Sasha Cócola to Star in Prime Video’s Spanish Supernatural Horror Series “Romancero”

Sasha Cócola is embracing the supernatural…

The Spanish actor is set to star in Prime Video’s latest Spanish original, the supernatural horror series Romancero.

Sasha CócolaWritten by author and screenwriter Fernando Navarro and directed by Tomás Peña, the series hails from The Mediapro Studio-owned producer 100 Balas.

In addition to Cócola, known for Food & Shelter and Paco’s Men, the film will also star Serbian-born actress Elena Matic, making her debut in a dramatic series in Spain, Ricardo GómezGuillermo ToledoBelén Cuesta and Julieta Cardinali. It includes a special guest role for Alba Flores.

Romancero follows Cornelia and Jordan, as they flee “the force of law, powerful supernatural creatures and themselves,” framed within “within the backdrop of a desert-like and cruel Andalusia, as real as it is mythical, during a nightmarish night plagued with demons, witches and those who drink blood.”

Navarro and Peña said they have drawn inspiration from comics, Gothic literature, tales of witches, ghosts and creatures, the poetry of Federico García Lorca and esotericism to inform the show.

The series will run to six half-hour episodes with the action taking place throughout one single night. Filming is underway on location at several settings in Almería, while interiors will be shot in Madrid. The Mediapro Studio CEO Laura Fdz. Espeso producing, with Javier Méndez, Fernando NavarroAlejandro Florez and Maya Maidagan the executive producers.

Romancero is one of the most ambitious 100 Balas productions, a fantastic genre tale, which will entail a very significant level of post-production and special effects, as well as some incredible locations in Almería”, said Alejandro Florez, General Manager of 100 Balas.

Romancero is an excellent example of how we create our international originals; featuring the very best emerging talent both in front of and behind the camera, with a clearly local story narrated by a creative team at its best,” said James Farrell, Head of International Originals, Amazon Studios.

Belén Cuesta to Star in Disney+’s First Spanish Period Drama About Celebrated Fashion Designer Cristóbal Balenciaga

Belén Cuesta is dressin’ up her resume with a little Balenciaga

The 38-year-old Spanish actress, who has starred in Netflix’s hit series Money Heist, will star opposite Gemma Whelan and Albert San Juan in Disney+’s first Spanish period drama Balenciaga (working title).

Belén Cuesta Other actors set to appear in the drama include Lourdes Iglesias, Jose Mari Goenaga, Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi.

The six-part drama centers on Cristóbal Balenciaga (San Juan), the son of a seamstress and a fisherman who uses his natural talent, constant work and sharp nose for business to become one of the most prominent fashion designers of all time.

It began filming in June and will continue until autumn in several locations in Spain and France with a team of 100 professionals and 2,000 extras.

Cuesta won the Goya Award for Best Actress for La Trinchera Infinita — a previous series from Iglesias, Garaño and Arregi. She will play Fabiola de Mora y Aragón before she became Queen of Belgium. Balenciaga designed her wedding dress in 1960.

Whelan will play Prudence Glynn, a journalist for The Times newspaper.

Elsewhere, Patrice Thibaud will portray Christian Dior; Josean Bengoetxea will play San Sebastian businessman Nicolás Bizkarrondo; Cecilia Solaguren, his wife, Virgilia Mendizabal; Adam Quintero will be Ramón Esparza, partner and collaborator of Balenciaga; and Elvira Cuadrupani plays Bettina Ballard, correspondent for Vogue magazine in Paris.

The main cast is rounded out by actors Thomas Coumans (Wladzio D’Attainville, Balenciaga’s partner and associate), Gabrielle Lazure (Carmel Snow, fashion director of Harper’s Bazaar), Isabelle Bres (designer Jeanne Lanvin), Anna-Victoire Olivier (actress Audrey Hepburn) and Eva Bley (designer Elsa Schiaparelli).

Streamer Disney+ unveiled the show last November as its first Spanish original as it seeks to meet its target of 60 international originals by 2024.

Cesc Gay’s Spanish Comedy “Sentimental” is Getting a Swiss Remake

One of Cesc Gay’s hit films is getting a re-do…

The 55-year-old Spanish film screenwriter and film director’s Goya Awards-nominated film Sentimental will be getting a remake.

Cesc Gay's SentimentalEuro distributor and producer Ascot Elite Entertainment has secured the Swiss remake rights to the successful Spanish comedy, which is also known as The People Upstairs.

