Influential Israeli creator Hagai Levi (“The Affair,” “Scenes From a Marriage”) and prominent Spanish TV-making duo Jorge and Alberto Sánchez-Cabezudo (“La Zona”) won best international and national series at Barcelona’s Serielizados for “Etty” and “Killing a Bear” respectively.
The prizes for Serielizados two competitive sections were announced Saturday night at a Serielizados awards ceremony.
Both series in six-parts reflect the boldness of their respective creators, who broke new ground within traditional genres.
In the French-Dutch-German show “Etty,” based on Dutch Jewish author Etty Hillesum’s diaries, Levi deliberately opted for a modern spin to the period piece in which we follow the passionate 27-year-old Etty as she embarks on a spiritual and emotional journey in a Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.
In the Spanish show “Killing a Bear” (“Matar a un oso”) the Sánchez-Cabezudo brothers brought innovation to the crime genre, making a bear the victim, relating the crime from the POV of multiple characters, and expanding the number of prime suspects to a tight community of 262 Anti-Bears chat room in Spain’s idyllic high-Pyrenean Val d’Arán.
“With this series, we felt really lucky to have been invited into a world so fully realised, so distinctly Catalan but portrayed with a confidence and a muscularity that left us astonished,” said Finnish producer Roosa Toivonen, also Tallinn TV Beats co-head) who sat on the national competition jury with Canneseries’ Claire-Marine Pietriga and the the Berlinale’s Rowan Woods.
Both series also stand out among the best shows that Europe currently has to offer, with the stamp of approval from quality-maker Arte France.
Indeed, the European cultural channel was a major backer of Levi’s historical drama – conceived as a feature film in six episodes – which world-premiered out of competition in Venice, was highlighted at Series Mania, and bowed in French cinemas May 6 before launching on Arte.tv on May 16. Shepherded by Les Films du Poisson, “Etty” is sold internationally by Studio TF1.
“Killing a Bear” which had its Catalan premiered at Serielizados fast on the heels of its world premiere at Spain’s Valladolid Film Festival, is the latest prime example of Arte France’s successful collaboration with the largest Spanish pay-TV/SVOD operator Movistar Plus. The Movistar Plus Original, produced by the Sánchez-Cabezudo brothers’ Studio TF1-owned Kubik Films, will bow in Spain Dec. 1.
Besides the top win for “Etty,” Arte France also scooped best screenplay at Serielizados’ official International Selection Awards for the French comedy “Camarades” co-created and co-penned by Benjamin Charbit (“Under Control”) and Dominique Baumart (“The Bureau”).
Another comedy wooed the international jury: BBC’s hit show “Ann Droid” for which its creator, Bafta-nominated Diane Morgan (“Mandy,” “Cun”), won best performance for her turn as the second-hand robot Linda.
On the national competition front, all four selected series won accolades. Next to “Killing a Bear,” the anticipated drama “Segunda Temporada” from the hot creators of Filmin’s “Autodefensa” – writer-director Miguel Ángel Blanca and co-writers Berta Prieto and Víctor Diago – scooped best screenplay. Bringing together a washed-up ghost-writer and a fading trap legend fresh out of jail, the show was developed as part of Serielizados Kick talent lab, before making it as a 7-30-minute drama produced by Barcelona-based Boogaloo Films and Canada. Paris-based Oble handles sales.
Beloved Spanish-acting queen Carmen Machi (“Aida,” “La Mesías”), bagged a fresh best actress nod for her performnce as tax inspector Sara Santano in the second season of the Movistar Plus-100 Balas’ “Celeste” Season 2 which bowed as a world premiere in Barcelona. Last year the show’s creator Diego San José and helmer Elena Trapé scooped two Serielizados wins for “Yakarta,” anode example of their inimitable downbeat but sharply observant humor.
Elsewhere, the buzzy HBO Max-3Cat co-commissioned dramedy “In Vitro” which offers a witty and heart-warming look at fertility treatments, received a Special Mention. “This [show] really stood out to us for its global appeal and international remake potential,” said the jurors.
The series, created by Marc Crehuet with Alejandra Guimerà, was co-penned by Crehuet with Carmen Marfá, Natalia Boadas and Serielizados co-founder Víctor Sala. The latter said the show ,which launched simultaneously Oct. 19 in Spain on HBO Max and 3Cat, garnered an excellent 18.2% share on the Catalan pubcaster.
“Many countries could be jealous of the creative courage the Spanish commissioners have shown, as they have helped equally bold producers to greenlight shows of this caliber!” said the jurors of the Spanish competition, who highlighted the central female-characters of different ages in each of the four series.
The jurors added: “Serializados’ is one of these tremendous gems – smaller events where you can see that the content is lovingly hand-picked and curated out of pure passion for the art and craft of series, and the atmosphere is convivial with a lovely team that truly cares about everyone’s experience and hospitality. We, the jury members, had a great time and watching the four nominated shows was a lot of fun, as they are each so brilliant and original in their very unique ways.”
Although Serielizados has another few days to run – until Oct. 28 – across various Barcelona venues, co-founder and festival programmer Betu Martínez Molero was pleased with this 13th edition, led by masterclasses with Levi, Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue, a full day of the Miniput -quality TV festival showcase, and the second edition of the Mind the Gap pitch competition.
Mind the Gap
The top €5,500 ($6,100) Mind the Gap Award was handed out to the creators of the Spanish show “El Observatorio,” from Laura Roqué, Luis Sorolla and Eloy Zamora. Set in a small village from Sierra Morena, the story turns on a group of astrophysicists investigating mysterious flickering lights, until one of them-Sara starts to believe the light might be her deceased father trying to communicate.
“After a great deliberation we’ve decided to award new talent who need to be discovered,” said Arte France’s Alexios Kastrissianakis, co-juror with Mubi’s Ben Driscoll, Movistar Plus’ Laura Escrivá, ZDF Studios’ Susanne Frank and Beta Film’s Peter Lohner. First pitched at the ECAM Forum 2026 where it earned the Serilizados award, the project, in early development, is looking for a producer.
The jury also gave two honorable mentions to two female-led series about abuse: the Finnish psychological drama “Dangerous Woman,” produced by Gutsy Pictures for MTV Finland and TV4 Sweden, and the Spanish drama “Callback” created by sisters Joana and Mireia Vilapuig for “This is Not Sweden” producer Funicular Films, with Left Tackle Films.
“Callback” was also bestowed the €2,000 ($2,200) Konga Music Agency award.
Martínez Molero said: “This year we solidified our position as the leading international TV series festival in Spain and one of the most prominent in Southern Europe, reaching 18.000 attendees across more than 60 activities, including more than 30 national and international premieres.”
He added: “We’ve seen a growing interest from both media and audiences for our National and International Competitions, packing our main venues,” he added. “It’s also been great to see how presenting non-distributed international shows helps put them on the radar of Spanish platforms looking to acquire new series, while also helping local creators connect with key international players in the TV industry.”
Following its onsite showcase in Barcelona, Serielizados will bow on line on the streamer Filmin over Nov. 10-22.
