Click here to read the full article.
The Iberseries & Platino Industria confab in Madrid has launched the Euro-Atlantic Series Co-Pro Pitch Program, which assembles a cross-section of mainly European TV projects that seek to advance their development.
“This is a different initiative from [Iberseries’] Coproduction & Financing Forum, but it maintains the same essence: connecting projects with key partners and accelerating the financing, production and distribution processes of projects in development,” said its general coordinator Rodrigo Ros.
The one-to-one and one-to-many meetings will take place all throughout Tuesday, Sept. 29, followed the next day by a presentation open to the public at the Cineteca Matadero, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Backed by prominent production companies, the first edition has assembled a selection committee made up of seasoned professionals from the European audiovisual industry, including Laura Miñarro, VP of international business and coproduction at Buendía Estudios (Spain); Diego del Pozo, head of fiction at Atresmedia Televisión (Spain); José Fragoso, programming head at RTP1 and RTP Internacional (Portugal) and Georges Huercano, development and co-productions manager at RTL (Belgium).
“The first edition will bring together projects from Spain, Belgium, France, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Uruguay, along with two invited projects thanks to collaboration agreements established with two of Europe’s leading markets and events specializing in series: Göteborg Film Festival, a key reference point for the Nordic audiovisual industry, and Seriencamp, one of the most relevant industry gatherings in Germany,” he noted.
Nine series projects below cover the gamut of genres: from the festival scandal drama in “Callback” to sports docu series “Heartbeats,” thrillers such as “In Memoriam” and “The Invisible Ink” and variations of comedies from a romcom to a heist comedy as well as historical coming-of-age drama, “King of Hearts.”
The Iberseries & Platino Industria runs Sept. 29- Oct. 2 in Madrid this year.
“Callback” (Joana Vilapuig, Mirela Vilapuig, Spain)
Fiction series from Spain’s Funicular Films (“This Is Not Sweden”) and Barcelona-based Left Tackle Films (“Solo Kim”), revolves around director Fran who, at the premiere of her debut feature at a festival, accuses her lead actor and producer Roman of abuse. Title was selected to participate at the Berlinale Series Match. Written by Joana Vilapuig, Mirela Vilapuig and Diego Vega. Marta Baldó produces.
“Heartbeats” (“Latidos,” Cristina Molino, Spain)
Malvalanda’s docu series follows eight elite female athletes as they navigate pregnancy, motherhood and the demands of professional sport. Produced by María del Puy Alvarado, whose company has earned seven Goya nominations and two Oscar nominations, the project has received development funding from the Community of Madrid. Created by del Puy, Azucena Garanto and Alexa Portillo, the series is planned for 2027/28 production. The creators describe motherhood in elite sport as “a novelty and a feat.”
“In Memoriam – Season 2” (Félix Tétreault, Marie-Claude Blouin, Canada, Belgium)
The eight-part thriller drama follows six young engineers whose decade-old hazing ritual resurfaces when a former colleague’s will summons them to Spain, where a series of trials exposes the truth behind a murder. Cineflix Rights is attached as distributor. In development with Crave financing, the project seeks European broadcasters, co-production partners and additional financing. Season 1 was Crave’s #1 launch series and won Best Drama Series at the Berlin TV Series Festival.
“The Invisible Ink” (“La tinta invisible,” César Díaz, Belgium, Uruguay)
César Díaz’s bilingual political thriller is backed by Belgian company Need Productions and Uruguay’s Guay Films, with Cimarrón Uruguay in advanced talks to join as a production and financing partner. The series follows an exiled revolutionary forced to return to Uruguay and confront his past. Selected for Series Mania’s Series Makers and ACE Series, the project combines political suspense with family drama. Its producers call it “a rare bridge between two regions.”
“King of Hearts” (Gilles Coulier, Belgium)
De Wereldvrede’s historical coming-of-age drama follows King Baudouin’s early years on the throne, amid Belgium’s political crisis, family tensions and Congo’s independence. VRT has joined as a development co-producer, with script funding from VAF. The series spans Brussels, Leopoldville, Rome and Madrid, connecting Belgium’s monarchy with Cold War geopolitics and Catholic influence. Producer Gilles De Schryver describes it as “by nature an international story,” designed as a prestige drama with global appeal.
“Las Palmas My Love” (“Las Palmas mon amour,” France, Spain)
The romantic comedy is in development as a French-Spanish co-production between Quad Drama and Secuoya Studios. Iris Bucher produces, with ZDF already committed. The project follows a French pop star on the verge of a breakdown who assumes a new identity in the Canary Islands, where she falls for a widowed chef. Bucher describes it as a “Romeo and Juliet situation,” combining romance, comedy and emotional twists with strong international appeal
“Listen to My Lips” (Daniela Ruah, Portugal, Brazil)
Six-part character-driven drama from creator-actress Sofia Mirpuri follows Vera, a 29-year-old actress whose progressive hearing loss forces her to confront a life spent in the shadow of her director boyfriend. Set in contemporary Lisbon, the series combines humor, ambition and disability representation. Mirpuri plays the lead. With pilot and series bible completed, the project is seeking writers’ room financing, international co-production partners and a broadcaster, streamer, sales agent or distributor.
“Sangria” (Horacio Alcalá, Sweden, Finland, Spain)
The heist comedy from Strive Stories, Sons of Lumiere and The Aurora Project follows a 51-year-old housekeeper and three discarded workers who take on an AI billionaire after automation costs them their livelihoods. Jaakko Hutchings is attached to star. The project has Creative Europe MEDIA slate support. Director and producer Horacio Alcalá calls it “a heist comedy where the weapons are an apron, a lemon and 30 years of being invisible.”
“Summer of Love” (Florian Gottschick, Germany)
The six-part romantic workplace dramedy is being developed by Germany’s Just Make It Production with Polyphon Film. Set in 1967 Hamburg, it follows three women who turn a shipyard computer into Germany’s first matchmaking agency. A German public broadcaster has expressed interest in joining as a minority partner, with discussions underway. Producer Sabine Tettenborn calls it “a warm, funny workplace dramedy” exploring love, identity and intimate data.
