LA SCREENINGS: With buyers and sellers heading to the Fairmont Century Plaza for the LA Screenings Independents from today, C21 highlights 21 hot properties on offer, ranging from tax-dodging celebs to Turkish, Latin and Lebanese melodramas as well as the latest entertainment formats from Korea and the Netherlands.

Hotel Cocaine
Distributor: MGM Amazon Studios
Producers: MGM Television, MGM+ Studios
Genre: Drama
They say: “Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte, a Cuban exile and general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicentre of Miami’s cocaine scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s.”
We say: With the quality stamp of Narcos creator Chris Brancato, who signs on as creator and showrunner, Hotel Cocaine promises to be a new crime drama based on real events and with Latino components capable of resonating with audiences throughout the region and the world. 

Amia
Distributor: Dori Media Distribution
Producers: Dori Media, Yair Dori Holdings
Film Genre: Drama
They say: “A Mossad agent teams up with a local journalist in Argentina to find those responsible for a terrorist attack. Their journey takes them into a world of espionage, intelligence agencies and arms dealers.”
We say: Set between Argentina and Israel and filmed in Montevideo, the series tells the true story of the terrorist attack on the Israelite Argentine Mutual Association (AMIA) that shook Buenos Aires in 1992 and that 32 years later remains unsolved.

Still Alive
Distributor: Something Special
Producer: Something Special
Genre: Mystery gameshow
They say: “In this format, 10 contestants compete for 24 hours in a mysterious mansion where they must find clues and overcome different challenges to stay ‘alive’ until only one is left standing.”
We say: Taking advantage of the wave of mystery reality gameshows started by The Traitors, but with the touch of originality and irreverence of Korean formats, Still Alive may well become the next international phenomenon. In Spain, the Mediawan group, through its production companies Boomerang TV and Veranda TV,  have acquired the local production rights.

Borderline
Distributor: Lionsgate
Producers: Further South Productions, ShinAwiL, ZDF Studios
Genre: Police drama
They say: “When crime spills over the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Detective Inspector Philip Boyd from the north and Inspector Aoife Regan from the south reluctantly team up to solve these murders, navigating personal and professional clashes along the way.”
We say: A British police drama with an Irish twist and a clash of styles in the best The Bridge-style will always be welcome on screens everywhere. Borderline is also executive produced by Mary Callery (Sing Street) and Steve November (Emmerdale, Marcella).

Upside Down
Distributor: Banijay
Producer: Endemol Shine Nederland
Genre: Gameshow
They say: “A group of celebrities are subjected to all kinds of challenges, games and questions on a set that is able to turn 360 degrees and literally upside down.”
We say: With the originality that characterises entertainment formats from the Netherlands and a central concept as crazy as it is fun, Upside Down is positioned as a family and feel-good gameshow that is able to surprise and innovate in a genre where it seems that everything is possible.

Celeste
Distributor: The Mediapro Studio Distribution
Producer: 100 Balas (The Mediapro Studio)
Genre: Comedy
They say: “Sara Santano is a tax inspector who has dedicated her whole life to collecting taxes. But on the last day before she retires, she receives the most important assignment of her career: to prove that Celeste, the big Latin star, lives in Spain and has to pay her taxes there.”
We say: With a premiere scheduled for this year on Movistar Plus+, Celeste tells a story similar to the one recently experienced by singer Shakira in a comedy that has everything required to work as well in Spain as in Latin America. Created by Diego San José (Vota Juan, Ocho Apellidos Vascos), the series will also star acclaimed Spanish actress Carmen Machi.

Kuma
Distributors: GoQuest Media, VIP 2000
Producers: GoQuest Media, VIP 2000, Stellar Yapim
Genre: Turkish drama
They say: “Ceylan runs away from home and meets Karan, a wealthy young businessman. They fall in love and soon marry, but when Ceylan is accused of murder, Karan marries his brother’s widow and forces Ceylan to become his ‘kuma’, a second wife in order to have children.”
We say: Set in the breathtaking landscapes of Cappadocia and Istanbul, Kuma has Turkish daily series master Inci Gulen Oarr, creator of Elif, as showrunner. It also marks the entry of an Indian player like GoQuest and a Latin player like VIP 2000 into the Turkish drama phenomenon, in a combination that has already aroused the market’s curiosity.

