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José María Cravioto’s “Wheels, Weed & Rock n’ Roll: The Legend of the Mexican Woodstock” and Victoria Franco’s “Twelve Moons” feature in the Mezcal Mexican competition at this year’s Guadalajara Film Festival.

Its other main competition, focusing on Ibero-American fiction movies and doc features, takes in two of the biggest hits this year from Spain, Portugal and Latin America: Brazilian Gabriel Mascaró’s “The Blue Trail” and Spaniard Eva Libertad’s “Deaf,” both big hits at Berlin.

As importantly, the Ibero-American Competition also highlights tales which deserve far more attention: a highly thoughtful first feature from Gerard Oms, “Away” (“Molt Lluny”), with a career-high turn by star Mario Casas; “Martina’s Search,” led by the frequently magnificent Argentinian player Mercedes Morán, and Puerto Rico’s “This Island,” part of a new Caribbean cinema which is ever more frequently scoring top fest berths.

Taken together, Guadalajara’s biggest two festival...

In addition to Spain’s strong presence in Cannes’ competition sections this year, the country has numerous high-profile titles looking to woo buyers at the Marché du Film. Below, we look at some of the most intriguing titles set for this year’s market.

“Away,” Gerard Oms

Produced by Zabriskie Films (Spain) and Revolver Amsterdam (Netherlands), “Away” is a Spanish-Dutch co-production shot entirely in the Netherlands. It employs a naturalistic and neorealist tone to portray the story of a Spanish immigrant adrift in Northern Europe. The film stars Spanish A-lister Mario Casas.

Sales: Latido Films

“Deaf,” Eva Libertad

Berlin’s Panorama Audience Awardwinner “Deaf,” produced by Distinto Films, Nexus CreaFilms and A Contracorriente Films, addresses motherhood through the lens of the deaf community. It is one of the first Spanish features to fully center the experience of a deaf woman, starring Álvaro Cervantes and Libertad’s sister Miriam Garlo. The...

Hip, hip, hooray! It's the weekend, and what better way to unwind than with a thrilling Netflix binge? The streamer has an amazing selection of shows, and if you're craving suspenseful mysteries with unexpected twists, look no further than Harlan Coben's captivating series.

With 10 series adaptations of his novels and one original series available on the platform, it can be a challenge to figure out where to begin. But don't stress! That's where we at Show Snob come in to help you pick the best ones. You don’t want to waste your time, and neither do we.

So, we've narrowed down the top four must-watch Harlan Coben series currently streaming on Netflix and put together a list. Each one of these shows will keep you hooked from the very first episode to the last. You're not going to want to be disturbed for even a second as each moment unravels new secrets,...

Don't you just love a good thriller? The kind that keeps you guessing, second-guessing, and maybe even gasping out loud? Harlan Coben has mastered that formula, and he has plenty of binge-worthy thrillers currently streaming on Netflix. While a few have gotten the recognition they deserve, there are some underrated gems that might’ve flown under your radar. Well, it’s time to fix that.

Below, we shared three overlooked Harlan Coben Netflix series that deliver all the suspense, mystery, and mind-blowing twists you crave and then some. Believe me. You'll thank me later once you’ve binged your way through these hidden gems and found yourself wondering how they ever slipped past your radar in the first place!

Safe (2018)Creator: Harlan CobenCast: Michael C. Hall, Amy James-Kelly, Amanda Abbington, Marc Warren, Audrey Fleurot, Hero Fiennes TiffinEpisode count: 8

Alright. Some might argue that Safe isn't underrated because it had a...

© 20th Century Studios, Universal Pictures & Bteam Pictures Amateur © 20th Century Studios

Rami Malek protagoniza este thriller de espionaje dirigido por James Hawes (director de episodios de Slow Horses y Black Mirror). El que fue galardonado en 2019 por hacer de Freddie Mercury interpreta a Charlie Heller, un brillante pero introvertido criptógrafo de la CIA cuya vida da un vuelco cuando su esposa muere en un atentado terrorista en Londres. Cuando sus supervisores se niegan a actuar, Malek toma cartas en el asunto y se embarca en un peligroso viaje por todo el mundo para localizar a los responsables.

La Cita © Universal Pictures

Christopher Landon (Feliz día de tu muerte) vuelve a la carga, esta vez con un thriller de misterio (concentrándose más en el suspense que en su característico humor). Se estrenó en el Festival SXSW de Austin donde no pasó desapercibida. La historia sigue a una joven madre viuda (Meghann Fahy...

Harlan Coben struck a five-year deal with Netflix in 2018 to adapt some of his most famous and successful novels. The shows did very well on the platform, so they renewed the deal to continue the partnership, which now includes a Latin American adaptation.

Coben penned 35 novels that have reportedly sold 80 million copies and have been translated into 46 languages. Netflix already boasts a slate filled with limited series adaptations, most of them in English. However, 2025 brought the first Latin American adaptation of Caught, which is already a hit on the platform, per Tudum.

Caught is not the first series in Spanish, as Coben's 2005 novel The Innocent was adapted into an eight-episode limited series in 2021 starring Mario Casas, Alexandra Jiménez, Aura Garrido, José Coronado, and Martina Gusmá. However, it's the first one from Latin America.

