Conecta Fiction: Spain’s Warner Bros., Argentina’s Pol-ka Sign Series Development Deal (EXCLUSIVE)
PAMPLONA, Spain — Forging a new axis in the Spanish-speaking TV world, Warner Bros. ITVP España and top Argentine production house Pol-ka have joined forces to create an eight-episode dark comedy thriller.
Symptomatic of the fast-forming new Spanish-language TV landscape, where series from Spain now rank consistently among the most watched on SVOD platforms in Latin America and Latin American stars are ever better known for Spanish audiences, the still-to-be-titled series’ action will take place between Spain and Latin American. The show boasts a pan-regional cast.
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The project will also combine traditional linear broadcast and SVOD play, while generating social media content in line with the new consumer habits of an ever more diversified and segmented audience, the partners confirmed in an announcement made out of Conecta Fiction.
“This agreement is another step forward in our bet on breaking frontiers and developing formats with Latin America, here via an alliance with Pol-ka, the perfect partner to develop together this magnificent fiction format,” said Sebastián Moguilevsky, director general of Warner Bros. ITVP España.
“Beyond this,” he added, “It’s highly interesting for us to offer added digital content which brings a fuller vision of the story and a more complete viewing experience for the spectator.”
For Manuel Martí, Pol-ka director of development and international production, “this deal represents another step in the consolidation of our production house as a global player in fiction content. We’re proud that Warner Bros. ITVP España has thought of us to take on this important challenge.”
Warner Bros. International Television Production España has over the past 15 years carved out a position as a highly-respected creator and adaptor of entertainment formats for Spanish TV channels. Shows run across a broad gamut of docu-reality, dating, quiz, talent and current affairs formats, such as “Caiga quien Caiga” and “First Dates” for Cuatro, “Juego de juegos” on Antena 3, “Little Big Show” for Telecinco, “Hell’s Kitchen” for La Sexta and “AcapelA” on Movistar +
The new series with Pol-ka serves to consolidateWarner Bros. ITVP España’s burgeoning status as a scripted series producer, following on its production of the 13-part “Costa del Sol Squad” with Mediaset España, broadcast on Mediaset España’ Telecinco and on Netflix.
The series was selected for the 2019 MipDrama Buyers’ Summit.
Among scripted shows, Warner Bros. ITVP España has also produced “Cuéntame un cuento” for Atresmedia’s Antena 3 and “Hermanos y detectives” for Telecinco.
Launched in 1994 by actor, producer, writer and broadcast executive Adrián Suar, Pol-ka produced Latin America’s first premium pay TV series, HBO Latin America’s “Epitafios,” now has a co-production alliance with Turner Latin America and Argentine cable operator Cablevision, has produced with Disney (“Violetta”) and won a Netflix order for the streaming giant’s third Netflix Original Series in Argentina.
On the first day of Conecta Fiction, Pol-ka announced that it had optioned rights to “El cielo a tiros,” the latest work of Colombian novelist Jorge Franco, which will see Pol-ka for the first time producing a show entirely outside Argentina.
A co-production and networking forum, Conecta Fiction takes place June 17-20 in Pamplona, northern Spain.
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