The industry segment of the Serielizados series festival in Barcelona crowned a new Spanish writing team at its Mind the Gap international co‑pro pitch and underscored growing interest in Catalan and Spanish drama among European commissioners and distributors.
Mind the Gap honors new Spanish project
On Oct. 22, the Mind the Gap competition awarded its top prize to writers Laura Roqué, Eloy Zamora and Luis Sorolla for a drama titled El Observatorio, a project described by festival organizers as being in early development. The jury, which included representatives from Arte France, Mubi, Movistar Plus, ZDF Studios and Beta Film, singled out the team as rising talent that needs exposure to international co‑pro partners.
“After a great deliberation we’ve decided to award new talent who need to be discovered,” said Alexios Kastrissianakis of Arte France, co‑juror with Ben Driscoll of Mubi, along with Laura Escrivá of Movistar Plus, Susanne Frank of ZDF Studios and Peter Lohner of Beta Film.
The ceremony, held at the renovated 19th‑century Moritz brewery in Barcelona, also gave honorable mentions to two female‑led series tackling abuse: Dangerous Woman, to be directed by Zaida Bergroth for Gutsy Pictures, and Callback, a second series from Catalan creators Joana and Mireia Vilapuig for Funicular Films and Left Tackle Films.
Industry days draw buyers, creators and masterclasses
Serielizados Pro’s industry program drew more than 300 professionals to events across Barcelona’s CCCB arts centre and the Renaissance Palau Bru in the Gothic Quarter, organizers said. Panels and sessions featured commissioners, distributors and sales agents from Arte France, Beta Film, Imagina Sales, DR Sales, Oble, 3Cat and RTVE discussing co‑production, financing, digital strategies and the state of series production in Catalonia.
- Mind the Gap submissions doubled from the festival’s 2025 inaugural edition.
- Masterclasses included sessions with “Sherlock” creator Steven Moffat and producer Sue Vertue.
- Drama heavyweight Hagai Levi participated and won the Serielizados Best International prize on the festival’s final day.
Organizers cast the pro segment as a platform to connect Catalan and Spanish creators with international players and to kickstart projects that can attract European and global financing partners.
The festival’s emphasis on co‑production and cross‑border partnerships reflects broader trends in European television, where national platforms and pan‑European buyers increasingly seek distinctive auteur‑led dramas with clear international potential.
Serielizados Pro will continue its series festival program through industry showcases and public screenings, maintaining a focus on exportable series and new creative teams from Catalonia and Spain.
