Madrid: Last News

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent With an International Panorama spangled by gems  – think Spain’s “Apagón,” Sweden’s “Blackwater,” and Canada’s “Disobey” and “Little Bird” – Series Mania also weighs in this year with one, if not the, strongest and most mouthwatering of international competitions in its history.  Including the opening and closing series, Amazon’s “Greek Salad” and Netflix’s “Transatlantic,” nearly all the global streamers have titles in the lineup, from Apple TV+’s “Drops of God” and Paramount+’s “Fleeting Lies.” The lineup also features some A-List international writing talents, such as the U.K.’s Jack Thorne and Israel’s Ron Leshem and Amit Cohen, whose “The Virtues” and “No Man’s Land” rank among the most memorable of recent Series Mania competition titles, and closing the festival, out of competition, “Unorthodox’s” Anna Wenger.”Fleeting Lies” also represents one of the first series from Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar’s El Deseo label in Madrid, opening series “Greek Salad” Cedric Klapisch’s first works a TV series creator.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent 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 ($6,348) a piece. 

Callum McLennan “Girl, Unknown,” the sophomore feature from Spanish director Pablo Maqueda (“Dear Werner”), currently ranks as one of the early buzz titles at the Málaga Film Festival, even before its world premiere. The film adapts Paco Bezerra’s stage play “Grooming.”  Maqueda, Bezerra and Haizea G. Viana wrote the script, which retains the play’s unsettling cat-and-mouse element. It delves into the recesses of desire, raising questions on depravity, sexuality, and the drive to be fulfilled. The story unfolds a pendulum swinging power dynamic between the seemingly innocent 16 year old Carolina, and a middle aged man she meets in a park named Leo. What begins and is a case of grooming morphs into something far more complex due to Carolina not being all she seems. Maqueda shows a Hanekesque talent in balancing the disturbing with the thrilling. On the film, Maqueda told Variety: “I feel the film as a kaleidoscope and the characters as masks. I like stories that navigate in the daily terror of everyday life,” 

EXCLUSIVE: Tony Award nominees Jennifer Simard (Company) and Adam Godley (The Lehman Trilogy) have joined the cast of Broadway’s upcoming Britney Spears musical Once Upon A One More Time.

Emiliano De Pablos In an early market deal at this week’s Málaga Film Festival, Guido Rud’s sales house FilmSharks has nabbed worldwide sales rights to Spanish period thriller “Olvido” (“The Forgotten Killings”). Directed by Inés París (“A mi madre le gustan las mujeres,” “La noche que mi madre mató a mi padre”) and written by Fermín P. Pina, “The Forgotten Killings” is produced by José Luis Rancaño at Madrid-based La Dalia Films.   Inés París’ “La noche que mi madre mató a mi padre,” also produced by Rancaño at La Dalia and starring Spain’s Belén Rueda and Argentina’s Diego Peretti, snagged the audience prize at the 2016 Málaga Film Festival.

Emiliano De Pablos The Walt Disney Co.’s Star Distribution has taken Latin American distribution rights to Argentine writer-director Pablo Solarz’s coming-of-age film “Desperté con un sueño” (“I Woke Up with a Dream”) An Argentina-Uruguay co-production, teaming Buenos Aires-based Pampa Films and Aramos Cine with Montevideo’s Mutante Cine and Bocacha Films, “I Woke Up with a Dream” screened March 14 at the Málaga Film Festival’s main competition. Top Argentine producer Pablo Bossi’s Madrid-based company Gloriamundi is handling “I Woke Up with a Dream” rights outside Latin America.

Alejandro Garnacho had a golden opportunity ahead of him over the coming weeks.

Former Inter Milan and Brazil defender Miranda has admitted he would have liked to have played for Manchester United during his professional career.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Jose Pozo, director of the celebrated Spanish short “Plastic Killer,” is traveling to the Western U.S. for his next feature film, “Unusual Cowboys,” which he plans to shoot this year. The story follows Milton, a peaceful rancher and occasional musician who loses his daughter in a traffic accident. Her death has a further tragic impact on Milton’s life, leading him to sell his ranch and travel to Montana in search of Caleb, the man who failed to help his daughter in the accident. It’s a film about two men who in other circumstances could have been good friends. Although separated by terrible circumstances, they share a common passion: Music.

Emiliano De Pablos Denver-based distributor Fathom Events and Spain’s Bosco Films are teaming to release this September in 700 U.S. theaters the Spanish documentary “Libres” (“Free”). Portraying the cloistered life of 12 monasteries in Spain, “Free” will be the fourth feature both partners jointly release stateside. Their distribution relationship kicked-off last year, with the U.S. release of faith-based doc “Vivo” (“Alive”), which scored $352,000 on its April 24 launch, entering into the domestic box office Top Ten.  Further recent Fathom-Bosco releases include Spanish biopic “Esclavos y reyes” (“Claret”) and French pilgrimage documentary “Lourdes.”

