 (sports), Super 3/XL (kids and teens) and Internacional (global). The channel presents content in Catalonian, looking to preserve the language and culture. Currently, the main channel TV3, has a 13- to 15-percent share.

The company has recently made news in the format arena, announcing that DreamWorks Television will adapt the drama Polseres Vermelles (The Red Band Society) for ABC in the U.S. The series’ first season aired on TV3 during the spring and was produced by Filmax for TV3. Marta Kauffman, the co-creator of Friends, is the executive producer for Polseres Vermelles. The series tells the story of a group of boys between the ages of 10 and 15 that meet in a children’s hospital, where they have to deal with life and daily situations that affect them. Polseres Vermelles was originally created by Alberto Espinosa, based on his novel Un mundo amarillo.

Shortly afterward, a press conference took place with animation outfits Imira Entertainment, Tomavistas, StorkFisk, Edebé Audiovisual Licensing, Motion Pictures, BRB Internacional, Mago Producciones and Cromosoma.

The week ended on Friday, November 11, with a visit to benece, producer of television, documentary, film, news and kids’ content excluding animation series. Executive Xavier Atance, highlighted programs airing on TV3, including No te lo pierdas, Tres C and Family Travel, as well as the 3D sitcom Visión imposible.

Oviedo TV focuses on developing series, miniseries and movies for television. The company has collaborated with leading Spanish and European broadcasters, among them TVE, TV3, france 3 and ZDF. Spearheaded by its executive president, Antoni Camín, the company announced the development of the TV movie Hotel Majestic, together with Epo Film from Austria, Esterházy & Dienst Productions in Belgium and TV3. Set during World War II, the production is a light comedy based on historic fact. The story tells of two Belgian ministers arrested by the Germans and confined to Hotel Majestic in Barcelona, prohibiting them to travel to England, where they look to form a Belgian government in exile and continue fighting against the Nazis.

The company’s second project is the thriller Love and Fear in Barcelona, co-produced with Maran Film from Germany and Epo Film from Austria. The TV movie narrates the story of Lukas, who dies in a tragic accident during a work stay in Barcelona. Coinciding on the anniversary of his death, his widow Anna is invited to a conference in Barcelona and decides to go with Paul, his 12-year-old son and discover that Lukas’ death was no accident.