The film will feature all German-speaking parts of Europe from Filmax and be known as Die Nachbarn Von Oben, which translates to The People Upstairs.

Written and directed by Gay, the 2020 Spanish original starred Belén Cuesta and Javier Cámara as a couple who spend most of their time arguing decide to invite their upstairs neighbors for dinner despite their differences. As the night goes on, various secrets about the couple come to light.

The Spanish original was nominated for five Goya Award, including Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor. It earned Alberto San Juan the Best Supporting Actor award.

Sabine Boss will direct the film, and will feature Swiss stars Sarah Spale, Max Simonischek, Ursina Lardi and Roeland Wiesnekker in the cast.

The film will be produced by Ascot Elite’s Karin G. Dietrich (CEO), Ralph S. Dietrich (CEO), Stephan Giger (CEO) and Roger Kaufmann (producer). Ascot Elite plans a theatrical release for Switzerland in early 2023.

A German remake produced by Ascot Elite Entertainment is also in the works.

Sabine Boss said: “In this gripping comedy, the situation threatens to escalate when Anna and Thomas have the upstairs neighbors over for dinner and they make them a surprisingly permissive offer. The night becomes a moment of truth – which threatens to tear the couple apart.”

Stephan Giger, CEO of Ascot Elite Entertainment added: “This is an amusing social comedy with a top-class acting ensemble where many will recognize, or rather catch, themselves in the characters and patterns. It is also a great opportunity to position Ascot Elite Entertainment as an ambitious production company and we are very looking forward to finally start shooting the movie.”

Netflix Releases Stills from Fifth & Final Season of Úrsula Coberó’s “La Casa Del Papel”

It’s the final heist-down for Úrsula Coberó

Netflix has released several first-look images from the fifth and final season of La Casa de Papel, starring the 31-year-old Spanish actress.

Money Heist, La Casa de Papel

The hit Spanish series, better known in the English-speaking world as Money Heist, was created by Alex Pina and is produced by Vancouver Media.

During the show’s curtain call, the crew of criminals reach the final act of the greatest heist in history.

Money Heist, La Casa de Papel

Here’s the logline for Season 5: “The gang has been shut in the Bank of Spain for over 100 hours. They have managed to rescue Lisbon, but their darkest moment is upon them after losing one of their own. The Professor has been captured by Sierra and, for the first time, doesn’t have an escape plan.

Money Heist, La Casa de Papel

“Just when it seems like nothing else could go wrong, an enemy comes on the scene that is much more powerful than any they’ve faced: the army. The end of the greatest heist in history is approaching, and what began as a robbery will turn into a war.”

In addition to Coberó, who portrays Tokyo, the series also stars Álvaro Morte (The Professor), Itziar Ituño (Lisbon), Pedro Alonso (Berlin), Miguel Herrán (Rio), Jaime Lorente (Denver), Esther Acebo (Stockholm), Enrique Arce (Arturo), Darko Peric (Helsinki), Hovik Keuchkerian (Bogotá), Luka Peros (Marseille), Belén Cuesta (Manila), Fernando Cayo (Coronel Tamayo), Rodrigo de la Serna (Palermo), Najwa Nimri (Inspector Sierra), and José Manuel Poga (Gandía).

Money Heist, La Casa de Papel

Miguel Ángel Silvestre (Sense 8) and Patrick Criado (La Gran Familia Española) are set to join the cast for Season 8.

Pina is the executive producer and showrunner with Álex Rodrigo directing.

Money Heist, La Casa de Papel

Season 4 of Money Heist was watched by 65 million households in its first 28 days on Netflix last year.

Money Heist, La Casa de Papel

Spain Submits Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga’s “The Endless Trench” in the International Oscar Race

Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga’s names have been thrown into the Oscar race…

Spain has submitted period epic The Endless Trench, directed by the trio of Spanish filmmakers, as its contender for the 2021 International Oscar prize.

The Endless Trench

The film premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival last year and Netflix swooped in to acquire its global rights shortly after; the streamer will debut the film in the U.S. on November 6.

The film spans three decades beginning at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, chronicling a country taken by fascism.

It was nominated for 15 Goyas, Spain’s national cinema awards, winning two: best actress for Belén Cuesta and Best Sound.

The deadline for International Oscar submissions is December 1. The shortlist for the International Oscar will be unveiled on February 9 and nominations will be announced March 15, before the 2021 Academy Awards on April 25.