The heart of Conecta Fiction is its pitching sessions where producers and creators bring onto the market, looking for partners and sales, projects which have often flown completely under the radar. Following, details of titles in the three main sections at Conecta Fiction:
COPRO SERIES
“Antonio,” (Enrique Videla, Paula del Fierro, Zumbastico Studios, Pipeline Studios, Chile)
A sci-fi parable for the young teen crowd backed by Zumbastico (“Paper Port”), owned by Canada’s Pipeline Studios Group. Antonio (13) can repair most anything, except for his ailing mother. But by entering a strange mechanical world, he gets a chance to make that repair as well. From two of the writing stars of Chile’s fast burgeoning premium TV scene: Videla, whose credits take in Pablo Larrain’s “Prófugos,” Lucía Puenzo’s “La Jauria” and the upcoming “The Cliff,” from The Mediapro Studio and Vice Studios; and Del Fierro (Besieged, La Jauria, Dignity).
“Black Times,” (Alexandre Manneville, Sabrina Amerell, Georgi Milenov Angelov, Perpetual Soup, France)
The latest from Paris-based Perpetual Soup, set up by Vincent Poymiro and David Elkaïm and Jeremy Sahuel, with Poymiro and Elkaïm showrunning “In Therapy” for Arte and “Gone for Good” for Netflix. An ambitious Medieval drama set in 1347 France and Italy as a avant-garde French doctor and a young “witch” battle the Black Plague. Manneville (“In Treatment” ) and Amerell (“Dahoam Is Dahoam”) are among lead writers.
“Costa,” (Gaby Chiappe, Alex Perrin, Black Box Multimedia, Lionsgate, U.K.)
Subject of a high-profile deal with Lionsgate, which boarded in early July as a co-producer and distributor, written by Chiappe (“The Beast Must Die,” “Their Finest,”) and Perrin (“The Level,” “Shetland” “
“Error 404,” (Alexandre Borges, Joana Jorge, Patricia Sequeira, Santa Rita Filmes, Portugal)
A new series project from go-ahead Lisbon-based Santa Rita Filmes which had “Doce,” directed by company founder Sequeira, competing in International Panorama at early September’s Series Mania. Billed as a sci-fi drama, it turns on a woman who appears to find happiness via a phone app which risks, however, destroying her existence. Borges and vet TV scribe Jorge (“Sedução”) co-write.
“Forget My Name,” (“Olvida Mi Nombre,” Jesica Aran, Juan Lombardi, Avi Films, Spain)
Billed as an intimate espionaje drama thriller as a veteran Spanish Intelligence Center agent with terminal cancer sets out to find a replacement, settling on a brilliant young female thief.
The latest from Arán (“Pajaro Negros,” “BOO! Historias para no dormir”) and partner Lombardi.
Forget My Name
Courtesy of Avi Films
“Hunting Evil,” (Moisés Menezes, Aquí y Allí Films, Spain)
One of the banner TV projects set up at Pedro Hernández’s Madrid-based Aquí y Allí Films, producer of Carlos Vermut’s San Sebastian Golden Shell winner “Magical Girl” and Antonio Mendez Esparza’s celebrated “Life and Nothing More,” an “understated indie masterwork,” Variety said. In “Hunting Evil,” the only survivor of a massacre in Poland hatches a diabolic revenge.
“Life,” (“Vida,” Alberto Macías, Nicolás Romero and Caridad Fernández, Mediacrest Entertainment, Spain; White Lion Films, Troisieme Oeil, France)
“‘ER’ meets ’24,’” says co-creator Alberto Macías. A massive car crash. Several dead. Their organs can save many lives. Four doctors, all at personal crossroads. Three hospitals: Barcelona, Paris, Pamplona. A 24 hour race against the clock. A high concept thriller, with format sales potential, from Macías (“Cuéntame”), producer Romero (“Los misterios de Laura”) and Fernández (“Drug Squad: Costa del Sol”).
“Santafe Camping,” (Humbert Aparicio, Fernando Cajaraville, Mr. Miyagi Films, Spain)
A supernatural thriller set up at Barcelona-based Mr. Miyagi Films and showrun by its founders, Angeles Hernández and David Matamoros, co-producers of Netflix hit “The Platform” and directors of “Isaac.” Straight-arrow, compulsive genre entertainment as a beggar who claims he can see the future warns the owners of a luxury campsite that tragedy beckons. Some time later, their youngest son is abducted and mysteriously disappears.
“The O’Neill,” (Tim Loane, Revolution Media, Subotica, Ireland)
Teaming Jack Armstrong’s Dublin-based Revolution Media and and top Irish production house Subotica (“Michael Inside,” “Miss Julie”), a historical action drama thriller, set over 1550-1609, turning on Hugh O’Neill, raised as an English lord, but with royal Gaelic blood coursing his veins. On his shoulders, rests the fate of his native people. With “Games of Thrones” Aidan Gillen on board in a lead role and “Vikings” helmer Stephen Saint Leger set to direct.
The O’Neill
Courtesy of Conecta Fiction
“The Stolen Kids,” (“Niños de Contrabando,” Camila Vilafrán, María De La Luz Urriola, María Wood Producciones, MegaMedia, Chile)
Top Chilean writer-director Matías Bize (“En La Cama,” “The Life of Fish,” “The Memory of Water,”) is on board as director, María Elena Wood (“Dignity”) and MegaMedia’s Jaime Sepúlveda produce – powerful backing for a family drama in which Aga learns that her adopted son was stolen at birth. Together they search for the truth and discover a conspiracy of Chilean child trafficking stretching back near 70 years. Set between Sweden and Chile and ripe for Scandinavia-Chile co-production.
