The Cádiz-based event kicks off its fourth edition this Friday with the screening of the thriller distributed by Movistar Plus+ and the documentary series about Rocío Jurado. The program features more than 30 titles and 18 premieres through November 4.

The fourth edition of the South International Series Festival opens this Friday, October 30, in Cádiz with the screening of American Hostage, a psychological thriller inspired by real events and set in the 1970s, distributed in Spain by Movistar Plus+.

The screening will take place at 8:00 p.m. at the Gran Teatro Falla, marking the start of an edition that will run through November 4 and bring together more than 30 titles and 18 premieres, spanning fiction and non-fiction, international productions and stories connected to Andalusia.

The opening day will be affected by the official mourning period declared following the railway accident in Toledo. As a result, the festival has canceled its opening gala and postponed the tribute to Ronan Bennett, recipient of the International Honor Award, to the afternoon of Sunday, November 1. The British creator and producer will receive the distinction ahead of the premiere of the second season of El Centro.

Before the screening of American Hostage, festival director Carles Montiel will deliver opening remarks and pay tribute to the victims of the accident.

Friday’s program will also include La más grande at the Teatro del Títere La Tía Norica. Directed by Alexis Morante, the documentary series explores the life and career of Rocío Jurado and opens the festival’s Sur section.

Seven titles set for Saturday

The program on Saturday, October 31, will feature seven titles across the festival’s two main venues. At the Gran Teatro Falla, the day will begin at noon with the 2026 revival of El Ministerio del Tiempo, while the Teatro del Títere will host a simultaneous screening of Perfectamente imperfectos.

In the afternoon, the Sur section will present La foto del azulejo at 5:00 p.m. and 100 años de copla at 7:00 p.m., both at the Teatro del Títere. Meanwhile, the Gran Teatro Falla will host Blindspot Berlín at 6:00 p.m., as part of the Official Fiction Selection, followed by the world premiere of HBO Max’s Infamia at 9:30 p.m.

On Sunday, November 1, the morning lineup will include Antoñito Molina – Un sueño: del chiringuito al estadio and Millennial Mal. The afternoon program will feature Snake Killer, Olivia, The Oligarch and the Art Dealer, Las series de nuestra vida, the second season of El Centro and Trade Secret: The Polar Bear Market, alongside the tribute to Ronan Bennett.

Industry focus and international outlook

Beyond its screenings, the South International Series Festival will host meetings with creative teams, public activities and professional sessions designed to encourage industry discussion, share experiences and address the challenges facing the audiovisual sector.

The Gran Teatro Falla, the Teatro del Títere La Tía Norica and the Casa de Iberoamérica will serve as the main venues for the fourth edition, which runs through November 4.

Produced by Womack Group, the festival is supported by the Provincial Council of Cádiz and Cádiz City Council as official institutions. Mediterráneo Mediaset España Group is its Media Sponsor, while the Port Authority of the Bay of Cádiz, Rims Mobility and Fundación Unicaja participate as sponsors. Cultura Inquieta and Canal Sur Radio y Televisión are partners.

The 2026 edition is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Andalucía 2021–2027 program and the Regional Government of Andalusia. Tickets for the festival’s screenings are available through its official website.

La entrada American Hostage and La Más Grande Open the 2026 South International Series Festival se publicó primero en TTV News.

With Se tiene que morir mucha gente, El castillo and Matar a un oso in its Mipcom slate, the Spanish company is expanding the international reach of its original productions. Speaking with ttv, Rebeca Aguilar discussed the response from buyers and the growing recognition of the Movistar Plus brand.

*with reporting by Carolina Mussio and Ana Paula Carreira from Cannes, France.

The success of Se tiene que morir mucha gente among younger viewers and international buyers’ interest in El castillo and Matar a un oso are shaping Movistar Plus’s international distribution efforts, as the Spanish company looks to expand the reach of its original productions.

“We’re very happy to be bringing several titles that are performing extremely well on our platform. Starting with Se tiene que morir mucha gente, which has been a success with critics, audiences and on social media. It’s been an incredibly positive surprise for the company to have a series that connects so strongly with younger viewers and reaches a generation that can sometimes be difficult to find the right content for,” Rebeca Aguilar, Head of International Distribution at Movistar Plus, told ttv at Mipcom.

