This week sees the launch of the inaugural Content Americas Copro Pitch, with eight projects battling it out for a $20,000 marketing prize. Neil Batey caught up with the hopefuls to hear about their shows.

Tim Crescenti

The Content Americas Copro Pitch 2024 received around 80 submissions from prodcos across Latin America and countries such as Spain and Portugal. The competition is open to scripted fiction and documentary producers looking for international coproduction partners to help bring their projects to global audiences.

The event, taking place in Conference Room 2 (Acapella 1) at 3.30pm today, will be hosted by Small World IFT’s Tim Crescenti. It is intended to showcase some of the most exciting scripted series and documentaries in development from the professional community across Latin America and Iberia.

The pitch judges are Erik Barmack, CEO of Wild Sheep Content; Marina Williams, co-founding partner/co-CEO at Asacha Media; Steve Matthews, content partnership executive at Banijay; Georgina Gonzalez, director of global scripted series at Universal International Studios; and Karina Dolgiej, VP of content sales at BBC Studios Latin America and US Hispanic.

With a US$20,000 marketing prize up for grabs, the winning pitch will be announced at 5pm on January 25 at the Content Americas Closing Party. Here are the projects:

Iron Woman
Eva Filmes, Sanuto Producoes, Brazil

Actress and singer Zeze Motta stars as an inspirational Brazilian president struggling against oppression in this ambitious 13×45’ political thriller series. With a budget of US$12.2m, 20% of which has been raised with the help of Brazilian public funds, the show’s creator and showrunner Jarsom Wayans (pictured) is at Content Americas looking to secure international copro partnerships, with a view to start filming in the second half of 2024.

“In Latin America, there has never been a series featuring a black woman as the president of the country,” says Wayans. “Iron Woman will break that status quo.” Filming locations include Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Mexico and Ecuador.

El Mal
The Mediapro Studio, Spain

Set in early 2020 during the Covid pandemic, El Mal follows the pursuit of a serial killer who’s targeting homeless people in Barcelona. The eight-episode thriller is being developed by Spain’s The Mediapro Studio (TMS), the content creation, production and distribution arm of Grup Mediapro. Marta Pahissa (Rapa) directs, Lluís Arcarazo (Nit I Dea) is the primary screenwriter, and Fernandez Espeso and Javier Mendez (The Young Pope) produce.

An as-yet-unnamed broadcaster in Spain has boarded the project, which will film in Barcelona this spring for three months. “El Mal is not a dystopia, but a true story in which the ‘evil’ of the title spreads like a virus,” says Mendez, head of cinema and co-head of TV at TMS.

Two Nights in Lisbon
Hop Films, Portugal; Heroes Films, UK

Portuguese public broadcaster RTP has commissioned this adaptation of author Chris Pavone’s thriller novel, in which a woman’s life is thrown into turmoil when her new husband is abducted in Lisbon and his kidnappers demand a €3m (US$3.29m) ransom or he’ll be killed.

Half of the project’s €12m budget has been secured, thanks to a €600,000 investment from RTP, €3m from PIC, a Portuguese public cash rebate and €2.4m from an international distributor.

Pavone and showrunner Henrique Oliveira have written all six 50-minute episodes, with a three-month shoot scheduled for spring 2025. “It’s a complex, intelligent, multi-layered thriller filled with twists, turns, secrets and lies,” says Oliveira, who wrote, produced and directed Cuba Libre for Netflix in 2022. Pavel Cherepin of Ukraine’s United Heroes is pitching with Oliveira.

Hot Sur
Fremantle; Fabula, Mexico

Wrongly convicted of murder in America, a Mexican immigrant goes on the run from the law, desperate to clear her name, as a relentless US Marshal hunts her down.

Adapted from Laura Restrepo’s bestselling novel, this crime drama is directed by Gabriel Ripstein (An Unknown Enemy), with Juan de Dios Larrain (Jackie) executive producing. Envisaged as a two-season project, each with eight parts, the show’s budget is estimated to be US$1.5m per episode.

Coproducers Fremantle and Italy’s Fabula hope Hot Sur addresses the shortage of roles for Latin talent in US TV series. The lead character is “an empowered Latina who’s sexual but not sexualised, and a fighter rather than a victim,” says Manuel Marti, head of scripted development for Lat Am at Fremantle.

Mystery of the Megafauna
Grifa Filmes, Brazil

This natural history documentary series tells the story of the giant mammals that roamed the Americas in prehistoric times. It sees Brazilian archaeology student Jacob de Iuliis and his palaeontologist father Gerry embark on a quest to explain the megafauna’s extinction. It is directed by Mauricio Dias (Eyes of the Law) and produced by Tatiana Battaglia (The Cleaners), with Gedeon Programmes as French partner.

São Paulo-based indie prodco Grifa Filmes hopes to start pre-production on the project this summer. Grifa has raised about 70% of the C$1m (US$750,000) budget through funding from Brazilian network TV Cultura and Brazilian film agency Ancine. Grifa is seeking copro partners to help finance CGI and visual effects. “Ultimately, the documentary aims to inspire a deeper appreciation for our planet’s rich natural history and a greater commitment to preserving its wonders for generations to come,” says Dias.

Delito
Focus TV & Films, Spain

Javier Rey (Farina) is attached to star as a forensic expert who investigates a baffling suicide case involving 10 strangers who simultaneously jump to their deaths from a Madrid hotel. Writers Carmen Lopez-Areal and Marina Efron have adapted Carme Chaparro’s novel into a six-part thriller series, with a budget of around €7m.

Spanish producer Focus is looking for copro partners to help bring the project to global TV screens. The Madrid Film Office has assisted with development, while post-production studio Antaviana is another creative collaborator. Delito will be filmed in Spain and the scenic Icelandic town of Ísafjörður. “Delito has an intricate and dizzying plot that defies expectations and serves as a reflection of today’s society,” says Xavi Visa, director at Focus. He is pitching with Scenic Rights chief operating officer Ignacio Díaz.

Farruquito, a Flamenco Story
CAPA Espana, Spain

Renowned flamenco dancer Juan Manuel Fernandez Montoya (aka Farruquito) tells the story of his colourful life and career in this feature-length documentary, made by CAPA Espana, the factual prodco owned by Spain’s iZen Group. “This is a biopic of a musical genius, whose life has been shaped in many ways by tragic events,” says Santi Aguado (Fast-Forward), who co-directs alongside Reuben Atlas (Sour Grapes). “It’s ultimately a story of personal redemption.”

With a budget of US$1m and US company Jondo Productions on board as a minority partner, most of the funds have been raised and filming is already underway. However, CAPA is still looking for copro partners and pre-sale window opportunities, with the aim of completing the project before the end of 2024. Igor Martinovic (Man on Wire) serves as cinematographer, while Romani activist and poet Noelia Cortes is creative consultant.

Climate Migrants
UNTREF Media, Argentina

This environment-themed docuseries details the population displacement caused by climate change in Latin America. It weaves together real-life stories, journalistic data and interviews with experts to uncover the issues involved. The series also discusses social and ecological current affairs, debating the future implications of the global climate crisis.

Pitching the project at Content Americas is Federico Consiglieri, general director at Buenos Aires-based prodco UNTREF Media. With wide experience as a producer and content creator, Consiglieri has also worked as a journalist and TV host.