As the momentum of dealmaking surges at Mipcom, the boutique production and distribution company Oble has introduced two new series to its lineup aimed at global buyers in Cannes.
The seven-episode, half-hour Spanish dramedy “Segunda Temporada” (“Second Season”), commissioned by Filmin, brings back the acclaimed creators of “Autodefensa,” which secured the best short format series award at Series Mania 2024. This project reunites director/writer Miguel Ángel Blanca (“Magaluf Ghost Town”), named one of Variety’s 2021 Spanish talents to watch, along with co-writers Berta Prieto and Víctor Diago.
Similar to “Autodefensa,” each episode stands alone and is set in Barcelona. Prieto reprises her role as the lead, joined by Adan Domínguez.
The narrative follows Paula, a former literary prodigy attempting to piece together her life within the chaotic cultural landscape of 2024 Barcelona. The logline indicates that she faces challenges among fading celebrities and dwindling fame as she juggles precarious jobs, creative exhaustion, and the ceaseless pursuit of “the next big thing.”
“The series encapsulates the absurdities associated with post-fame life while preserving the authenticity and irreverence that captivated audiences in ‘Autodefensa,’” states Oble.
Filming is scheduled to commence next week, with a projected delivery in 2026. “Segunda Temporada” is being produced by Boogaloo Films from Barcelona (known for Locarno’s “Sorella di clausura”) in collaboration with the Spain-Portugal upscale SVOD service Filmin, the creative outfit Canada, and Oble.
Meanwhile, the tragi-comedy “How to Kill Your Sister” made its world premiere at Canneseries’ main competition last April, garnering positive reviews, before launching on Belgian streamer Streamz on Aug. 21 and commercial channel Play4 in early September. This series is produced by Belgium’s FBO, in co-production with Germany’s MadeForFilm, part of Banijay, and ZDF Neo.
Co-created and penned by Pedro Elia (“Control Pedro”) and Evelien Broekaert, the plot centers around Anna (Emma Rotsaert), who returns to her older sister Kat’s home with a coffin, after an eight-year gap, in search of answers for her sister’s abandonment following their parents’ death.
One reason involves Anna’s wild, uncontainable nature, a stark contrast to Kat, who is trapped in a conforming marriage to a controlling partner. Anna’s shocking claim of being terminally ill sets the stage for an unforgettable last journey that she invites Kat (played by Marjan De Schutter) to join.
Unfortunately, this claim turns out to be true. The two sisters embark on a darkly comedic road trip spanning Flanders and Spain. “I aimed for a blend of extreme comedy and heavy drama in this series,” director and co-writer Geirnaert (“De Dag,” “Flatlife”) told Variety.
Oble describes “How to Kill Your Sister” as a masterful balance of humor and tragedy, providing a heartfelt, genuinely funny insight into themes of grief, forgiveness, and family dynamics, underscored by notable performances from Marjan De Schutter (Geldwolven, The Twelve) and Emma Rotsaert.
Oble’s offerings for Mipcom also prominently feature the Norwegian comedy “Nepobaby” from acclaimed showrunner Henriette Steenstrup. Oble has secured sales to English-speaking regions including CBC for CBC Gem in Canada and SBS in Australia well before the Cannes market, with Nordisk Film facilitating deals with TV2 Denmark and SVT Sweden. This series, which earned accolades for best screenplay and ensemble cast at Canneseries, is set to premiere on Oct. 23 on TV2 Play in Norway.
Completing Oble’s slate is the Netflix/RTS high-end period drama “Winter Palace”, produced by Swiss-based Point Prod in partnership with Oble Studios.
In an interview with Variety from the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, Oble co-founder Katia Sol commented, “Mipcom is one of the largest markets for content sales, and all our meetings are fully booked. The buyers are present but are risk-averse, seeking secure investments.”