Created by Victoria Martín and based on her novel, Se tiene que morir mucha gente is a six-part comedy starring Anna Castillo, Macarena García and Laura Weissmahr. The series premiered on May 21 and, following its performance on the platform, was renewed for a second season scheduled for 2027.

Movistar Plus’s Cannes slate also includes El castillo, a six-part drama created by Isabel Peña and Eduardo Villanueva, in collaboration with Caballo Films and Mafalda Entertainment. Based on Mabel Lozano’s nonfiction book El proxeneta, the series explores criminal networks involved in the sexual exploitation of women in Spain. Following its presentation at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, it premiered on Movistar Plus on October 8.

“El castillo, which premiered last Thursday, its a series we’re extremely proud of. We have Isa Peña as showrunner, dealing with a very sensitive subject in an incredibly delicate and thoughtful way,” Aguilar said.

“And toward the end of the year, we’ll be releasing Matar a un oso, the other title we’re bringing to the market. It’s a coproduction with ARTE, a thriller set in a very special location in the Pyrenees, between Spain and France. Visually, it transports you to a very distinctive and beautiful world. It’s receiving a very positive response from buyers,” she added.

Matar a un oso was created and directed by brothers Jorge and Alberto Sánchez-Cabezudo, whose previous credits include La zona and Nos vemos en otra vida. Inspired by real events, the story begins with the death of a bear named Cachou in Spain’s Aran Valley, triggering a criminal investigation and exposing tensions within a mountain community. The cast includes Eduard Fernández, María Rodríguez Soto, Miki Esparbé, Pol López, Nora Navas and Àlex Monner.

The Movistar Plus Brand

With productions such as Hierro and Antidisturbios among its established titles, Movistar Plus has built a slate of original Spanish fiction with a presence at international festivals and content markets. “We’re very fortunate to have genuinely distinctive stories in our catalog. It’s not just about the visuals, although some of our productions, such as Hierro and Antidisturbios, have a very recognizable visual identity. Beyond that, there’s the talent we work with behind the camera, the scripts and the characters. It’s very much a team effort, and I think that’s what elevates a series to the level we’re looking for.”

“Our team simply focuses on finding good stories with compelling characters that can connect with different audiences, and trying to make those stories travel as far as possible, not just in Spain but internationally,” Aguilar explained.

Movistar Plus received further recognition on the festival circuit in 2026. El castillo screened in the Official Selection at San Sebastián, while Se tiene que morir mucha gente received an award at the FesTVal in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where actress Sofía Otero was also honored.

“I think the brand is very well established. It’s taken many years to build it, working as a team and carefully defining what we wanted to do, which stories we wanted to tell and, above all, how we wanted to tell them. We’re especially proud when someone recognizes our content without even needing to see the logo,” Aguilar said.

“We’re very happy with the reception our titles are getting. We’re bringing a very varied selection, which allows us to reach different types of buyers. Hopefully, we’ll be able to announce some deals soon, because the response has been extremely positive,” she concluded.

La entrada Rebeca Aguilar, Movistar Plus: “The Response to Our Titles Has Been Extremely Positive” se publicó primero en TTV News.

MUBI adds La Mesías and Riot Police to its international catalogue, while The Anatomy of a Moment expands its international reach through new partnerships across Europe.

Movistar Plus International, the international distribution division of Movistar Plus, unveiled a new slate of distribution and co-production agreements on Wednesday, 30 September, during the sixth edition of Iberseries & Platino Industria, further strengthening the international presence of Movistar Plus Originals.

These new partnerships with leading platforms, operators and broadcasters across four continents reinforce the company’s international strategy and expand the global reach of its catalogue.

Among the most significant deals is a global agreement with MUBI, which has acquired La Mesías for worldwide distribution, excluding Spain and Andorra, as well as Riot Police.

Meanwhile, The Anatomy of a Moment continues to expand its international footprint through agreements with European public broadcasters including ARTE France, RTP Portugal, RTS Switzerland and RTV Slovenia, as well as with the Greek streaming platform CINOBO.