The limited series Caught, which is based on Coben's 2010 novel of the same name, premiered on the platform on Mar.

Los lanzamientos más destacados en cines y plataformas de streaming. © Warner Bros, A Contracorriente Films & Universal Pictures

Ya es primavera y, aunque los grandes estrenos que aspiran a ser taquillazos (al más puro estilo Del revés 2) suelen llegar con el verano, abril trae algunos títulos que podrían hacer muy buenos números en cartelera (la adaptación del universo cúbico de Mojang Studio a la gran pantalla o lo nuevo de Marvel y sus Thunderbolts). Aquí tienes los estrenos a los que no hay que perder de vista:

Una PELÍCULA De Minecraft (4 de abril en cines) © Warner Bros

Hayas o no jugado a Minecraft, esta película tiene todo para ser un éxito en taquilla. En esta adaptación del conocidísimo videojuego de Mojang Studio, cuatro inadaptados se encuentran luchando con problemas ordinarios cuando de repente se ven arrastrados a través de un misterioso portal al Overworld, un extraño y cúbico país de...

Following its audience award won in Berlin, Eva Libertad’s Deaf added four more prizes at the 2025 Malaga Film Festival (March 14-23) including best Spanish film and the audience award.

Libertad’s debut follows the relationship between a deaf woman and her hearing boyfriend, which is put under strain by a new baby, and stars the director’s sister, Miriam Garlo, and Álvaro Cervantes. They both won Malaga’s acting prizes ex aequo alongside Ángela Cervantes for Fury and Mario Casas for Away, respectively.

Latido Films is handling international sales for Deaf, which has already sold to the UK, Ireland,...

Dos ex aequos marcan un palmarés que refleja el alto nivel de esta edición.

© Festival de Málaga

El Festival de Málaga 2025 cierra una edición ambiciosa y de alto nivel con un palmarés que perfila a Sorda, de Eva Libertad, como una de las grandes contendientes de la temporada de premios española (y quien sabe si acabará representando a España en los próximos Óscar). La cinta, que ya recibió en la Berlinale el premio del Público, se alza con la Biznaga de Oro y también se llevan Biznagas de Plata Miriam Garlo y Álvaro Cervantes en las categorías interpretativas, además del Premio del Público, el Premio Asecan, el Premio Feroz y el Premio Gignis.

La otra gran triunfadora de una edición marcada por una fuerte presencia femenina ha sido Los tortuga, de Belén Funes, que se ha llevado el Premio Especial del Jurado, Mejor Dirección y Mejor Guion. Y La furia,...

The Málaga Film Festival unveiled winners from its various lineups this afternoon, where Eva Libertad’s “Deaf” walked away with a fest-best four prizes, including best actress (Miriam Garlo), actor (Álvaro Cervantes), the audience award and best picture.

Libertad’s debut feature is an expansion of the eponymous Goya-nominated short she co-directed with Nuria Muñoz, starring her sister Garlo, an acclaimed deaf actress. The film tells the story of Angela (Garlo), a pregnant deaf woman, and Hector (Cervantes), her hearing partner. Pregnancy brings to the surface her fears about motherhood and how she will be able to communicate with her daughter. The arrival of the girl generates a crisis in the couple and leads Angela to face the upbringing of her daughter in a world that is not made for her.

Acclaimed “A Thief’s Daughter” filmmaker Belén Funes’ latest, “The Exiles,” won Málaga’s special jury prize, best...

Spain’s Latido Films has acquired three titles ahead of their world premieres at the Málaga Film Festival, including competition title Away.

Local star Mario Casas headlines as a man who travels to the Dutch city of Utrecht with his family for a football match. After experiencing a panic attack, he decides to remain in the city, severing all ties with his past and with no money, friends, home or knowledge of the language.

It is directed by first-time feature filmmaker Gerard Oms and produced by Barcelona’s Zabriskie Films has produced the film with Revolver Amsterdam.

“This semi-autobiographical film...

La película competirá por la Biznaga de Oro. © BTeamPictures

BTeamPictures ha compartido el primer tráler y póster de la película Muy lejos, el debut en el largometraje de Gerard Oms que competirá en el 28 Festival de Málaga y clausurará el D’A Festival de Barcelona.

En Muy lejos, Sergio (Mario Casas) viaja a Utrecht con su familia para asistir a un partido de fútbol. Antes de coger el vuelo de vuelta a Barcelona, sufre un ataque de pánico y decide quedarse en Holanda. Incapaz de dar una explicación lógica a los suyos, corta el contacto con su pasado. A partir de ese momento, tendrá que sobrevivir sin dinero, sin amigos, sin casa y sin hablar el idioma, hasta que consiga encontrarse a sí mismo.

La película, basada en la propia experiencia del cineasta, está protagonizada por Mario Casas (Escape), David Verdaguer (La casa) e Ilyass el Ouahdani (Suro). Completan el...

Like water taking the shape of any container in which it’s kept, Catalan cinema tends to work its way into every corner of a festival or marketplace in which it is present. This year’s European Film Market is no exception. Here’s a look at 10 Catalan titles set to make an impression at this year’s festival and market.

