Built on a "SozialFirst" mindset, the new agency brings more than 15 years of experience in social media management, digital content production and strategic consulting
GRUP MEDIAPRO, which will become IMAGINA on January 1, unveils SozialFirst, its new digital agency created to help brands, institutions, media outlets and organizations connect with their audiences in an increasingly dynamic and fragmented digital landscape. SozialFirst brings together social media management, analytics, strategic consulting, production and optimization of digital-native content, fan engagement and community growth.
SozialFirst is a bet by GRUP MEDIAPRO, backed by more than 15 years of know-how in social media management and digital content production, as well as in adapting to new consumption formats and connecting audiences with brands.
With that outlook, the new agency combines creativity, strategy, data and knowledge of the different platforms to develop customized content for new digital environments. Its goal is to optimize every piece of content for each channel and audience, and to drive conversation and growth.
For more than 15 years, GRUP MEDIAPRO has delivered projects spanning social media management, digital strategy and content production for major brands, media outlets, institutions and sports organizations. Its clients and projects include LALIGA, Movistar Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Liga F, 3Cat, the Red Cross, the Seville Provincial Council, Metro de Madrid, the Port of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Madrid and Barcelona City Council, among others.
Another of SozialFirst's key assets is its partnerships with the major social media platforms, notably Meta, YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat and Twitch. The Group has forged alliances with the leading digital platforms worldwide.
In recent years, GRUP MEDIAPRO's projects have also earned recognition at leading international events such as Sportel SportsPro Summit, SPIA Asia and TikTok's #ForYouFest, in recognition of their innovation, creativity and ability to develop content tailored to new digital consumption formats.
SozialFirst sets out to become a strategic partner for organizations that want to understand their audiences better, create digital-native content, build their communities and grow in the digital ecosystem.
Website: https://sozialfirst.com/
The group deployed 16 cameras and brought the ref cam to a Spanish women’s league broadcast for the first time
GRUP MEDIAPRO, which will become Imagina on January 1, pulled off the biggest audiovisual production ever for a Liga F Moeve match: FC Barcelona-Real Madrid, played at Camp Nou on October 4. The group deployed 16 cameras, including several specialty cameras on top of the standard camera plan, and debuted the ref cam in a broadcast of a Spanish women’s league match.
The ref cam, worn by the match referee, gave viewers a prime vantage point at the heart of the action. Another specialty camera was a mini drone that flew over the pitch for aerial shots of play at Camp Nou. The stadium drew more than 40,000 spectators despite the rainstorms that hit Barcelona last weekend.
The pole cam, positioned behind one of the goals for a view of the game from above the crossbar, also handled aerial shots. Two mini cams were mounted in the goals as well, to catch every detail of the action in the penalty areas.
The three super slow-motion cameras captured the fastest, most decisive action of the match, from technical flourishes to duels and celebrations, while the cinema camera gave certain moments of the broadcast a more cinematic look. Finally, a mini cam was installed in the tunnel leading out onto the pitch at Camp Nou, and a DSLR captured the crowd’s reactions.
Producing this broadcast underscores GRUP MEDIAPRO’s commitment to helping women’s football grow and gain visibility in Spain. Through investment in media rights, production of the competitions and a drive to bring the sport to television, the company has been fueling the sport’s media expansion for more than 10 years.
Written by Berto Romero and directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera, the film will hit theaters on January 22, 2027, distributed by Filmax
‘5 More Minutes,’ a Movistar Plus original film produced by El Terrat and Ikiru Films, will screen at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia on October 12 and 13, in the Sitges Collection section.
Its international run is already under way, ahead of next year’s official release, with recognition at three major festivals. The film won the Audience Award at Fantastic Fest in Austin, along with a Special Jury Mention in the Main Competition section, plus the Audience Award at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival, while Javier Cámara collected the Silver Shell for Best Supporting Performance at the latest San Sebastián International Film Festival.
The film, written by Berto Romero and directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera, stars Javier Cámara, Berto Romero himself and Belén Cuesta. The cast is rounded out by Carlos Bernardino (‘Iron Reign’), Marc Soler (‘UPA Next’), Clàudia Melo (‘On the Fringe’), Puchi Lagarde (‘Galgos’), Tian Tosas (‘The Last Night at Tremore Beach’) and Nia Tosas (‘El mal invisible’). The film is also Berto Romero’s debut as a film screenwriter and a new creative reunion between Romero and Ruiz Caldera, following their collaboration on the series ‘Mira lo que has hecho’ (Ondas Award for Best Comedy Series) and ‘The Other Side,’ both also Movistar Plus originals produced by El Terrat.
