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10 years after taking the helm of Yle drama’s department and contributing significantly to Finnish drama’s hike in quality and international reach, Jarmo Lampela continues to broaden his network of international partners. Italy and Canada are the latest countries to be conquered by the visionary Finn who is attending Lille’s Series Mania confab with several projects.

“Torna a Surriento” will be Yle’s first co-production with Italian pubcaster Rai. The four-part romantic drama, in pre-production, is co-written by Guglielmo Finazzer, Dario Carraturo, Jens Martin Mienna and Aleksi Puranen. The story turns on a Neapolitan hustler who inherits a remote estate in Finnish Lapland. What he sees as a quick payday turns into a tumultuous two-month stay as he ends up clashing with the local Sámi community and falling for a fierce reindeer herder. Finland’s Whatevergroup is producing with Italy’s Viola Films, Norway’s Rein Films and Iceland’s Glassriver.

In the late 1980s, Bilbao’s working-class suburbs were a microcosm of newly democratic Spain’s broader socio-economic transformation. Amidst this, Borja Cobeaga’s upcoming comedy, “Breaking Walls” (“Los Aitas”), heads comedically into the evolution of fatherhood during this pivotal era. “Breaking Walls” is produced by Sayaka Producciones (“Colossal”), in collaboration with Inicia Films (“Glimmers”), Bteam Prods (“Schoolgirls”), and Despadres Aie. It follows a group of young gymnasts, all girls, whose fathers are “forced” to chaperone them on a trip to Berlin – a journey that coincides with the historic fall of the Berlin Wall. This road trip becomes a catalyst for these men to discover and redefine their roles as parents.

Cobeaga, collaborating with co-writer Valentina Viso (“Salve Maria”), grounds the film in the political, cultural and economic climate of the time. The opening features industrial stills of Bilbao, interspersed with references to the Pact of Ajuria Enea and the leadership of José Antonio Ardanza.

Basada en la novela homónima de Laia Aguilar. © Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures ha lanzado el primer tráiler y póster de Wolfgang (Extraordinario), una feel good movie familiar basada en la novela homónima de Laia Aguilar y dirigida por Javier Ruiz Caldera a partir de un guion de la propia Laia Aguilar, Carmen Marfà, Yago Alonso y Valentina Viso.

Wolfgang, un niño de diez años con un coeficiente intelectual de 152 y trastorno del espectro autista se ve obligado a vivir con su padre Carles, al que nunca ha visto, tras la repentina muerte de su madre. Carles afronta el reto con ganas y voluntad, pero Wolfgang no soporta su desorden ni su desorganización y lo considera un “bajocien” por su falta de intelecto. Así que, a escondidas, Wolfgang planea conseguir su sueño: entrar en la academia de música Grimald de París, donde estudió su madre, y convertirse en el mejor pianista del mundo.

Spain’s Academia de Cine has unveiled its list of nominations for the 39th Goya Awards, the country’s equivalent to the Oscar. Leading the field is Marcel Barrena’s biographical drama El 47, with 14 mentions. It’s followed by thriller La Infiltrada (Undercover) at 13.

Also in the mix is Segundo Premio (Saturn Return) with 11 nods. The movie about real-life rock band Los Planetas was Spain’s submission for the International Feature Oscar, though it did not make AMPAS’ shortlist cut which was revealed yesterday.

Meanwhile, Spanish maestro Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, The Room Next Door, scored 10 nominations including Best Director and a pair of Best Actress nods for Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. It did not surface in the Goyas’ Best Picture race, despite taking the top prize Golden Lion in Venice earlier this year, his first ever top A-list festival prize.

The Goyas will be handed out on February 8 in Granada.

The Spanish film academy gave a surprise snub to its best-known director when Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door was not nominated for best film for the Goya Film Awards, Spain’s equivalent to the Oscars.

The Room Next Door picked up 13 Goya nominations, including best director for Almodóvar and best acting nominations for both of the film’s leads, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, but the film was left out of the best picture category. Perhaps the language barrier — it’s Almodóvar’s first English-language feature — counted against it among Spanish academy voters.