The highest profile appearance will be Eva Libertad’s debut feature, “Deaf,” based on a short of the same name, which world premieres in the Panorama section. Sold by Latido Films and produced by Distinto Films, A Contracorriente Films and Nexus CreaFilms, it’s based on Libertad’s Goya-nominated short of the same name.

Lucía G. Romero’s “Close to September” will world premiere in Berlinale Shorts. Produced by Escándalo Films, Filmax, Escac Films and Escac Studio, it centers on an imbalanced youthful romance.

Generation Kplus showcases two Catalan productions this year,...

A selection of Spanish titles being sold at the European Film Market.

“My Friend Eva,” Cesc Gay

A romantic comedy about Eva, who, after 20 years of marriage, seeks to rediscover love and passion, directed by “Truman” helmer Gay. “Cesc’s films are always highly anticipated. He’s a director who’s given us so much success in the past,” says the film’s sales agent.

S.A. Filmax

*”The Virgin of the Quarry Lake,” Laura Casabé

Set in 2001 Argentina, this film follows Natalia, who uses dark incantations to win back her love, leading to self-empowerment and a dramatic conclusion. A buzz title at last month’s Sundance market.

S.A. Filmax

*”Fury,” Gemma Blasco

A young actress, Alex, grapples with trauma and isolation after a New Year’s Eve assault. Her brother’s misguided support leads them down dark paths, while Alex finds solace in theatre. Headed to SXSW’s global program this year.

Un grupo de cocineros republicanos debe preparar la cena de Franco mientras planean huir. © A Contracorriente Films

Arranca el rodaje de La cena, una comedia dirigida por Manuel Gómez Pereira (Entre las piernas) y con guion de Joaquín Oristrell (El campeón), Yolanda García Serrano (Hit) y el mismo Gómez Pereira, que se desarrollará en Valencia, Madrid y Gran Canaria.

La cena nos sitúa en el 15 de abril de 1939, apenas dos semanas después del fin de la Guerra Civil Española. Con la victoria franquista consumada, el dictador decide celebrar el triunfo con una cena en el Hotel Palace, acompañado de sus generales. Lo que no saben, es que la cena la prepararán unos cocineros republicanos que están ante su última oportunidad de huir del país.

La película está protagonizada por Mario Casas (Escape) y Alberto San Juan (Casa en llamas) acompañados de un reparto coral con Asier Etxeandia (Citas Barcelona), Nora Hernández...

Una película con tintes autobiográficos. © BTeamPictures

BTeamPictures ha anunciado la fecha de estreno de Muy lejos, el debut en el largometraje de Gerard Oms.

En Muy lejos, Sergio (Mario Casas) viaja a Utrecht con su familia para asistir a un partido de fútbol. Antes de coger el vuelo de vuelta a Barcelona, sufre un ataque de pánico y decide quedarse en Holanda. Incapaz de dar una explicación lógica a los suyos, corta el contacto con su pasado. A partir de ese momento, tendrá que sobrevivir sin dinero, sin amigos, sin casa y sin hablar el idioma, hasta que consiga encontrarse a sí mismo.

La película, basada en la propia experiencia del cineasta, está protagonizada por Mario Casas (Escape), David Verdaguer (La casa) e Ilyass el Ouahdani (Suro). Completan el reparto Raúl Prieto (Normas para una página de sucesos), Nausicaa Bonnín (La infiltrada) y Jetty Mathurin (Vrouwenvleugel), entre otros.

En palabras del director,...

Everyone’s tuning in to Missing You on Netflix, and with only five episodes, it’s quick to binge-watch in no time! If you found yourself hooked on this mystery thriller and are craving more of Harlan Coben’s thrilling storytelling, you're in luck.

This New York Times bestselling author has many other shows similar to Missing You streaming on Netflix. This is due to his overall deal with the streamer, which involves him adapting his books into TV shows and movies for the streaming platform. Missing You is his most recent Netflix series adaptation, but many of his other books have already been turned into shows for the streaming service.

However, that doesn't mean they're all entertaining. We would hate for you to waste your time going through the rest of Coben's collection on Netflix without knowing which ones are truly worth the binge. That's why we're about to...

The Invisible Guest, or Contratiempo ("Setback") in the native Spanish, is a 2016 mystery thriller with twists and turns that constantly put into question how much each character knows. One of the more underrated Netflix thrillers, The Invisible Guest comes from Spanish director Oriol Paulo and stars Mario Casas and Ana Wagener. The film had a lukewarm response in Spain when it was released, but since then, it has found popularity in international markets, and since 2016, there have been six remakes in different languages.

This murder mystery thriller begins with businessman Adrián Doria (Casas) getting released on bail after being arrested for the murder of his lover, Laura Vidal (Bárbara Lennie). Adrián was found in a hotel room unconscious with his wife dead in the bathroom and the doors locked from the inside. When a mysterious witness is set to come forward and prove Adrián culpable, Adrián's lawyer brings in an...

