Continuing to tap top series from Spain, Munich-based Beta Film has snapped up international distribution rights to “Simple,” the new dramedy by Anna R. Costa, the co-creator of Movistar Plus+‘s most-binged series, “Arde Madrid.”
Costa’s directorial debut, “Simple” world premiered earlier this week in San Sebastian as a Movistar Plus+ world premiere.
Produced by Movistar Plus+ in collaboration with Destrucción y Salvación, “Simple” turns on four young women in their twenties and thirties, who have reached a milestone in their lives: Sharing an apartment as truly independent adults. The series follows the flat mates, all of whom have disabilities, as they navigate the pressures of adulthood and the absurd norms imposed on them by society.
As Costa asked in a Variety interview: “How on earth has society relegated certain people to the margins based solely on their gender, race, cognition, forcing them into social isolation, challenging and abusing...
Costa’s directorial debut, “Simple” world premiered earlier this week in San Sebastian as a Movistar Plus+ world premiere.
Produced by Movistar Plus+ in collaboration with Destrucción y Salvación, “Simple” turns on four young women in their twenties and thirties, who have reached a milestone in their lives: Sharing an apartment as truly independent adults. The series follows the flat mates, all of whom have disabilities, as they navigate the pressures of adulthood and the absurd norms imposed on them by society.
As Costa asked in a Variety interview: “How on earth has society relegated certain people to the margins based solely on their gender, race, cognition, forcing them into social isolation, challenging and abusing...
- 9/23/2022
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
The scene opens on Barceloneta, by the shore, and four girls sit together near the boardwalk, looking out at the beach. The Movistar+ original series “Simple” begins as its title suggests, with a concise portrait of each of the four characters, prominent personality traits on display.
Scripting ebullient women is something Spanish director Anna R. Costa never shies from, molding distinctive characters that permeate their scenes long after their exit. On the heels of her prior work on the Movistar+ sensation “Arde Madrid,” the streamer’s most-binged series after its premiere, “Simple” further proves that diverse female leads are in-demand, though, Costa admits, perhaps on account of their numbers. “In a matter of five years the audiovisual industry has made a strong commitment to the feminine.
But let’s not forget that we’re fashionable because we’re currency, our topics are interesting because they generate money,” she says. “What...
Scripting ebullient women is something Spanish director Anna R. Costa never shies from, molding distinctive characters that permeate their scenes long after their exit. On the heels of her prior work on the Movistar+ sensation “Arde Madrid,” the streamer’s most-binged series after its premiere, “Simple” further proves that diverse female leads are in-demand, though, Costa admits, perhaps on account of their numbers. “In a matter of five years the audiovisual industry has made a strong commitment to the feminine.
But let’s not forget that we’re fashionable because we’re currency, our topics are interesting because they generate money,” she says. “What...
- 9/12/2022
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Rafael Cobos, the co-screenwriter of Alberto Rodríguez’s Goya best picture winner “Marshland” and “The Plague,” one of Movistar Plus’ most ambitious series ever, is getting his own show.
Moving into production on July 18, “El hijo zurdo” stars María León, a stunning 2011 San Sebastian best actress winner for “The Sleeping Voice,” in a series which Cobos describes an “emotional thriller.”
Movistar Plus’ newly announced original is not only written by Cobos but co-directed too in the directorial debut of the Seville-based scribe.
A six part, half hour drama, “El Hijo Zurdo” is scheduled for release first half of 2023. Movistar Plus Internacional is handling worldwide distribution.
Cobos’ career-long relationship with Rodríguez takes in the Spanish director’s 2022 San Sebastian opening movie “Prison 77” and his episode in “Offworld,” a Movistar Plus anthology series which world premieres out of competition at San Sebastián.
Cobos has also co-written “The Unit,” Movistar Plus’ hit action-espionage series,...
Moving into production on July 18, “El hijo zurdo” stars María León, a stunning 2011 San Sebastian best actress winner for “The Sleeping Voice,” in a series which Cobos describes an “emotional thriller.”
Movistar Plus’ newly announced original is not only written by Cobos but co-directed too in the directorial debut of the Seville-based scribe.
A six part, half hour drama, “El Hijo Zurdo” is scheduled for release first half of 2023. Movistar Plus Internacional is handling worldwide distribution.