Javier Ruiz Caldera has carved out one of the most versatile careers in Spanish film and TV. His filmography stands out for the freedom with which he mixes genres and for a highly personal sense of humor that runs through his stories. With ‘5 More Minutes,’ he teams up again with Berto Romero, a regular creative partner he has directed in ‘The Other Side,’ ‘Mira lo que has hecho,’ ‘Spy Time,’ ‘Three Many Weddings’ and ‘Wolfgang.’
The producers of ‘5 More Minutes’ are Berto Romero, Bernat Elías, Javier Méndez, Edmon Roch and Movistar Plus.
‘5 More Minutes’ tells the story of a married couple in crisis who decide to spend a weekend on a rural getaway at an isolated house in the countryside. There they meet an agency manager who shows them around the house and hands over the keys. But before he leaves them alone, something extraordinary happens: time rewinds five minutes.
‘5 More Minutes’ arrives in theaters on January 22, 2027. Filmax is handling distribution in Spain and international sales.
‘The End of It’ in the Official Fantàstic Selection
Meanwhile, ‘The End of It,’ co-produced by IMAGINA, will also compete in the Official Fantàstic In-Competition Selection at this year’s Sitges Film Festival. Maria Martínez Bayona’s debut feature, starring Rebecca Hall, Gael García Bernal, Noomi Rapace and Beanie Feldstein, screened at the recent Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Première section.
Media and visitors have hailed the striking experience of delving into the unknown side of Antoni Gaudí’s world through virtual reality
The exhibition ‘Codi Gaudí. L’experiència inèdita’ has racked up positive reviews in the first three weeks since opening its doors at Espai Imagina, the Barcelona venue spearheaded by Mediapro Xperiences. The show invites the public to discover Antoni Gaudí’s creative method and, for the first time, to step inside some of the buildings he imagined but never built: the Hotel Attraction in New York, the Franciscan Missions in Tangier, the University of Barcelona assembly hall and the Plaça de Catalunya fountain.
“The show’s great trump card is what Barcelona, and the world, never got to see,” says the ‘El Periódico’ review of the exhibition. “It is also the first exhibition to bring together Gaudí’s public and private work, built and lost alike,” the article continues. It also notes that “Antoni Gaudí’s forms aren’t just admired from the outside: they are touched, handled and, in some cases, walked through.” In that vein, it adds that “the technology works here as a tool to explain processes that would be considerably drier on paper.”
For its part, ‘La Vanguardia’ praises the chance to experience the projects that never became reality, such as the fountain in Plaça de Catalunya. “You can live it and revel in it (and all but drink straight from the spout) with the help of a good pair of VR goggles and the most advanced digital technology.” The article also says the exhibition’s “architect’s workshop” is “remarkable and surprising.” In this workshop, “you can virtually handle objects (such as architectural arches) to understand the importance of geometry and calculation in Gaudí’s work.”
The ‘ARA’ review also zeroes in on the XR Workshop, which showcases Gaudí’s innovative way of working. “It’s the jewel in the crown,” it declares. “A magnificent demonstration of the benefits of mixed reality, because you visit it with glasses that combine virtual and real reality. In other words, the glasses don’t cut you off from your surroundings. It’s a fascinating room for young and old,” it adds. The same article, meanwhile, points to “one of the most spectacular moments of the show”: the dizzying plunge down the nave of the Sagrada Família temple.
The Gaudí exhibition has also drawn a wealth of positive reviews on Google. “I live in Barcelona and already knew some of Gaudí’s work, but I never imagined that what I knew was about 10% of everything he did. I learned so much,” says one visitor. “Espai Imagina is a fantastic and very educational experience for both adults and families. I have to say that, even though I’m from Barcelona, the exhibition offers a lot of facts and interactive material about Gaudí that I didn’t know,” explains another. “The immersion is 360°. It transports you completely inside Gaudí’s works. It’s impossible not to walk out open-mouthed,” they add.
Open to the public at Espai Imagina in Barcelona through January 31, 2027, ‘‘Codi Gaudí. L’experiència inèdita’combines exhibition spaces, immersive audiovisual installations, virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality to make architectural and scientific concepts easier to grasp. Among its main attractions are a large-scale panoramic audiovisual piece devoted to Gaudí’s complete body of work, along with several interactive spaces where visitors can experiment with the geometric principles that revolutionized modern architecture.