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Missing You is a mystery thriller drama series created by Victoria Asare-Archer. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by author Harlan Coben, the Netflix series follows detective Kate Donovan, who finds her missing fiancé on a dating app ten years after he supposedly disappeared. Missing You stars Rosalind Eleazar, Jessica Plummer, Richard Armitage, Lenny Henry, Steve Pemberton, Marc Warren, Samantha Spiro, Lisa Faulkner, Mary Malone, and Ashley Walters. So, if you loved the dark secrets, thrilling story, and compelling characters in Missing You, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Fool Me Once (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Fool Me Once is a British mystery thriller drama series created by Danny Brocklehurst, Charlotte Coben, Yemi Oyefuwa, Nina Metivier, and Tom Farrelly. Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Harlan Coben, the Netflix series follows Maya Stern,...

Nothing reels you in quite like a locked-room mystery. Throw in a web of lies, deceit, and a race against time, then youve got something that truly keeps viewers on the edges of their seats. In a nutshell, thats what The Invisible Guest or Contratiempo in its original Spanish title delivers. Directed by Oriol Paulo, the master of layered and intricate storytelling, the film promises to be a murder mystery. However, it doesnt just stop there, it dives into puzzling realms and creates a narrative where every single piece counts. At the center of it all is Adrian Doria (Mario Casas), a not-so-shabby businessman whos found locked in a hotel room with the lifeless body of his lover, Laura Vidal (Brbara Lennie). All fingers are pointed at him considering the damning evidence of a sealed room with no extra entry/exit points.

Miracle in Cell No. 7, an Indonesian remake of the 2013 comedy-drama directed by South Korea’s Lee Hwan-kyung, will get a sequel and an animated series adaptation by Indonesia’s Falcon Pictures, after the first film achieved major box office success in 2022, scoring fifth in the country’s all-time box office rankings and selling 5.8 million movie tickets nationwide.

In a forum held Saturday at Busan’s Asia Contents and Film Market, creators behind the original and the remake talked about the unusual collaboration between the two major Asian film companies — Indonesia’s Falcon Pictures and South Korea’s Contents Panda. The Korean original, which garnered close to 13 million viewers in theaters, did not have a sequel.

“A remake is an efficient way [to ensure] a film’s success,” says Danny Lee at Contents Panda, a subsidiary of the major Korean distributor New. “We already proved in Korea that the story worked.”

Contents...

San Sebastian — Is this the San Sebastián Catalan Film Festival? Always boasting a sterling presence at San Sebastián, Catalonia has a massive 27 titles this year, counting five projects in doc forum Lau Haizetara and including four of the five Spanish movies in main Competition and 10 in Made in Spain. Following a break-down of major section titles:

Main Competition

“Afternoons of Solitude,” (Andergraun Films, Ideale Audience, Lacima Producciones)

Albert Serra’s not at all obvious follow-up to Cannes competition player “Pacifiction,” a portrait of star bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey at work. The results remain to be seen. Serra has shot the disc feature “with respect and innocence, without prejudice nor provocation,” he tells Spain’s ABC Cultural.

“Glimmers,” (Inicia Films, Mod Producciones, Misent Producciones)

The latest from Pilar Palomero. A top-notch Spanish cast led by Patricia López Arnaíz and Antonio de la Torre drive the tale of a woman asked by...

El Festival se celebra del 20 al 28 de septiembre. © Ssiff

La 72ª edición del Festival de Cine de San Sebastián contará con una notable presencia de cineastas, actores, guionistas y productoras de renombre que se darán cita en la ciudad.

La Sección Oficial será el epicentro de muchas de estas figuras, quienes presentarán sus últimas producciones y participarán en diversas actividades del festival. La inauguración del festival estará marcada por la película Emmanuelle, que llegará acompañada de la directora Audrey Diwan y los actores Noémie Merlant, Will Sharpe, Jamie Campbell Bower y Chacha Huang. Por otro lado, para clausurar el festival, el director John Crowley y el actor Andrew Garfield presentarán We Live In Time (Vivir el momento), una de las películas más anticipadas de esta edición.

El Festival de San Sebastián también recibirá a destacadas personalidades como la directora Gia Coppola y la icónica Pamela Anderson, quienes asistirán a la proyección de The Last Showgirl.

It's only been a day since its release, and the new thriller limited series The Perfect Couple has already secured a spot on Netflix's top 10 TV show list. In fact, it's sitting at the No. 1 spot as of Sept. 6, meaning it's Netflix's most popular show at the moment. But should we really be surprised? I mean, if you just take a look at who's in the cast, that's enough to make you want to watch it. The show's premise will pull you in as well!

If you're an avid book fan, chances are you've heard about New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand's book The Perfect Couple. Well, that's what this Netflix thriller limited series is based on. It centers around a young woman named Amelia, who is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket, the Winbury family. But things take a tragic turn when,...

La película está protagonizada por Martin Scorsese. © Beta Fiction

Escape, la nueva película de Rodrigo Cortés, producida por Martin Scorsese y basada en la novela homónima de Enrique Rubio, se presentará en el Festival de San Sebastián, dentro de las galas de Rtve.