These agreements add to a series of new international sales that continue to expand the reach of the Movistar Plus Originals catalogue:

CINOBO Greece has acquired both seasons of Fine Arts, A 100-Million Reward” and The New Years. Meanwhile, CINOBO Poland has acquired Querer, The New Years and A 100-Million Reward”.

FILMO (France) has acquired The Shortest Reign and The Nameless.

FLOW (Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) has acquired I Always Sometimes, The Center, The Hunt: Irati and the documentary Bisbal.

Latvijas Mobilais (Latvia) has acquired The New Years and Querer.

Media4Fun has acquired The Nameless’ and Riot Police.

MyMoviesOne (Italy) has acquired Querer and Apagón.

SBS (Australia) has acquired La Canción.

TVP (Poland) has acquired The Song, both seasons of Marbella, The Hunt: Irati and both seasons of Hierro.

The catalogue’s international expansion also continues to grow across Asia. In South Korea, LG UPLUS has acquired Querer, Marbella, The Center, The Hunt: Irati, The Nameless, The Dentist, Fine Arts and The Shortest Reign, further strengthening the presence of Movistar Plus Originals in one of the world’s fastest-growing audiovisual markets.

With these agreements, Movistar Plus International continues to consolidate its international distribution strategy, strengthening the global positioning of Movistar Plus Originals through leading platforms, operators and broadcasters around the world.

La entrada Movistar Plus International Announces New Sales and Deal at Iberseries se publicó primero en TTV News.

In addition to Movistar Plus+ for Spain and Andorra, All3Media International has secured deals in Germany, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Romania, Israel and Iceland.

Movistar Plus+ has acquired Maya, the upcoming series from All3Media International, created and written by Daisy Haggard (Boat Story, Back to Life) and starring Haggard alongside Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us, Time). In Spain and Spanish-speaking Andorra, the series will be distributed by Movistar Plus+.

Commissioned by Channel 4 in the UK and co-produced for North America by STARZ, the six-part series has secured multiple presale deals across Europe, Australia and New Zealand ahead of its UK debut.

In addition to Movistar Plus+ for Spain and Andorra, All3Media International has signed deals with ARD Degeto Film for ARD in Germany; Canal+ for POLAR+ in France and French-speaking territories; TV 2 in Norway; TV4 in Sweden; NPO in the Netherlands; Antena TV GROUP for antenaplay in Romania; and Hot and Yes TV in Israel, as well as Sýn hf in Iceland.

In Australia, Foxtel Group has acquired broadcast rights for Foxtel and BINGE, while Sky has secured the rights for New Zealand.

Maya marks another collaboration between Daisy Haggard and Two Brothers Pictures following Back to Life. The series stars Haggard and Bella Ramsey, alongside Tobias Menzies (F1, The Crown), Ben Chaplin (September 5, The Dig), Harriet Walter (Succession, Ted Lasso) and Stuart Bowman (Dept. Q, Rebus), among others.

The story follows Anna (Haggard), a single mother who, together with her teenage daughter Maya (Ramsey), enters witness protection to escape a life-threatening danger. The pair leave London, assume new identities and relocate to a small rural town in Scotland. However, their past catches up with them when two hitmen set out to track them down.

Blending psychological thriller elements with dark comedy, the series explores themes including identity, family, predatory male behavior and the bond between mother and daughter.

Filmed entirely in Scotland, Maya is produced by Two Brothers Pictures, an All3Media company, in association with All3Media International. Haggard also makes her directorial debut with the series, co-directing alongside Jamie Donoughue (Doctor Who, The Last Kingdom).

Harry and Jack Williams, Sarah Hammond, Alex Mercer and Daisy Mount serve as executive producers for Two Brothers Pictures, alongside Haggard. Kenny Tanner is producer, while Donoughue also serves as co-executive producer. Si Bell is director of photography and Shaheen Baig is casting director.

Maartje Horchner, EVP Content at All3Media International, highlighted the series’ international appeal, noting that the latest deals strengthen the company’s partnerships across EMEA and other markets following STARZ’s addition as North American co-production partner.

