Under the Audiovisual from Spain banner, supported by ICEX, the Spanish delegation arrived at Series Mania in Lille on March 24 with the showcase Coming Next From Spain, presenting a slate that clearly reflected the industry’s growing international ambition. Hosted by journalist Irene Jiménez (Audiovisual 451), the panel introduced a selection of projects.
Among the six series unveiled was Ravalear (original title: Ravalejar, 6 x 50’; produced by Filmax for HBO Original), a drama inspired by true events that took place in Barcelona. The series is created by Pol Rodríguez and directed by Isaki Lacuesta.
Day One (iZen/Prime Video) is also set in Barcelona. While Ravalear explores the social tensions and cultural complexity of the Raval district, addressing issues such as gentrification and urban identity, Day One shifts the focus to the city’s role as a global tech hub, set against the backdrop of the Mobile World Congress and the high-stakes world of innovation. The six-part series is a co-production with Zebra Producciones (iZen-Studio TF1).
Literary adaptation also plays a key role in the slate with The Daughters of the Maid (Las hijas de la criada), a premium melodrama based on an award-winning novel. As Rebeca Fernández, Sales Director for Europe at Atresmedia, explained, the series is designed for prime time on Antena 3, reinforcing the broadcaster’s strategy of investing in high-end, emotionally driven storytelling rooted in strong IP.
Reality-inspired storytelling comes to the forefront with Por cien millones (Movistar Plus+), a highly anticipated drama recounting the kidnapping of Spanish footballer Quini. However, as highlighted during the presentation, the series deliberately moves away from a purely factual or procedural approach. “We don’t want to focus only on the football aspect—we want to explore the emotional side of the story,” said Rebeca Aguilar, Head of International Distribution at Movistar Plus+. “The kidnapping lasted 25 days; the perpetrators were caught; and, unexpectedly, the victim and the kidnappers developed a relationship. It’s unusual, but this is a story about emotions and the complex ways human connections can evolve.”
Completing the slate are Pura Sangre (Mediaset España), an aristocratic mystery built around power, legacy, and hidden secrets within elite circles, and Millennial Mal (Filmin/RTP), a contemporary, identity-driven comedy aimed at younger audiences through a mix of irony and generational insight.
In Pura Sangre, at La Galana, the family estate of the Marquis de Monteclaro, the most prized stallion is found poisoned, along with several foals from the stable. The incident shatters the family’s apparent tranquility and triggers an investigation that threatens to expose a complex web of buried secrets, divided loyalties, economic tensions, and unresolved wounds.
In Millennial Mal, Judith, a 42-year-old librarian who has been laid off, is forced to return to college in order to claim a scholarship she received due to a bureaucratic error. To hide her age, she undergoes a makeover orchestrated by two twenty-something girls, a transformation that gradually leads her to believe she has become a new person.