Escape sigue a N. (Mario Casas), un hombre estropeado. Algo no va bien en su interior. No quiere tomar una sola decisión más, sólo apearse del mundo. Dejar de tener opciones. El psicólogo a quien visita no sabe cómo abordarlo. Tampoco su hermana, que intenta apoyarlo sin frutos. N. sólo quiere vivir en la cárcel, y hará cuanto sea necesario para conseguirlo. ¿Lograrán sus allegados que desista de cometer delitos cada vez más graves? ¿Hasta dónde será capaz de llegar el juez para no concederle su propósito?

La película está protagonizada por Mario Casas (3 metros sobre el cielo). Completan el reparto Anna Castillo (Nowhere), José Sacristán (La...

¿Qué tiene que hacer un hombre honrado para que lo metan en la cárcel? © Beta Fiction

Ya se ha publicado el primer tráiler de “Escape”, la nueva película de Rodrigo Cortés, producida por Martin Scorsese y basada en la novela homónima de Enrique Rubio.

“Escape” sigue a N. (Mario Casas), un hombre estropeado. Algo no va bien en su interior. No quiere tomar una sola decisión más, sólo apearse del mundo. Dejar de tener opciones. El psicólogo a quien visita no sabe cómo abordarlo. Tampoco su hermana, que intenta apoyarlo sin frutos. N. sólo quiere vivir en la cárcel, y hará cuanto sea necesario para conseguirlo. ¿Lograrán sus allegados que desista de cometer delitos cada vez más graves? ¿Hasta dónde será capaz de llegar el juez para no concederle su propósito?

La película está protagonizada por Mario Casas (“3 Metros sobre el Cielo”). Completan el reparto Anna Castillo (“Nowhere”), José Sacristán...

Prime Video is doubling down in Spain with a slate of new movies, drama series, docs and true-crime shows.

The streamer unveiled its latest slate at a Prime Video Presents event in Madrid last night, with thriller feature Zeta, scripted series Cochinas, a trio of unscripted shows and doc La Joia: Bad Gyal. Original series Reina Roja was confirmed for a third season, while live entertainment show Operación Triunfo has also landed a new season.

Ricardo Cabornero, Director at Prime Video in Spain and Portugal, claimed it had been a “record-breaking year” for the service in Iberia as he rolled out the titles.

Spy pic Zeta follows a Spanish Cni agent, Zeta, who is tasked with tracking down a former spy who participated in an undercover mission 35 years before, with a Colombian spook, Alfa, also trying to find him. The other five participants are murdered at the same time at different embassies around the world,...

Amazon hosted its annual Prime Video Presents event in Madrid this afternoon, where the streaming giant made a raft of announcements, including new theatrical features, true crime docuseries, returning drama programs and the next season of Spain’s uber-popular singing competition “Operación Triunfo.”

Ricardo Carbonero, director of Prime Video in Spain and Portugal, and Maria José Rodríguez, head of Amazon Studios’ Spanish Originals, were in attendance. Joining them were local stars Mario Casas (“Tres metros sobre el cielo”), Elena Anaya (“The Skin I Live In”), Malena Alterio (“Aquí no hay quien viva”), Najwa Nimri (“Money Heist”), Anna Castillo (“Nowhere”) and Maxi Iglesias (“Los artistas: primeros trazos”). Also in attendence were several of the streamer’s current filmakers, including Dani de la Torre (“La sombra de la ley”), Paula Ortiz (“La novia”), Hugo Stuven (“El desafio”) and Ginesta Guindal (“Élite”).

Prime Video Presents, Madrid

According to the streamer, the first half...

Basada en la novela homónima de Elia Barceló. © Xavi Farré

Comienza en La Rioja alavesa el rodaje de “El Secreto del Orfebre”, adaptación de la novela homónima de Elia Barceló, que supone el regreso de Mario Casas al género romántico casi una década después de “Palmeras en la Nieve”.

“El Secreto del Orfebre” sigue a Juan Pablo, un prestigioso orfebre que viaja desde España a Nueva York para una exposición sobre su obra. De camino pasará por su pueblo natal, un viaje que le llevará al pasado y al reencuentro con un gran amor que cambió su vida para siempre.

La película está protagonizada por Mario Casas (“3 Metros Sobre el Cielo”) y Michelle Jenner (“La Casa de Papel: Berlín”). Los acompañan en el reparto Zoe Bonafonte (“Amar es para Siempre”) y Enzo Oliver (“Valeria”). Por otro lado, la dirección corre a cargo de Olga Osorio (“¡Salta!”), que también firma el guion.

Michelle Jenner and Mario Casas have signed to star in Olga Osorio’s feature adaptation of Elia Barceló’s acclaimed novel The Goldsmith’s Secret.

Film Factory is introducing the film to Cannes buyers.

Adrián Guerra and Nuria Valls are producing for Nostromo Pictures, whose credits include the upcoming Rodrigo Cortés title Escape, exec-produced by Martin Scorsese.

The Goldsmith’s Secret will shoot in June in Alava and Barcelona. It is a love story set across three moments of the 20th Century. “It is inspired by classics such as Somewhere In Time and In the Mood for Love,” said Guerra.