More information and tickets: https://espai-imagina.com/
‘Muerte en Llanes’, ‘The Marquise’, Season 2 of ‘Celeste’ and ‘Barrio Esperanza’ lead the fiction slate, alongside feature films ‘The End of It’ and ‘Atrápelo quien pueda’
Imagina Sales (IMAGINA will be the name under which GRUP MEDIAPRO will operate from January 1) will attend MIPCOM Cannes 2026 with a renewed portfolio of content spanning scripted series, feature films, documentaries and entertainment formats, all with strong international appeal. The line-up brings together some of the year’s most significant productions and highlights the company’s growing international footprint in content distribution.
"We arrive at MIPCOM Cannes with one of our strongest and most diverse slates in recent years. This market offers an invaluable opportunity to showcase the international reach of our productions and content, create new business opportunities, and share globally minded stories that reflect the remarkable creative momentum our company is currently experiencing," says Béatrice Nouh, Head of Distribution at Imagina Sales.
Among the key scripted highlights is Forever Home, the adaptation of Graham Norton’s bestselling novel, produced by FilmNation and The Mediapro Studio. Following its premiere on Channel 5, the six-part series has become one of the most talked-about dramas of the season in the UK. Starring Amy Nuttall, Douglas Henshall, Lewis Cope and Jenny Walser, it blends suspense, family drama and unexpected twists to engage a broad international audience.
The slate also includes Muerte en Llanes, a thriller produced by K 2000 and 100 Balas for SkyShowtime, inspired by the investigation into the murder of Asturian councillor Javier Ardines. Starring Javier Gutiérrez, María Vázquez, Isak Férriz and Natalia Verbeke, the series transforms a real-life case that captured national attention into a gripping story of suspense and emotion. It is directed by Gerardo Olivares and based on Jesús Mesas’ podcast Las dos muertes de Javier Ardines.
Another major title is Season 2 of Celeste. The original Movistar Plus+ series, produced by 100 Balas and created by Diego San José, brings back tax inspector Sara Santano, played by Carmen Machi, who this time investigates a professional football superstar. Once again directed by Elena Trapé, the new season expands the ambitions of one of Spain’s most critically acclaimed recent dramas, positioning it as one of the most internationally appealing Spanish series currently in the market.
Among the productions with significant international potential is The Marquise, an ambitious European co-production by Ukbar Filmes and Tornasol Films for RTP and Netflix Portugal, based on the novel by Maria João Lopo de Carvalho. The series tells the extraordinary story of Leonor de Almeida Portugal, Marchioness of Alorna, one of the most influential figures at the Lisbon and Vienna courts in the eighteenth century, through a sweeping tale of love, power and political intrigue with strong appeal for global audiences.
Completing the scripted slate is Barrio Esperanza, a Globomedia series for RTVE created by Iván Escobar and Antonio Sánchez Olivas, which became one of the year’s most successful fiction launches after surpassing a 16% audience share. Starring Mariona Terés, the production blends humor and emotion into a story about education, community and second chances. Bright, contemporary and rooted in universal themes, it has strong potential to connect with viewers across territories.
Films with Global Appeal
In feature films, Imagina Sales will present The End of It, the debut feature from María Martínez Bayona, starring Rebecca Hall, Gael García Bernal, Noomi Rapace and Beanie Feldstein. Premiering in the Cannes Première section of the Cannes Film Festival, the film imagines a future where death is optional and offers an original reflection on the meaning of life.
Also, part of the line-up is Atrápelo quien pueda, a romantic comedy co-produced with Telemundo Studios and Cinépolis, directed by Alfonso “Poncho” Pineda Ulloa and starring Jaime Camil and Natalia Téllez. The film celebrates second chances through a relatable and universal story. The slate also includes I Object, written and directed by Andrew Niccol, an original hybrid of animation and live action that tells the story of a young boy who finds comfort in everyday objects that come to life after the death of his father.
Documentaries and Established Formats
In non-fiction, two very different premieres stand out. SerYo, produced by El Terrat, explores the creative and healing journey of actor Sergio Peris-Mencheta, featuring contributions from Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Helen Mirren and Juan Diego Botto, among others. The documentary will have its official presentation at the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci).
Also featured is Winning, focused on José Mourinho’s return to the Real Madrid bench. The sports slate is completed by The Last Duel, chronicling the iconic rivalry between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, a rivalry that redefined modern football.
The line-up also includes Connected, a three-part documentary on climate change following the work of Brazilian scientists in Antarctica.
