Filmmaker Isabel Coixet Boards HBO Europe Spanish Original

Isabel Coixet is writing and directing her first TV series, Foodie Love, an original Spanish production for HBO Europe.

The 8×30-minute series will be produced by Miss Wasabi Films. Coixet is the winner of seven Goya awards. Her film work includes My Life Without Me, The Secret Life of Words, Map of the Sounds of Tokyo and The Bookshop.

In Foodie Love, a mobile app that finds couples among foodie lovers connects the protagonists, two 30-somethings who embark on getting to know each other with the doubts of those who retain the scars of previous relationships. Over several dates, they’ll have to discover if their common devotion to Japanese yuzu or shared distaste for foodie pretension are enough to build the foundations of a lasting love story.

Coixet said, “Foodie Love is the fusion of two of my passions: love stories and food. Two characters meet, separate and come together again in a unique journey through cafes, bars and restaurants. In this tale of love, the lack of it, doubts and food, two timid beings, strong, at times tormented, at times unconcerned, fight to understand and surrender to each other. Every single place that appears in the series and everything they eat is real. Their story is fiction. It is nourished by all the places I’ve visited and all the food I’ve tried. And many things I’ve lived.”

Miguel Salvat, commissioning editor of original programming at HBO España, said: “In Foodie Love, Isabel Coixet is delving into two worlds she’s passionate about. There’s nothing more universal than this combination of ingredients, to which Isabel brings her personal touch, her incredible subtlety and her unique vision.”

Antony Root, executive VP of programming and production at HBO Europe, said: “We’re extremely honored that Isabel is turning her talents to television with us for Foodie Love, a truly original and contemporary series with lots of heart. It’s a fantastic addition to our Spanish slate, which with a mix of genres, top local talent and resonant stories is shaping up to offer something extraordinary and surprising for audiences of all tastes.”