As 2023 hits its final straights, Spain’s “Nowhere,” a mother-baby survival thriller, rates as the most-viewed non-English title – film or series – of 2023, with 77.9 million views. It also ranks as Netflix’s second most-watched non-English movie of all time, currently punching 141.6 million hours, bettered only by Norway’s “Troll.”

“Nowhere” also has legs: No other non-English Netflix movie has punched 1.6 million views on its seventh week of release.

That achievement is all the more remarkable given that “Nowhere” is also the first title by the film’s producer Miguel Ruz and exec producer Jordi Roca at their new Madrid-based production company Rock & Ruz which they launched after the success of their first film together, Mario Casas-starrer “The Paramedic” (“El Practicante”), also on Netflix.

Made for an above-average budget for Spain, based on an original story by Indiana Lista (“Scandinoir”), “Nowhere” is co-written by producers Ruz and Ernest Riera alongside...

This interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The mortality rate continues to climb in Bird Box Barcelona. A spinoff of 2018's Bird Box, the fantasy horror takes place in a world where an ominous force has decimated a majority of the population. Any person unfortunate enough to catch a glance of the invading ghastly beings quickly commits suicide, usually in a bloody fashion. In the streets of Spain, clusters of individuals have adapted by remaining hidden or blindfolded if they dared venture out in public.

Two of those individuals include psychiatrist Claire [Georgina Campbell] and recently relocated Octavio [Diego Calva]. Together with other survivors, they've converted an abandoned bomb shelter into a safe haven. But when a stranger, Sebastian [Mario Casas], enters the picture and earns their trust, they discover his intentions are not all that altruistic. Ahead of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Campbell and Calva spoke with Cbr about losing their vision,...

Netflix struck gold with Bird Box in 2018, when it became one of the most streamed films, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. This massive success was primarily led by Sandra Bullock's star power and the extensive marketing campaigns Netflix did for the film in the form of blindfold challenges. This Susanne Bier-directed movie also had an interesting story, as it was based on the hit novel of the same name by Josh Malerman. A common criticism of Bird Box was that it had a thin screenplay.

Nevertheless, the criticism did not stop Netflix from expanding the Bird Box franchise, with Bird Box Barcelona being the first of the many planned local-language Bird Box spinoffs. It is a Spanish spin-off sequel to the original film, directed by Alex and David Pastor. The film stars Mario Casas as Sebastián, Alejandra Howard as Anna, and Georgina Campbell as Claire, among others.

“Bird Box Barcelona", a spinoff of the post-apocalyptic feature "Bird Box" (2018), is directed by Álex Pastor and David Pastor, starring Mario Casas, Georgina Campbell, Diego Calva, Alejandra Howard, Naila Schuberth, Patrick Criado, Lola Dueñas, Gonzalo de Castro, Michelle Jenner and Leonardo Sbaraglia, now streaming on Netflix:

"...after a mysterious force wipes out the world's population, 'Sebastian' must navigate his own survival journey through the desolate streets of Barcelona.

"As he forms uneasy alliances with other survivors and they try to escape the city, an unexpected and even more sinister threat grows..."

Click the images to enlarge...

The following contains spoilers for Bird Box Barcelona, now streaming on Netflix. This article contains mention of suicide.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Bird Box series is the enemy humanity's facing. This comes in the form of mysterious creatures, which -- once people cast eyes on them -- push folks to commit suicide. The first film in 2018 never explained how this was possible or where they came from, leaving fans curious if Bird Box Barcelona would reveal their secrets.

Unfortunately, the franchise doesn't dive into the creatures any further. Instead, the story focuses on Sebastián (played by Mario Casas) as he navigates Spain, trying to find peace and heal his soul. However, a major twist unfolds with him and key personnel in his life, confirming even more sadistic monsters exist in society.

Related: A Classic Horror Story Plays into the Genre's Best Cliches

Bird Box Barcelona Unveils...

Sebastian [Mario Casas], father to 11-year-old Anna, isn't only a victim in Bird Box Barcelona -- he's part of the problem. Set in one of the sprawling cities of Spain, the post-apocalyptic sequel to 2018's original Bird Box takes place in a world where anyone who gazes upon mysterious entities swiftly commits suicide. Most survivors rely on blindfolds to restrict their vision, that's where Sebastian, who sports goggles, enters the picture.

Some people, dubbed "seers," have proven immune to those impulses. Recruited by an emerging religious sect, these individuals manipulate survivors into removing their bandages in the presence of these forces, believing they are serving a higher power and releasing these souls from their mortal confines. Blinded by faith and loss, Sebastian will do anything to reunite with his deceased wife and child until he meets a young girl, Sophia, who opens his eyes to the truth.

Casas recently spoke...

Hollywood actors and writers may be on the picket line, due to the many issues they have with various studios and networks, but they can’t really say that all streamers aren’t reporting how their shows and movies are faring. That’s exactly what Netflix has been doing each and every week with the Top 10 charts for the week of July 10, giving a detailed report on its current films and series, as “The Lincoln Lawyer” took the top spot for the latter and the sci-fi sequel “Bird Box Barcelona” entered the charts.

