The platforms’ change in strategy, which have drastically reduced their investment in new content, has the industry in a stage of analysis and decision-making, while old partners, such as the always reliable broadcast TV, remains a firm option for distributors who are visiting Los Angeles.

*By Luis Cabrera and Fernando Moreno, from Los Angeles, California

The first day of Los Angeles Screenings Independents 2024, which is taking place from this Wednesday, May 15 to Friday, May 17, began with a slow pace, which little by little gained intensity as the hours went by and promises even more for the remaining days.

The spectacular Fairmont Century Plaza once again hosted the event, where more than 70 exhibiting companies, present in suites or meeting tables, made the event a unique networking opportunity with Latin American buyers and the US Hispanic market.

Many of the conversations at LASI 2024 have revolved around the new reality facing the industry, one in which the number one partner in recent years, the content platforms, have put a severe handbrake on their budgets, which has had a strong impact on distribution and production strategies.

The go-to ally

Broadcast TV, of course, continues to be a go-to ally in any climate, and it is where several of the distributors present place their main bets. This is the case of the large Korean delegation, which has made its presence felt with a group of companies that includes recognized brands such as CJ ENM, SBS and KBS, among several others.

Of course, Turkish companies are not far behind, be it Mediahub presenting the latest news from its title Alaca or Broken Lives, as well as Calinos with Forbidden Fruit, a title that is a guarantee of success, as Duda Rodrigues explains: “All countries from LatAm who bought the first season, bought the rest. It is a title that works.”

Madd Entertainment took the opportunity to announce record sales in Italy, one of the fastest growing markets in Europe, by licensing four new titles to Mediaset.

Spain’s Atresmedia, for its part, is focusing on the success of its daily series Sueños de Libertad, ideal content for broadcast TV in Latin America and the Hispanic US.

Another genre that rarely fails are entertainment formats, titles like Tentados por la fortuna, distributed by Cineflix Rights: “We have the format to produce it for Mexico, it is being filmed in Turkey with a premiere at the end of this month or the beginning of next”, said Daniel Rodríguez, Cineflix Rights sales consultant for Latin America and the US Hispanic.

In a similar vein, TV Azteca is promoting one of its greatest hits, La Academia: “La Academia is one of TV Azteca’s most important and iconic shows. It has been broadcasting for more than 20 years,” explained Dulce Ávila, director of International Content Distribution, FAST and Advertising at TV Azteca Internacional. “It has broadcasts in Mexico, but recently the format has been built and developed in a very important way for the country. This year we have a simultaneous broadcast for different media, with different partners. We are going to be broadcasting the galas.”

Premium is not negotiable

Of course, this does not mean that premium series and miniseries – or feature films – have disappeared. On the contrary, titles like AMIA, the ten-episode series from Dori Media Group, are getting ready to conquer the market: “We want to sell it on the largest platform and with the widest audience in the world. We want many people to know this story,” said Nadav Palti, CEO of Dori Media.

In a similar vein, Gato Grande is bringing great content such as Clipperton, an adaptation of the work by Laura Restrepo, and CDC United Network its first co-production in the region, the successful Mexican film All but You. “Todas menos tu was a huge success for us,” said Jimmy van der Heyden, Sales Manager at CDC United Network. “Being the first in-house production in LatAm, it was a key moment in the history of CDC and the truth is that the stars aligned for it to turn out well”

The second day of the event promises greater pace, as those present understand, whose agendas are complete for this Thursday.