Crimson Red
Distributor: RCN Estudios
Producer: RCN Estudios
Genre: Telenovela
They say: “Juana is a hard-working woman who dreams of launching her company Rojo Carmesí, selling an innovative beauty product. But she will find many problems in the cosmetics industry that will turn everyone against her.”
We say: Based on an idea by Fernando Gaitán (Yo Soy Betty, la Fea), this telenovela has just premiered with good numbers in Colombia, where it succeeded the successful soap Ana de Nadie with a story that highlights strong, real, resilient women who don’t give up in the face of anything.

Blooming Lady
Distributor: Madd Entertainment
Producer: MF Yapım
Genre: Turkish drama
They say: “When Bahar, a housewife, faces a serious illness, she decides to make some changes in her life, such as completing her medical studies, even if it means working with her husband, the chief surgeon, and her son, a first-year resident.”
We say: Premiering in February on Turkish channel Show TV under the title Bahar, and based on the Korean series Doctor Cha, Blooming Lady is already positioned as a new ratings hit in Turkey and a fast-selling phenomenon in the international market, where it was already sold in Spain after its launch at MipTV.

Consuelo
Distributor: TelevisaUnivision
Producer: The Mediapro Studio
Genre: Melodramatic comedy
They say: “ViX’s new original series is set in 1950s Mexico City. Combining drama and comedy, it centres on a high society woman who, after being abandoned by her husband, must figure out how to survive while taking control of her destiny and her pleasures, including the sale of sex toys.”
We say: 1950s? Sex toys? No, Consuelo is not the typical Mexican comedy you might expect from ViX. Through an ambitious production and a story that goes outside the box and crushes stereotypes by mixing relevance, irreverence and entertainment, the TelevisaUnivision-owned streamer and The Mediapro Studio have created one of the most original series of the season.

Cris Miró (Ella)
Distributor: EO Media
Producers: Nativa Contenidos, EO Media
Genre: Biographical series
They say: “It tells the story of Cris Miró, the first Argentine trans woman to become the main actress of the iconic Maipo Theatre in the 1990s, establishing herself as a pop icon who paved the way for many trans people who came after her.”
We say: In addition to taking advantage of the nostalgic revival of the 1990s, this series puts the spotlighti on an issue that is still current with a local story capable of resonating far beyond Argentina’s borders.

Reyes
Distributor: Seriella
Producer: Seriella
Genre: Biblical soap opera
They say: “Reyes is a new biblical saga from Record TV, this time in a series format, with each season based on different biblical texts and centred on different kings, such as Samuel, Saul, David or Solomon.”
We say: With 10 seasons already aired since 2022 and one more to premiere in May, Reyes is proving to be a ratings magnet for Brazilian broadcaster Record, with averages of 6.0 and 6.1 points in key markets such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Can Reyes drive a new biblical storytelling wave in Latin America?

SER – The Secret
Distributor: Zee Content Sales
Producer: Zee
Genre: Telenovela
They say: “Detective Jab Harb falls in love with Taleen as he investigates the most complex case of his career: the disappearance of Taleen’s husband, Amer Zahran, an international businessman and a Mafia tyrant.”
We say: Dubbed into English, SER – The Secret is the Lebanese adaptation of Zee’s Indian series 100 Days, already broadcast on Shahid, MENA’s largest OTT service, and the linear channel MBC. Through different adaptations, Lebanon is boosting its drama production and is looking to become the “new Turkey”. Will Latin America see the birth of a new phenomenon with The Secret?

Renacer (Reborn)
Distributor: Globo
Producer: Globo
Genre: Telenovela
They say: “José Inocêncio becomes the most successful farmer in his region thanks to his skill as a cocoa producer. But with the birth of his fourth child, his wife dies, which provokes his indignation and he blames the little baby for the death of his great love.”
We say: A remake of the classic Brazilian telenovela of the same name created by Benedito Ruy Barbosa in the 1990s, Renacer was adapted by his grandson Bruno Luperi. Created by the team behind 2022 drama Pantanal and positioned as Globo’s biggest ratings success since, Renacer has everything to follow in its footsteps in the international market.