Cobos’ career-long relationship with Rodríguez takes in the Spanish director’s 2022 San Sebastian opening movie “Prison 77” and his episode in “Offworld,” a Movistar Plus anthology series which world premieres out of competition at San Sebastián.
Cobos has also co-written “The Unit,” Movistar Plus’ hit action-espionage series,...
- 7/18/2022
- by Pablo Sandoval and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Madrid — Movistar Plus, the pay TV/Svod arm of giant European telecom Telefonica, is upping the ante. On New Year’s Eve, it announced a first 2020 release line-up – more titles may be added – that has two big swings, more emphasis on action, and a larger number of comedy and non-fiction plays.
2020’s 14 new series or seasons marks an all-time company record.
That, however, is just Movistar Plus, and does not count any big series in the second half of the year, or any that it might put into development via a new joint production venture, announced in September, with broadcast network Atresmedia.
Also, there may be more feature films, following on the company’s first original movie, Alejandro Amenábar’s “While at War,” which earned a gratifying €11.0 million at the Spanish box office this year, and established the pay TV unit as one of the very few companies in Spain...
2020’s 14 new series or seasons marks an all-time company record.
That, however, is just Movistar Plus, and does not count any big series in the second half of the year, or any that it might put into development via a new joint production venture, announced in September, with broadcast network Atresmedia.
Also, there may be more feature films, following on the company’s first original movie, Alejandro Amenábar’s “While at War,” which earned a gratifying €11.0 million at the Spanish box office this year, and established the pay TV unit as one of the very few companies in Spain...
- 12/31/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Jan Motjo’s Beta Films has found new broadcast homes for the Movistar Plus original series “Arde Madrid,” which won the Rose d’Or-Award for Best Comedy or Drama this past Sunday in London. The Virginia-based MHz Networks will broadcast the series in the U.S., France Televisions in France, HBO in Brazil and Teleclub in Switzerland.
According to Beta, negotiations are ongoing with broadcast partners in Russia, Eastern Europe, Portugal and Greece.
Co-created and co-written by Anna R. Costa and Paco Léon,who also stars in the show, “Arde Madrid” was an immediate hit in Spain for Telefonica’s Movistar Plus, quickly becoming the service’s most binged series ever after its November 2018 release. Since then it has hauled in a raft of prizes including best comedy at Spain’s Feroz Awards, the country’s Golden Globes, best miniseries or TV-series at the Platino Awards; and Sunday’s Rose d’Or.
According to Beta, negotiations are ongoing with broadcast partners in Russia, Eastern Europe, Portugal and Greece.
Co-created and co-written by Anna R. Costa and Paco Léon,who also stars in the show, “Arde Madrid” was an immediate hit in Spain for Telefonica’s Movistar Plus, quickly becoming the service’s most binged series ever after its November 2018 release. Since then it has hauled in a raft of prizes including best comedy at Spain’s Feroz Awards, the country’s Golden Globes, best miniseries or TV-series at the Platino Awards; and Sunday’s Rose d’Or.
- 12/6/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
San Sebastian — Blessed by sun, a steady sustenance of Donostia winning stars and a stream of production announcements, the San Sebastian Film Festival rounded its final bend on Friday after a robust 67th edition. San Sebastian’s status as the highest-profile movie event in the Spanish-speaking world remains unquestioned. The maelstrom of change – imminent global platforms. markets, Latin American politics -could not but play out over events, forging a festival of sharp contrasts and little granularity about how major pivots in the global business could impact the Spanish-language arthouse business and new directors, its stock in trade. Following seven takeaways from this edition:
1. The Winners: Spanish Svod Platforms
You could hear a proverbial pin drop as HBO España unveiled first footage from its first announced series in Spain: “Patria,” a multi-time-period set chronicle on the human impact of the Basque conflict. It left San Sebastian with the status of a must-see show.
1. The Winners: Spanish Svod Platforms
You could hear a proverbial pin drop as HBO España unveiled first footage from its first announced series in Spain: “Patria,” a multi-time-period set chronicle on the human impact of the Basque conflict. It left San Sebastian with the status of a must-see show.