With these presales, Maya is further strengthening its international footprint ahead of its launch on Channel 4 in the UK.

La entrada Movistar Plus+ Acquires Maya from All3Media International se publicó primero en TTV News.

MUBI will exclusively stream La Mesías in the UK, Canada, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia.

The international rollout of La Mesías continues to expand. Movistar Plus+ has signed a new agreement with MUBI for the exclusive distribution of the acclaimed original series created by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo across six international markets.

Under the deal, the streaming platform will exclusively offer La Mesías in the UK, Canada, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany and Australia, further extending the global reach of one of Spain’s most celebrated television productions in recent years.

Produced by Movistar Plus+ in collaboration with Suma Content, the series has built a strong international profile since its debut, driven by critical acclaim and a successful run across festivals and international markets. Movistar Plus+ International handles worldwide sales for the title as part of the company’s strategy to maximize the global distribution of its original productions.

Created, written, directed and executive produced by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, La Mesías follows Enric, a man haunted by a childhood shaped by religious extremism whose life changes after discovering a viral music video featuring a Christian pop group made up of several sisters.

The new licensing agreement further strengthens the international footprint of Spanish original productions on global streaming platforms and reinforces Movistar Plus+’s strategy of expanding the worldwide reach of its content through partnerships with specialized distribution platforms.

La entrada Movistar Plus+ Original La Mesías Expands to Six New Markets Through MUBI se publicó primero en TTV News.

It is only the second time a Spanish film has won this award, following Pedro Almodóvar’s victory in 1999 for All About My Mother.

La bola negra , the original Movistar Plus film written, directed and produced by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, has achieved a new milestone for Spanish cinema by winning the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival, after being greeted last Thursday with a 20-minute standing ovation and receiving widespread acclaim from both Spanish and international critics.

The award was shared ex aequo with Fatherland director Paweł Pawlikowski.

Javier Calvo: “I never imagined I would be here with this award. The other directors are incredible. We are huge fans of this festival. We learned so much while making this film, and I hope many generations will learn from it too. I never imagined being here with this award, learning from your voices. I share it with Almodóvar and Sorogoyen. This film speaks about the importance of art, of others. Art makes us better and transforms us from within. I only hope that with every generation, the burden becomes smaller, and that art and cinema continue helping more and more in that process”.

Javier Ambrossi: “Thank you so much to the festival and this extraordinary jury. This goes far beyond anything I could ever have imagined in my life. When I started working, I often asked myself whether I was honouring those who came before me. And while directing this film, I realised that the only way to honour the LGBTQ+ people who came before us was to make sure they are remembered. We hope future generations will have at least more freedom. This means everything. Thank you to this extraordinary team”.

With La bola negra , Movistar Plus concludes a historic edition of the Cannes Film Festival with three titles in the Official Competition. In previous days, the festival also hosted The Beloved ( El ser querido ), the Movistar Plus original film directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, and Bitter Christmas ( Amarga Navidad ), by Pedro Almodóvar, with the prominent participation of Movistar Plus.

La bola negra will be released in Spanish cinemas on October 2, 2026, distributed by Elástica Films. Following its theatrical run, the film will premiere exclusively on Movistar Plus. La bola negra is produced by Movistar Plus and Suma Content Films in co-production with El Deseo and Le Pacte, with the participation of Atresmedia. Goodfellas will handle international sales.

La entrada Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi win Best Director Award at Cannes Film Festival for La bola negra se publicó primero en TTV News.

The Spanish platform will reorganize its sports offering to broadcast all 104 FIFA World Cup matches through special channels under the DAZN Mundial brand.

Movistar Plus+ is preparing record-breaking coverage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the launch of four temporary channels dedicated exclusively to the tournament, which will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Spanish platform will restructure its sports lineup during the World Cup to air all 104 matches through channels branded as DAZN Mundial, following its agreement with DAZN for the tournament’s full broadcasting rights.

The channels will be branded as DAZN Mundial, DAZN Mundial 2, DAZN Mundial 3 and DAZN Mundial 4, temporarily replacing existing domestic football channels. The main channel will be available on channel 55, while the second feed will air on channel 58. The additional channels will be activated on channels 173 and 174 to accommodate simultaneous matches and expanded programming needs.