We’ll begin with the latter, since “Bird Box Barcelona” is the sequel to one of Netflix’s biggest hits, 2018’s “Bird Box” starring Sandra Bullock, the streamer’s fourth most-watched feature film ever. In this case, as the title implies, the post-apocalyptic action has been moved to Spain, and thusly, it charted on the non-English film...

Warning: Major spoilers below for Bird Box Barcelona!Bird Box Barcelona features a major twist in the first 15 minutes that reframes the entire story and offers a unique flip of the Sandra Bullock original. 2018's Bird Box was a shock success for Netflix, with the modestly-budgeted chiller being one of a wave of horror films centered around the senses, like A Quiet Place or Don't Breathe. The movie took place in a world where creatures that can induce suicide in whoever looks at them suddenly emerge, with Bullock and her band of survivors attempting to reach a safe place.

Bird Box's monsters weren't the only threat, however. Instead of driving people to die by suicide, some people who see the monsters are overtaken by their "beauty," and seek out other survivors to force them to look at the creatures. Bird Box Barcelona is a spinoff with no ties to...

David Pastor reveals whether a Sandra Bullock cameo was considered for Bird Box Barcelona. The spinoff, co-written and co-directed by Pastor, was released on July 14 and broadened the scope of Netflix's 2018 hit, Bird Box, by tracking survivors in other parts of the world. It follows Sebastián (Mario Casas) and his daughter Anna (Alejandra Howard), who seek refuge from the same hostile entity that, when viewed, prompts individuals to take their own lives.

Bullock, whose character was still alive at the end of the first movie, was not included in Bird Box Barcelona's cast, and during a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Pastor explained why. The co-director revealed there were no plans to feature Bullock, noting that he and Álex Pastor had the opportunity to create a new story. He added that being able to make something separate from the original film was part of what excited him. Read Pastor's comments...

Netflix’s hit franchise Bird Box, released in 2018, intrigued us with a compelling storyline much like A Quiet Place. However, the streaming platform’s latest spinoff film, Bird Box: Barcelona, takes viewers on a slightly different and more perilous journey. Similarly, like Bird Box in 2018, Bird Box: Barcelona dives into a world plagued by an unknown and unseen force that drives people to madness and death. But the spinoff film introduces Sebastian, portrayed by Mario Casas, as the central protagonist, distinguishing him from the character of Malorie Hayes in the original Bird Box. Unlike Malorie, who remains a pure protagonist without any negative influences on her mind, Sebastian’s character takes an intriguing turn. In the initial half of the film, he is depicted as a brainwashed antagonist. Sebastian’s journey is rooted in his profound grief as a mourning father. Faced with the unbearable loss of his daughter, he...

This post contains spoilers for Bird Box: Barcelona.

The Bird Box franchise is all about what you don’t see. That’s true for the characters in the movie, who wear blindfolds to avoid seeing monsters that will otherwise cause you to commit suicide on sight. Yet it’s also true for the viewers, who also never see the monsters. At their best, Bird Box and the sequel Bird Box: Barcelona follow the principles of Jaws and Alien: They keep the creepy thing out of sight to let the viewer’s imagination do the work.

However, Bird Box: Barcelona does break from its predecessor with a radically different type of protagonist, Sebastián (Mario Casas) and his young daughter Anna (Alejandra Howard). Despite presenting themselves as a desperate father and child, we soon learn that Sebastián has seen the monsters and instead of committing suicide, he’s obsessed with forcing...

Bird Box, a Netflix original released in 2018 and featuring Sandra Bullock, presents a world haunted by an unseen entity that poses a dire threat to humanity. Those who catch even a glimpse of this entity succumb to its influence, leading them to take their own lives. The film delves into profound themes centered around human emotions and the inner demons that reside within us all. The entity, in a sense, amplifies these inner conflicts to a heightened degree, driving individuals to the brink of self-destruction.

Amidst the chaos, a group of people emerges who, for reasons we are not yet aware of, remain immune to the entity’s powers. However, they mistakenly perceive the entity as a supernatural being deserving of worship. Within this group, an individual named Gary stands out. Unlike the others, Gary could walk outside without the need for blindfolds, seemingly unaffected by the sinister force. In a disturbing turn,...

“Bird Box Barcelona", a spinoff of the post-apocalyptic feature "Bird Box" (2018), is directed by Álex Pastor and David Pastor, starring Mario Casas, Georgina Campbell, Diego Calva, Alejandra Howard, Naila Schuberth, Patrick Criado, Lola Dueñas, Gonzalo de Castro, Michelle Jenner and Leonardo Sbaraglia, streams July 14, 2023 on Netflix:

"...after a mysterious force wipes out the world's population, 'Sebastian' must navigate his own survival journey through the desolate streets of Barcelona.

"As he forms uneasy alliances with other survivors and they try to escape the city, an unexpected and even more sinister threat grows..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Warning: Major spoilers for Bird Box Barcelona below!Bird Box Barcelona’s "observers effect" theory might explain what the franchise's creatures actually are. There's an old adage in horror movies that the unseen is often far scarier than what filmmakers can show audiences. Jaws is so terrifying because the shark itself is offscreen for the majority of the runtime, making audiences fill in the blanks. Netflix's 2018 success story Bird Box took this argument to a logical extreme. Bird Box's monsters are offscreen for the entire movie because looking at them induces death.