- 9/27/2019
- by John Hopewell and Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin — When Variety conducted the following interview, “Arde Madrid” was a Movistar + Original Series which was sparking good word of mouth from sneak peak screenings over the summer in Madrid. Since then, it has gone on to world premiere to acclaim at the San Sebastián Festival, be renewed for a second season, become Movistar +’s most binged series ever when it bowed on the pay/Svod service in November, win best comedy series, actress (Inma Cuesta) and secondary actress (Anna Castillo) at Spain’s Premios Feroz, the nearest Spain has to the Golden Globes; and be acquired for international sales by Beta Film.
Written by León and Anna R. Costa, “Arde Madrid” turns on Ana Mari, a right-wing governess who begins the series, set in 1961, instructing a packed hall of young wives: “If your husband beats you, it’s because you’re doing something wrong.”
Ana Mari is dispatched...
Written by León and Anna R. Costa, “Arde Madrid” turns on Ana Mari, a right-wing governess who begins the series, set in 1961, instructing a packed hall of young wives: “If your husband beats you, it’s because you’re doing something wrong.”
Ana Mari is dispatched...
- 2/11/2019
- by John Hopewell and Emiliano Granada
- Variety Film + TV
Miami — Jan Motjo’s Beta Film has acquired worldwide sales rights to one of the most singular of Spanish comedy series released last year, Paco Leon’s “Arde Madrid,” a Movistar Original.
Beta Film made the announcement just after “Arde Madrid” was confirmed as one of the series at the 2019 Berlinale Drama Series Days Market Screenings.
Movistar’s most binged series ever, Telefonica’s pay TV unit announced after the six-part series’ commercial release in November, “Arde Madrid” is written by León and Anna R. Costa. It turns on Ana Mari, a right-wing governess sourpuss who begins the series instructing a class of young wives. “If your husband beats you,” she tells a packed hall, “it’s because you’re doing something wrong.”
Ana Mari is dispatched to the household of Ava Gardner to spy on her. The clash and gradual confluence of Gardner, Ana Mari and the other domestic staff,...
Beta Film made the announcement just after “Arde Madrid” was confirmed as one of the series at the 2019 Berlinale Drama Series Days Market Screenings.
Movistar’s most binged series ever, Telefonica’s pay TV unit announced after the six-part series’ commercial release in November, “Arde Madrid” is written by León and Anna R. Costa. It turns on Ana Mari, a right-wing governess sourpuss who begins the series instructing a class of young wives. “If your husband beats you,” she tells a packed hall, “it’s because you’re doing something wrong.”
Ana Mari is dispatched to the household of Ava Gardner to spy on her. The clash and gradual confluence of Gardner, Ana Mari and the other domestic staff,...
- 1/24/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Cutting-edge international drama used to be deadly serious: Think Nordic Noir.
“Arde Madrid,” represents a departure.
An eight-part half-hour created by Paco Leon and Anna R. Costa, the comedy-thriller yokes Spain’s grand movie comic tradition of caustic neorealism — think Rafael Azcona and Luis Berlanga — with suspense and romance, B&W cinematography of, in set pieces, the highest order; and a period of 1961 Madrid’s little known Dolce Vita, energized with Romani clans, flamenco dives, whiskey and sex, and real-life figures, led by the extraordinary Ava Gardner.
But it is its thoroughly modern feminist filter that really gives “Arde Madrid” its contempo edge and broader attraction while suggesting one way Movistar + is going as a company.
Gardner came to Madrid in 1957 to mourn her failed marriage to Frank Sinatra and find respect and freedom far away from the censorious eye of Hollywood, which deemed her white trash. Four years later,...
“Arde Madrid,” represents a departure.
An eight-part half-hour created by Paco Leon and Anna R. Costa, the comedy-thriller yokes Spain’s grand movie comic tradition of caustic neorealism — think Rafael Azcona and Luis Berlanga — with suspense and romance, B&W cinematography of, in set pieces, the highest order; and a period of 1961 Madrid’s little known Dolce Vita, energized with Romani clans, flamenco dives, whiskey and sex, and real-life figures, led by the extraordinary Ava Gardner.
But it is its thoroughly modern feminist filter that really gives “Arde Madrid” its contempo edge and broader attraction while suggesting one way Movistar + is going as a company.
Gardner came to Madrid in 1957 to mourn her failed marriage to Frank Sinatra and find respect and freedom far away from the censorious eye of Hollywood, which deemed her white trash. Four years later,...
- 10/16/2018
- by Emiliano Granada and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
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