The four-channel structure responds to the expanded format of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 national teams and a total of 104 matches. Movistar Plus+ expects particularly high demand during the final rounds of the group stage, when several games will be played simultaneously.

In addition to the match channels, the company will also launch Fanzone por M+, a temporary editorial channel focused on complementary content including interviews, documentaries, analysis and special programs produced by La Casa del Fútbol. The channel will be available from May 26 through July 21 on channel 57.

Movistar Plus+ had already confirmed months ago that it would offer all 2026 World Cup matches to subscribers with football packages, including special coverage and exclusive tournament-related content.

La entrada Movistar Plus+ to Launch Four Dedicated Channels for the 2026 World Cup se publicó primero en TTV News.

Juan Andrés García Ropero, known as ‘Bropi’, will lead the Content division, while Enric Rojas will remain in charge of Business Management and Sports.

Movistar Plus+ has announced a major reorganization of its editorial and executive structure aimed at boosting its content growth strategy. The new phase comes amid solid business momentum, with the platform adding 86,000 net subscribers in the first quarter.

The reorganization will be led by Alfonso Gómez Palacio, who recently took over as CEO of the company. The process is designed to sharpen the company’s business focus, strengthen content production, and improve coordination across the different areas shaping the user experience.

“Movistar Plus+ is entering a new phase with a clear ambition: to grow, invest in content, and offer more and better entertainment services to our customers,” said Gómez Palacio.

New structure focused on content and sports

The new editorial model will be structured around two main pillars: content and sports.

The Content division will be headed by Juan Andrés García Ropero, an executive who has been with the platform since 2018 and who previously played a key role in developing its sports offering.

In his new role, Bropi will oversee the strategy and development of films, series, documentaries, entertainment shows, and new original production formats.

The division will be reorganized into four specific units:

– Originals Movistar Plus, led by Bruna Hernando

– Spanish Cinema, headed by Guillermo Farré

– Editorial Development/Acquisitions, led by Iñigo Trojaola

– Entertainment, headed by Hugo Tomás

Meanwhile, Enric Rojas will continue leading Business Management and Sports, where he will remain responsible for the platform’s sports strategy.

Subscriber growth and new plans

The reorganization comes as the platform continues to post positive business results. During the first quarter of 2026, Movistar Plus+ added 86,000 net subscribers, reaching 3.9 million paying customers.

According to the company, year-over-year subscriber growth increased from 7.9% in 2025 to 8.3% in the first quarter of 2026, amid intensifying competition in the streaming market.

At the same time, the company introduced new commercial offerings aimed at expanding audiences and making access to its content more flexible. Among them is the new Free Plan: Movies and Series, priced at €4.99 and targeted at users specifically interested in fiction and film content.

The platform also launched a Free Plan designed to serve as an entry point to part of its catalog and as a conversion tool for paid subscriptions.

Commitment to original production and Spanish talent

The company also reaffirmed its commitment to Spanish original productions and internationally oriented content.

“The company aims to continue proving that it competes through a unique proposition built on Spanish talent, creative ambition, industrial capabilities, and sustained investment in projects that create value for customers and drive the country’s audiovisual sector as a whole,” Gómez Palacio said.

In this context, Movistar Plus+ arrives at the Cannes Film Festival with a strong presence, as three titles linked to the platform are participating in the Official Selection: The Beloved, by Rodrigo Sorogoyen; The Black Ball, by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo; and Bitter Christmas, by filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.

Sports remain a strategic pillar

The company also reaffirmed that sports will continue to be one of the platform’s key differentiators within the Spanish streaming and pay-TV market.

Movistar Plus+ said it will continue investing in premium sports coverage, distinctive storytelling, and well-known talent from Spain’s sports journalism and broadcasting industry.

The combination of live sports, original productions, films, series, and entertainment remains central to the company’s strategy to strengthen its positioning in an increasingly fragmented and competitive market.

La entrada Movistar Plus+ Announces Reorganization of Its Editorial and Executive Structure se publicó primero en TTV News.