Sueños de Libertad (Dreams of Freedom)
Distributor: Atresmedia Internacional
Producer: Diagonal TV
Genre: Daily series
They say: “Set in Spain in 1958, it tells the story of Begoña Montes, a woman trapped in a toxic marriage, but with an optimistic and hopeful future due to her relentless pursuit of freedom.”
We say: Its premiere on February 26 on Antena 3’s afternoon slot was accompanied by excellent audience figures, despite the responsibility that the series had in succeeding the legendary hit Amar es Para Siempre, on the air since 2005. Its period setting and Diagonal TV’s mastery of the daily series genre have already made it a series to watch closely.

Secret of Pearls
Distributor: Kanal D International
Producer: BKM
Genre: Turkish drama
They say: “Azem’s life is shattered when he takes the blame for his wife’s death to protect his daughter. After being released from prison, he searches for his adopted children and goes through complex relationships, but time has taken its toll.”
We say: Unlike most Turkish dramas, whose perspective focuses on the woman or a couple, Secret of Pearls puts the focus on the male perspective, showing the protagonist’s inner world, emotions and connections.

La Ley del Mar (The Law of the Sea)
Distributor: RTVE
Producers: Publicis Rebellion, Studio60
Genre: Drama
They say: “Based on true events, it tells the story of the fishing boat Francisco y Catalina from the port of Santa Pola, which made headlines in 2006 as the first European boat to rescue sub-Saharan immigrants adrift in international waters of the Mediterranean, 100 miles from Malta.”
We say: Led by the popular and renowned actor Luis Tosar, the series addresses through a real and dramatic story the humanitarian crisis of immigration in the Mediterranean. Its premiere through RTVE and the Valencian channel À Punt was accompanied by positive reviews that highlighted its realism and performances.

Cacao (Cocoa)
Distributor: Onza Distribution
Producer: Plural
Genre: Telenovela
They say: “Young Cacao discovers that her biological father is the wealthy owner of the hacienda where she works and that she is his legitimate heir. Tiago, her lover, will protect her from his enemies.”
We say: After years of being the main importer of Brazilian telenovelas, Portugal is taking a step forward in the genre, in which it seeks to become the new great emerging market. Cacao is also attractive because it was filmed in Brazil and Portugal, and the show has been the undisputed primetime leader since its premiere in Portugal on TVI. Cacao has already been acquired by Mediaset España.

Matlock
Distributor: Paramount Global Content Distribution
Producer: CBS Studios
Genre: Legal drama
They say: “Inspired by the classic legal drama of the same name, this remake stars Emmy and Oscar winner Kathy Bates as Madeline ‘Matty’ Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her youth and decides to re-enter the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses shrewd tactics to win cases.”
We say: Delayed by the 2023 actors and screenwriters strikes, Matlock was already one of the most anticipated series in the market last year. With a globally recognised IP, this reboot will premiere this year via CBS in the US. It is a legal and procedural drama perfect to accompany the viewing trends that dominate the market today.

Uprising Kitchen
Distributor: Global Agency
Producer: Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation (YTV)
Genre: Cooking gameshow
They say: “In this format, a top chef, a housewife and an amateur compete to create the best dish. But to even out the competition, each has different budgets, tools and workspaces.”
We say: After closing a deal with Japan’s YTV, Turkish company Global Agency is distributing this format, which innovates by mixing contestants of different levels in the same battle, resulting in a fun, universal show that is perfect for co-viewing.

Pedro el Escamoso S2
Distributor: Caracol Televisión
Producer: Caracol Televisión
Genre: Telenovela
They say: “After living abroad for 20 years, the protagonist of the story returns to his homeland to find a completely different reality from the one he left when he was forced to seek new horizons.”
We say: More than two decades after its original premiere (2003), Pedro el Escamoso is still one of the most remembered series in Latin America. Its comeback is being promoted by Disney+ and its premiere is one of the most awaited by the audience and the market.