SHORT FORM SERIES
“The Beach House,” (Jorge Hernández, Sergio Cámara, Paula Sánchez Álvarez, Mediacrest Entertainment, Spain)
“He wants what’s best for you,” announces sarcastically the logline of “The Beach House.” A 20-minute episode series wrapping sexual gender violence in a psychological horror tale of a teen couple who rent a house on the beach for a quiet weekend together. But, as Mediacrest’s Alberto Macías puts it, amor soon becomes terror.
“Harrogate Detective Agency,” (Juan Galonce, Fuera de Series Producciones, Spain)
Set in a village in the mountains – which, being Spain, is likely to offer extraordinary vistas – three young girls turn detectives over what is described as the best summer of their lives. At stake: the truth behind their late grandmother’s Agatha Christie style fiction and a treasure which could allow them to keep the family house. A relatively rare Spanish play at family live action entertainment from Galonce (“Los muertos también bailan”) with Borja González Santaolalla (“Way Down”) and Ángel Agudo (“Luimelia”) joining as director and co-scribe.
Harrogate Detective Agency
Credit: Kike Espin/Fuera de Series Producciones
“Kicked Out,” (Jacopo Fontana, Arte Mécanica Producciones, Mexico)
First glimpsed at 2019’s Guadalajara FICG PitchBox and now back in circulation, post-pandemic, a border-crossing reverse immigration comedy with a young nationalist Vlogger suddenly deported from the U.S. to a home country he never recognized as such. “We are trying to contrast misinformation, to show the reality that a daily mile of people in the world live in their search for a dignified life,” Fontana told Variety.
“Smaver” (David Durán, Smaver Microfilms Studio, Spain)
A sci-fi thriller: “Six seemingly independent stories about obsolete professions and crimes all converge in one final invention that will change everything,” the synopsis runs. Created by Durán, founder of Spain’s Alcalá de Henares-based Smaver Microfilms Studio, a video clip, fiction, commercials and branded content company.
“Totem 2040,” (Jota Aronak, Jonás Da Cruz, Eulogio Romero, Unlogic Films Studio, Spain)
Synopsis: “In a future where artificial intelligence guides our species, ‘Totem 2040’ portrays the moments leading up to the most violent uprising in the history of civilization.” A sci-fi thriller from Aronak and Da Cruz, director and producer of 2016’s “Wrath,” and TV sports doc director Romero, helmer of HBO España’s “Destino Rusia 2018.”
SGAE FOUNDATION
“Caregivers,” (“Cuidadoras,” Sara Cano, Paula Fabra, Spain)
A series project from Cano, whose credits include Atresmedia’s “Deudas,” and Fabra, writer of Amazon’s upcoming “Un Asunto Privado.” Together, they are currently penning a feature for Paco Plaza and a series for Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Caballo Films. After first-wave COVID-19 lifts, three female caregivers at a retirement home retreat to Spain’s stunning Cabo de Gata to reconsider and reset their lives.
“Harem, Land of Goddesses,” (Marieta Petchanska, Spain)
A fantasy thriller set in the land of Ellah, where women reign over men, But is merciless matriarchy any better than its male counterpart? Petchanska asks is what she calls a sci-fi utopia/dystopia drama. A high-concept play which looks likely to attract high-profile participation from the world of music.
“O.K., Boomer,” (“Todo Mal,” Manu March, Fernando Erre, Spain)
Recovering from a near-death experience an ex war correspondent-turned-writer seeks to leave his mark for posterity in a world of feminism, inclusiveness and social media which have converted him into a relic. Expect a high-profile Spanish protagonist announcement shortly. Written by March and Erre, head writer on the Santiago Segura hosted comedy sketch show “Hoy No, Mañana.” Described as a light drama laced by magic realism.
O.K. Boomer
Courtesy of Manu March, Fernando Erre
“Queen of Sport,” (“Deporte Reina,” Teresa Bellón, César F. Calvillo, Spain)
A half-hour comedy: Spanish national team goalkeeper Teresa Giménez, 39, retires after winning everything in women’s soccer, except money and recognition, the logline runs. Positioned as the first series in Spain about women’s soccer, and hopefully spangled by cameo roles from some of Spanish soccer’s greats, the latest from writer-directors Bellón and F. Calvillo who have carved a reputation for bathetic often celeb-themed comedy through shorts such as “Cariño, me he follado a Bunbury” and the Goya-shortlisted “Una noche con Juan Diego Botto.”
“Raval,” (Victor Alonso-Berbel, Jan Matheu, Spain)
A thriller set in Barcelona’s vibrant Raval back streets as a Dominican bike rider disappears and his girfriend, Sofia, a tourist guide, looks for him, discovering a modern-day criminal world and unknown aspects of herself. From writer-director Victor Alonso-Berbel, a best Latino director winner at the DGA Student Film Awards for 2018 short “Perfectly Natural” and Jan Matheu, two young but go-to writers with projects set up together at “The Head” producer The Mediapro Studio and “Elite’s” Zeta Studios. “Raval” has been selected for Spain’s 2021 SGAE and Tabakalera labs.
“Wannabe,” (Noelia Bodas, Tatiana Chisleanschi, Spain)
A light period dramedy about Cris an 11-year-old who’s a lesbian, though she doesn’t yet know it – natural at her age when she lives in a village outside Madrid in 1997 Spain. Penned by the writers of female stand-up show “Las que faltaban.” Chisleabnski’s credits also take in nine episodes of “Aida,” Globomedia’s Mediaset España sitcom classic and Anima Estudios’ “Cleo & Cuquin,” backed by Televisa and TVE.