Instead, the Goya’s best picture race will include five Spanish-language features: Casa en flames from director Dani de la Orden, Marcel Barrena’s El 47, La estrella azul from Javier Macipe, Arantxa Echevarría’s La infiltrada, and Segundo premio from director Isaki Lacuesta and Pol Rodríguez, which was Spain’s official Oscar submission this year.

A founding mother of the Newest Catalan Cinema, Mar Coll, throughout a now 20 year career, has consistently questioned established thought, whether Catalan upper middle-class hypocrisy and emotional paralysis (“Three Days With the Family”), the comic patriarchy of paternal narcissism (“Matar al Padre”) and the superiority of Scandinavian social models (“The Is Not Sweden”).

In “Salve Maria,” which world premieres in main international competition at Locarno, Coll questions a taboo, even for many in 2024: Whether all women are cut out for motherhood. Largely directing her earlier works in a naturalist mode, “Salve Maria” marks a career departure, casting the film as a genre-bending psychological thriller.

Maria, a promising novelist and new mother, is increasingly haunted by the threat of a monster: Herself. She happens across a newspaper article that comes to obsess her about a French woman in Barcelona who has drowned her 10-month-old twins in the bathtub. “From that moment,...

Conoce todos los detalles de la adaptación de la novela homónima de Laia Aguilar para Universal Pictures. © Universal Pictures

Comienza el rodaje de “Wolfgang (Extraordinario)”, una feel good movie familiar basada en la novela homónima de Laia Aguilar.

Wolfgang, un niño de diez años con un coeficiente intelectual de 152 y trastorno del espectro autista se ve obligado a vivir con su padre Carles, al que nunca ha visto, tras la repentina muerte de su madre. Carles afronta el reto con ganas y voluntad, pero Wolfgang no soporta su desorden ni su desorganización y lo considera un “bajocien” por su falta de intelecto. Así que, a escondidas, Wolfgang planea conseguir su sueño: entrar en la academia de música Grimald de París, donde estudió su madre, y convertirse en el mejor pianista del mundo. Cuando Carles lo descubre, debe decidir entre su gran oportunidad como actor o convertirse en el padre que un chico como Wolfgang necesita.

Be For Films has acquired international sales rights to “Mothers Don’t” (“Las madres no”) directed by celebrated Spanish filmmaker Mar Coll.

The film marks her third directorial outing following “Three Days with the Family“ and “We All Want What’s Best for Her.” The movie tells the story of María, a young writer who has just become a mother, and becomes obsessed by the highly publicized case of a woman who drowned her 10-month old twins in the bathtub. Through writing, María starts understanding the radical experience of her own motherhood.

“Mothers Don’t” stars Laura Weissmahr (“Cardo”), Oriol Pla (“Creatura”), Giannina Fruttero (“Smiley”) and Belén Cruz (“Cell 211”). The film is produced by Escándalo Films and Elastica Films. The latter will distribute “Mothers Don’t” in Spain.

“María, the protagonist of our story is a repentant mother, an association of words that generates automatic unease,” said Coll, who...

Malaga, Spain — “My Parents’ Great Bazar,” from “Ane is Missing” co-scribe Marina Parés, bio “Costus,” on the iconic Madrid Movida artists, and “Villa Futuro,” a queer old age drama from “Locked Up” star Alberto Velasco, all feature among eight winners of Tell Us the Stories That Nobody Tells, a diversity drive contest for movies and TV shows backed by Netflix and Dama, the Spanish audiovisual authors’ rights collection body.

Announced Wednesday at an awards ceremony hosted by the Malaga Film Festival, the winners of the competition, which forms part of the partners’ Cambio de Plano initiative, will receive €6,000 a piece.

Two will also get a teaser financed by Netflix and Dama. As importantly, the partners will pay for mentoring for the development of their projects from Daniela Fejerman, director of Malaga’s opening film, “Someone Who Takes Care of Me,” TV critic and screenwriter Bob Pop (“Maricón perdido”), screenwriter Valentina Viso,...

Barcelona-based Nanouk Films and Funicular Films and Spanish pubcaster Tve are partnering to produce “This is Not Sweden,” a dark comedy half hour which marks the first Spanish show to be presented at the Göteborg’s Festival’s TV Drama Vision.