Bird Box received mixed reviews overall, but the restraint the filmmakers showed in keeping the creatures entirely offscreen was the best possible choice. Bird Box Barcelona adopts the same tactic, as the monsters are never seen full-on. That said, one major character has seen them and believes the beings to be angels. Bird Box Barcelona also...

Bird Box Barcelona Release Date: 2023-07-14

Bird Box Barcelona is the long-awaited revisitation of the world established in 2018’s Bird Box. Not necessarily a direct Bird Box sequel, Bird Box Barcelona leaves behind the locations and characters of the first film to explore what was, before the arrival of the franchise’s society-destroying creatures, one of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations. The film stars Mario Casas, Diego Calva, Georgina Campbell, and more, and it is especially different from the first Bird Box in that its primary language is Spanish.

The compelling vision behind Bird Box Barcelona is that of Àlex and David Pastor, the sibling duo who wrote and directed the film. While the pair have worked on thrillers in the past, the Pastors have arguably taken on their biggest work yet with this film. It’s not likely to be their highest-profile work, either; Àlex and David...

Warning: Major spoilers below for Bird Box Barcelona!Bird Box Barcelona is the terrifying next chapter in Netflix's horror franchise, and the ending teases there's more to come in the near future. Bird Box Barcelona wrongfoots viewers within the first 20 minutes with its protagonist Sebastián, who is trying to survive in post-apocalyptic Barcelona with daughter Anna (Alejandra Howard). He soon meets up with a group of survivors - only to lead them all to their deaths by exposing them to the Bird Box franchise's monsters, who induce suicide when observed. It turns out that Sebastián sees the creatures as "angels," and he believes he's "saving" people by forcing them to look.

His daughter Anna is also a hallucination, as she died months earlier when other humans forced her to look at the creatures. Sebastián then encounters another group, but while initially working to subvert their goal of reaching safety at Montjuïc Castle,...

Based on Josh Malerman’s novel of the same title, Netflix released the survival thriller Bird Box in 2018, featuring Sandra Bullock in the lead role. This film explored the themes of complexities in human nature, grief and trauma acting as an evil force, and the relentless pursuit of survival. By portraying a nightmarish apocalypse, the film effectively highlights the inner demons faced by the protagonist. However, the spinoff movie Bird Box: Barcelona, which maintains a strong connection with its predecessor, introduced a touch of innovation to the storyline.

The core of Bird Box: Barcelona revolves around Sebastian (Mario Casas), a survivor who embarks on a harrowing journey of self-discovery, questioning whether he is destined to save or destroy humanity. The spinoff film presented an intriguing premise by depicting the global impact of the unseen and unknown entity in the film. The plot unfolded in the European setting of Barcelona, showcasing...

This review has a mild Bird Box: Barcelona spoiler.

Is Bird Box a movie franchise? More precisely, is Bird Box essentially a shared cinematic universe? Netflix obviously thinks so, as this weekend’s Bird Box: Barcelona acts as both a spinoff and a naked bit of franchise world-building after the original Bird Box movie took streaming subscribers by storm… for a couple of weeks in December 2018, at any rate. Yet I might argue that it’s unclear whether that film scored with audiences because of its grindhouse-adjacent premise or simply due to it being a high-concept movie starring Sandra Bullock that was released during the doldrums of a holiday season.

Since then we’ve seen a lot of Netflix thrillers led by movie stars taking a streaming paycheck, and few have had the impact of Bird Box. Maybe that’s why the film’s ostensible sequel is trying to do the same thing again,...

Revisit the world of Bird Box with Bird Box Barcelona, the follow-up to Netflix’s 2018 hit. As its title suggests, Bird Box Barcelona is set in Barcelona, Spain, and nearly all the film’s dialogue is in Spanish; it’s a less obvious move than doing a direct continuation of the story of the first Bird Box, but it pays off. While not necessarily a direct Bird Box sequel, Bird Box Barcelona takes the world of the first film and explores and expands it in truly exciting new ways.

Although set in Barcelona, Bird Box Barcelona features a cast representing a number of different countries. Two examples of this are Diego Calva’s Octavio who, like the actor, is from Mexico, and Georgina Campbell’s UK-raised Claire. Calva was last seen by many in Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, while Campbell led the horror film Barbarian to much praise.

Related: Bird...

Netflix’s 2018 hit Bird Box finally has a sequel in Bird Box Barcelona, an exciting follow-up that takes place all the way across the ocean. Written and directed by Àlex and David Pastor, Bird Box Barcelona expands on the mythology of the original film in ways that help it stand apart from, and maybe even surpass, its predecessor. Despite being set in Spain, Bird Box Barcelona’s cast of characters represents countries from around the world, with Diego Calva’s Octavio being from Mexico and Georgina Campbell’s Claire hailing from the U.K.

The lead character in the film, however, is from Spain and is played by renowned Spanish actor Mario Casas. Casas has collaborated with Àlex and David Pastor in the past on the 2020 dramatic thriller The Occupant. Casas’ character is the beating heart of Bird Box Barcelona, with much of the story’s emotional payoff generated from...