Alongside these new titles, Imagina Sales will showcase some of its most internationally recognized formats, including El Conquistador, Spain’s longest-running adventure reality show; Futuro Imperfecto, Andreu Buenafuente’s successful RTVE programme; El Camping; 400; Atrápame sipPuedes; Yo Sé Más Que Tú; and El Intermedio, now celebrating its twentieth season and firmly established as one of the flagship programmes of Spanish television.
PHOTO 1: ‘Forever Home’ / PHOTO 2: ‘The End of It’ / PHOTO 3: ‘Muerte en Llanes’ / PHOTO 4: ‘The Marquise’
At ‘Imagina: The DNA of Content Production,’ the heads of the production companies presented content and laid out the keys to their track record
Five of the audiovisual industry’s most seasoned, influential and renowned production companies, Globomedia, 100 Balas, Big Bang Media, Cimarrón and El Terrat, came together at Iberseries & Platino Industria for an exclusive session to share what has shaped their journeys, showcase their latest projects and analyze the challenges that will define the sector’s future.
The session, titled ‘Imagina: The DNA of Content Production,’ took place on September 30 and featured the managing directors of each brand: María José Rodríguez, Alejandro Flórez, Carmen González, Santiago López and Agustí Esteve. They shared their experience at the helm of leading companies in the creation and production of fiction, non-fiction and entertainment content for domestic and international markets.
Moderated by journalist David Martos, the managing directors were joined by some of their companies’ most prominent creative talents, among them Diego San José, who unveiled the first images from Season 2 of ‘Celeste,’ and Andrés Gelós, Cimarrón’s creative director, who has worked on standout series such as ‘Iosi, the Regretful Spy’ (Prime Video), ‘Maledictions’ (Netflix) and ‘El resto bien.’ Together, they offered an insider’s look at how content is created, developed and produced, revealing the true DNA of production companies that have spent decades driving some of the industry’s most relevant projects and cementing their leadership in the global market.
María José Rodríguez, managing director of Globomedia, championed the company’s legacy and previewed new projects, including Season 2 of ‘Barrio Esperanza’ (RTVE), the new series ‘Cuando solo quedemos nosotros’ (Prime Video) and the return of ‘Compañeros’ (Atresmedia): “We’re immensely proud of our past, but we look to the future with huge ambition.”
Alejandro Flórez, managing director of 100 Balas, presented new titles such as ‘Death in Llanes’ (SkyShowtime) and ‘Expediente Linares’ (HBO Max), as well as the new installment of ‘Celeste.’ He observed that “at a time when the range of audiovisual content on offer has never been wider, the real differentiator is still the stories, and the people able to tell them in a unique way. It’s not about producing more content, but content that leaves a mark.”
Carmen González, managing director of Big Bang Media, highlighted live content production as an essential part of the company’s DNA through the show ‘Malas Lenguas,’ which she called “a very representative example of today’s television.” She stressed the show’s ability to move between networks and audiences with its identity intact.
Santiago López, CEO of Cimarrón, whose standout credits include the film ‘Nothing Between Us,’ participation in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ and ‘Society of the Snow,’ and series such as ‘Barrabrava’ (Prime Video) and those already mentioned, ‘Iosi, the Regretful Spy’ (Prime Video), ‘Maledictions’ (Netflix) and ‘El resto bien,’ placed particular value on working together across territories: “This multi-territory approach lets us work together without borders, and it creates a pretty magical synergy, because it lets us offer talent plenty of options for finding the place to tell their story.”
Agustí Esteve, managing director of El Terrat, pointed to the success of the film ‘5 More Minutes’ at national and international festivals, where it has already started to win awards. He also spoke about the series ‘El otro mundo’ and ‘Departament Amades,’ the documentary ‘SerYo’ and the company’s extensive experience in entertainment, podcasts and theater. He summed up his philosophy as a blend of “talent, irreverence, risk, passion, honesty and play,” without forgetting one essential ingredient: “the drive to work, because without work none of this is possible.”
The company was also present at the Iberseries & Platino Industria market via Imagina Sales, its content distribution division, where it unveiled its main new releases. Highlights include the fiction series ‘Forever Home,’ ‘Death in Llanes,’ Season 2 of ‘Celeste,’ ‘Barrio Esperanza’ and the period co-production ‘The Marquise.’ They are joined by sports documentaries such as ‘El último duelo,’ centered on the historic rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and ‘Winning,’ on José Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid. The lineup also includes the feature documentary ‘SerYo,’ a deeply personal project by Sergio Péris-Mencheta that will premiere at the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci), and, among other titles, the film ‘The End of It,’ which screened at the latest Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Première section.