Primavera Sound festival has spoken to NME about the ambitious launch of their new sister event in Madrid, as well as what goes into putting the line-up together and what caused the issues with last year’s Barcelona return.Primavera had previously announced a stacked line-up with the likes of Depeche Mode, Blur, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía to headline, along with the likes of Halsey, FKA twigs, Skrillex, St. Vincent, The Moldy Peaches, Calvin Harris, Le Tigre., Turnstile, Arlo Parks, Måneskin, PinkPantheress, Christine And The Queens, Fred again.., and many more – before revealing New Order as the final headliner last week.Asked what considerations are made with regards to what it takes for an act to be considered fitting for the festival’s character and atmosphere, organiser Joan Pons told NME: “We know what feels like ‘Primavera’ and what does not.

Lewis Capaldi has been left 'in pieces' as he was sent footage of his fans gathering outside where his gig was supposed to be held before he cancelled it due to illness.

When it comes to embarking on a holiday abroad, Spain is a classic go-to for jetsetters. Whether it’s the stunning cityscape of Barcelona or the beachy shores of Marbella, Spain is the UK’s number one most visited holiday destination. And one gem that is well worth the visit is Madrid - the country’s capital.

Argentina, 1985 Leads 2023 Platino Awards NominationsSantiago Miter’s political thriller Argentina, 1985 leads this year’s Platino awards nominations with 14 nods, including Best Director, Screenplay, and Best Ibero-American Fiction Film. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s latest pic Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths trails with six nominations alongside Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The Beasts and Lullaby by Alauda Ruiz De Azúa. On the TV side, the Colombian series Noticia de un kidnapping also notched six noms. This year’s Platino awards take place on April 22 at the IFEMA Municipal Palace in Madrid. Check out the full list of nominations here.

Lewis Capaldi has postponed all remaining dates on his ongoing European tour, telling fans he's "f***ing gutted" to be doing so. Taking to Twitter, the Scots singer said he'd been diagnosed with bronchitis earlier this week after losing his voice whilst performing at his concert in Stockholm.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates face a crucial top of the table clash against Al-Ittihad in a fixture which will be officiated by controversial Spanish official Mateu Lahoz, according to AS.

Primavera Sound Festival has announced its final headliner for its 2023 line-up – New Order.The 2023 instalment of the festival, which will take place in both Barcelona and Madrid, will see the Manchester legends perform at the former’s Parc del Fòrum on June 1 and at the and at the latter’s Ciudad del Rock in Arganda del Rey on June 8.They join previously announced headliners Depeche Mode, Blur, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía along with the likes of Halsey, FKA twigs, Skrillex, St.

New Order are celebrating 40 years of ‘Blue Monday’ with a range of special merchandise.The Manchester band took to Instagram earlier today (March 7) to post footage of the range inspired by their classic hit which includes two t-shirts, a hoodie, a long sleeved t-shirt, plus a pin badge and numbered lithograph.You can also purchase a 12-inch vinyl of the single for £14.99.You can view the footage of the merchandise below and find more information on their official website here.A post shared by New Order (@neworderofficial)It comes just weeks after the band released a new ‘Blue Monday’-themed t-shirt in support of mental health charity CALM.New Order said of the shirt at the time: “We are proud to be ambassadors for CALM and honoured to be using ‘Blue Monday’ to help raise awareness for the brilliant work they do to support millions of people struggling with their mental health.”Speaking to NME about the recording classic track, which went on to become the best-selling 12-inch single of all time, former bassist Peter Hook said: “It was actually quite shocking to realise what these new machines could do – you were always in awe of them.”Drummer Stephen Morris added: “We got all this new musical equipment and just learned how it worked. Writing ‘Blue Monday’ was an exercise in learning what we could do with it all.”Meanwhile, Primavera Sound Festival announced New Order as its final headliner for its 2023 line-up earlier today.The 2023 instalment of the festival, which will take place in both Barcelona and Madrid, will see the Manchester legends perform at the former’s Parc del Fòrum on June 1 and at the and at the latter’s Ciudad del Rock in Arganda del Rey on June 8.

Lisandro Martinez has told Spain to “forget about” trying to convince Alejandro Garnacho to switch his international allegiance from Argentina.

Hunter Ingram When your day job is spent plotting a rebellion in a galaxy far, far away, it helps to have something that can bring you back down to Earth — or whatever planet you call home.   When he’s not the Empire’s most wanted on Disney+’s “Andor,” Diego Luna grounds himself by returning to the theater. He grew up going with his father, and it has been the constant of his career.   “In a way, it has kept me sane,” says the actor after a long day on the London set of “Andor” Season 2. “Theater is a great way to go back and put your feet on the ground and remind you what this is all about.” 

Mumford & Sons, Janelle Monáe and The Offspring are among the final raft of artists who have been added to the line-up for Mad Cool 2023.The festival will return to Madrid between July 6-8, with headliners including Robbie Williams, Lizzo, Queens Of The Stone Age, Liam Gallagher, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.Mumford & Sons, Janelle Monáe and The Offspring have all been added to the headlining bill for this year, while another 46 new artists have also been added to Mad Cool 2023’s line-up. Elsewhere, Primal Scream, Ava Max, Kevin Morby, Kurt Vile & The Violators, King Princess, STONE, and more have also been confirmed to perform.The festival also boasts a wealth of Spanish talent, including the likes of Dora, Walls, Sia Lua, Ghouljaboy, PETTI, and Ralphie Choo.Nine winners from the festival’s Mad Cool DJ Talent by Vibra Mahou will also perform across the three-day event.