The highly anticipated Serielizados festival and market in Barcelona is set to take place from November 3-12, featuring award-winning U.S. writer Alan Ball as a guest of honor. Known for his groundbreaking works including “Six Feet Under” and “True Blood,” Ball has also famously penned the Oscar-winning screenplay for “American Beauty,” making his appearance at the festival a significant highlight.
“We have long been eager to welcome Alan Ball to Serielizados, and it is an absolute honor,” remarked co-founder Victor Sala to Variety. “His series ‘Six Feet Under’ is a timeless classic, and we are excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its final episode. Its relevance continues to resonate even after all these years.”
Alan Ball will host a masterclass during the festival’s industry portion, Serielizados Pro, which is scheduled from November 5-7, in collaboration with the Film and Audiovisual School of Catalonia (ESCAC). There will also be an engaging public discussion on November 8 where Ball will delve into the cultural impact of his acclaimed series.
Following the tradition of previous attendees such as David Simon (“The Wire”) and Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”), Ball’s participation reinforces Serielizados’ commitment to presenting influential and innovative voices in international television drama.
Other globally recognized directors slated to speak at the festival include Sally Wainwright, creator of the acclaimed series “Happy Valley,” and Icelandic filmmaker Benedikt Erlingsson, known for works like “Of Horses and Men” and “Woman at War.” Both will be vying in the festival’s international competition with their latest offerings: “Riot Women” and “The Danish Woman.”
Spanish Series Competition
In addition to international showcases, the 12th edition of Serielizados has revealed the lineup for its Spanish series competition. This year’s jury includes Norwegian showrunner-actress Henriette Steenstrup, Berlinale Series Market’s Jana Daedelow, and Argentine critic Diego Batlle.
The competition is headlined by the co-production between Movistar Plus+ and Arte France series “Anatomy of a Moment.” Directed by Alberto Rodríguez, this captivating series focuses on the 1981 coup d’état in Spain and has generated significant buzz following its world premiere at the recent San Sebastián Film Festival.
“Choosing ‘Anatomy of a Moment’ to open the festival highlights its stylish execution as a political biopic,” Sala commented. “In these polarized times, it’s not often we see Spanish dramatizations of recent historical events. This is a poignant portrayal of the sacrifices made in pursuit of something as overarching as democracy, emphasizing the fragility of those pivotal days.”
Emphasizing Movistar Plus+’s role as a leader in high-quality Spanish drama, the original series “Yakarta,” which reunites writer Diego San José with director Elena Trapé (noted for the award-winning “Celeste”), will also compete. Premiering nationally on November 6, “Yakarta” stars Javier Cámara as Joserra, a former Olympic badminton player whose life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters a young prodigy at a school tournament.
The series “Los 39,” a historical thriller produced by RTVE, explores the real-life narrative of the 39 men abandoned by Christopher Columbus on Hispaniola Island in 1492. Created by David Martínez and Roberto Serrano, it is directed by Max Lemcke and Jorge Saavedra.
In a lighter tone, the Basque series “Argi Gorriak,” starring Itziar Ituño (from Netflix’s “Money Heist”), is set to capture audiences with its comedic drama about a dubbing actress suddenly confronted by her incapacitated ex-husband’s return. Directed by Alberto Gastesi, known for the sci-fi film “Singular,” it reflects the expanding quality of scripted content from the Basque region.
Sala noted that it’s a notable year for Basque entries, as “Argi Gorriak” joins “Mouths of Sky” (“Zeru Ahoak”)—a noir series that made its world debut at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Both series underscore the region’s rise in producing quality content backed by regional incentives.
To conclude the festival, the young adult drama “Sense FilTRES” from 3Cat and Vértigo Films will make its debut. Notably, this series focuses on themes surrounding the sexting phenomenon, intricately divided into three blocks of three chapters. The first chapter is helmed by Jiajie Yu Yan and features the story of a trans boy named Charlie, resonating with themes explored in last year’s festival with “Dates in Real Life.”
Other Serielizados Highlights
In addition to the competition, the festival will spotlight documentary series to cater to the growing consumer interest in the genre. The lineup features five exciting titles: 3Cat’s “The Escape” (“La Fugida”), Movistar Plus+’s “Missing in Murcia,” SkyShowtime’s “The Nazi Cartel,” NRK’s “The Agent,” and DR’s “Black Swan.”
Furthermore, major international series making their Catalan premieres include HBO’s “I Love L.A.” by Rachel Sennott, “I Kow Your Soul” from Oscar-nominee Jasmila Zbanic, Arte’s French true crime “37 Seconds”—awarded best French series at Series Mania—and South Korea’s “Family Matters.”
To celebrate past and present talent, Serielizados will screen the iconic Catalan family drama “Ventdelplà,” marking its 20th anniversary since it first aired on TV3. Promising up-and-coming directors such as Robert Abecasis (“Pol i Obe”), Emma Soler (“Storytelling”), and Norbert Palazón will also be highlighted.
As previously announced, a standout feature of this year’s festival will be the introduction of the new Mind the Gap co-production platform, which will present ten international projects to industry delegates on November 6. The 12th edition of Serielizados will take place at various venues across Barcelona, including CCCB, Mooby Aribau cinemas, Casa Seat, SGAE Catalonia, and Espai DAMA, with an extended online presence on Filmin from November 10-23.