Set in the idyllic Vallvidrera, a suburb in the foothills of the Collserola mountains surrounding Barcelona, the eight-part series explores parenting and other family-related issues by focusing on a young couple ­– Mariana and Samuel – who has just moved there and wants to raise their children in contact with nature.

“This is Not Sweden” is created by actor-director Aina Clotet, a Malaga Fest best actress winner for “Someone’s Daughter” and by producer Sergi Cameron. Clotet will direct along with Coll, who won a best new director Goya for “Three Days with the Family.”

“‘This is Not Sweden’s’ international appeal has always been a key objective for Aina, Marta and myself.

San Sebastian — Fasten Films will produce “El Nieto” (‘The Grandson’), Nely Reguera’s sophomore outing. Greece’s Homemade Films and Spain’s producer-distributor Bteam will co-produce.

A Barcelona-based company founded by Adrián Monés, formerly a producer at Filmax), Fasten Films is the company that has co-produced Emmy winner Justin Webster’s non-fiction series “The Prosecutor, the President and the Spy,” which had its world premiere on Monday, playing San Sebastian’s Zabaltegi showcase.

Reguera is currently co-directing— alongside Inés de León— Netflix original TV series “Valeria.”

Premiered at San Sebastian film festival in 2016, Reguera’s dramedy debut “Maria (And The Others)” garnered plaudits from reviewers and audiences. The feature snagged best film at Miami’s HBO Ibero-American Competition among other international prizes.

Alongside further female directors like Carla Simón (“Summer 1993”), Belén Funes (“The Daughter of the Thief”), Celia Rico (“Journey Around a Mother’s Room”), Laura Ferrés (“The Desinherited...

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Incredibles 2

Holly Hunter and Sarah Vowell costar (in voice performances) as part of a family of superheroes. Also costarring Catherine Keener, Sophia Bush, and Isabella Rossellini. (male writer-director)

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The Secret of Marrowbone

Anya Taylor-Joy and Mia Goth costar in this thriller about a family of siblings who cover up the death of their mother. (male writer-director)

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Pin Cushion

Deborah Haywood writes and directs this drama about a mother and daughter (Joanna Scanlan and Lily Newmark) making a new life in a new town.

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Summer 1993 [pictured]

Carla Simón writes (with Valentina Viso) and directs this drama about a young girl (Laia Artigas) coping with the sudden death of her mother.

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Racer and the Jailbird

Adèle Exarchopoulos costars as a race driver who gets romantically involved with a (male) gangster in this crime drama. (male writers and director)

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Please let me...

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Summer 1993 [pictured]

Carla Simón writes (with Valentina Viso) and directs this drama about a young girl (Laia Artigas) coping with the sudden death of her mother.

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Mary Shelley

Haifaa Al-Mansour cowrites (with Emma Jensen) and directs this biopic of the mother of science fiction, Frankenstein author Mary Shelley (Elle Fanning).

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How Long Will I Love U

Su Lun writes and directs this science-fiction romance about a woman (Liya Tong) who falls in love with a man across time.

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The Gospel According to André

Kate Novack directs this documentary about fashion icon and Vogue editor André Leon Talley.

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In Darkness

Natalie Dormer cowrites and stars in this thriller about a blind woman who aurally witnesses the murder of her neighbor. (male director)

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How to Talk to Girls at Parties

Philippa Goslett cowrites this sci-fi rom-com about a young man who falls...

I wish there was a way I could start this review of Carla Simón’s extraordinary Summer 1993 with its final scene. Not because there are eye-opening or plot-unravelling clues nestled inside it, but because it crystallizes what makes Simón’s debut stand out as one of the most memorable in recent years: an effortless ability to capture what it is like to deal with a tragedy of the kind its young heroine undergoes – the way traumas can be compartmentalized, but may always resurface.

Part of the magic, I suspect, owes to the fact the Catalan 32-year-old writer-director crafted her first feature drawing from her own childhood memories. Summer 1993 chronicles a few hazy weeks in the life of Frida (Laia Artigas), a 6-year-old curly haired girl who, having lost both father and mother, moves away from her grandparents’ Barcelona home to settle with uncle and aunt in the Catalan countryside. We...