On Tuesday December 18th at 9:55 p.m., TV3's Sense ficció will premiere "Causa especial 20907/2017", produced by MEDIAPRO. Directed by Jaume Roures with a script by Lluís Arcarazo, the documentary features 17 judges, prosecutors, lawyers and university heads of criminal and procedural law who will analyze the "process the process", the long legal journey that began a decade ago with an appeal to the Spanish Constitutional Court against reforms to the Estatut d' Autonomia approved by the Parliament of Catalonia and endorsed by a referendum in 2006.
The broadcast falls on the same day that the criminal chamber of the Spanish Supreme Court has set for the first hearing in the 1-O case to debate the court's jurisdiction.
The 2010 ruling, which declared some of the articles in the Estatut unconstitutional, set off an independence movement, which continued to grow up to the referendum held on 1 October 2017, the proclamation of the Catalan Republic and the trying of 18 of the 25 accused politicians and social leaders.
"Causa especial 20907/2017" refers to special cause 20907/2017, opened as a result of crimes of rebellion, sedition, disobedience and public disorder against Oriol Junqueras, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Turull, Raül Romeva, Josep Rull, Dolors Bassa, Carme Forcadell, Jordi Sànchez, Jordi Cuixart, Meritxell Borràs, Carles Mundó, Santi Vila, Mireia Boya, Joan Josep Nuet, Anna Simó, Lluís Maria Corominas, Ramona Barrufet, Lluís Guinó, Anna Gabriel, Marta Rovira, Lluís Puig, Clara Ponsatí, Antoni Comín, Meritxell Serret and Carles Puigdemont for calling for and later holding the 1-O referendum.
The production looks past the "process the process" to take a step further and dissect an increasingly criticized legal system while, at the same time, trying to respond to a few key questions: Was there really a rebellion? Are there legal grounds for this accusation? Are high-level judicial bodies an instrument in the hands of political parties? What interests motivate Spain's General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) and Supreme Court? Has there really been a transition in the legal system? Are we on the doorstep of "supreme injustice"?
"Causa especial 20907/2017" features: Manuel Almenar (Asociación Profesional de la Magistratura / Professional association of magistrates), Francisco Javier Álvarez (Head of Criminal Law Universidad Carlos III), Mercè Barceló (Head of Constitutional Law Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona), Josep Casadevall (Former judge and vice-president of the European Court of Human Rights), Montserrat Comas (Juezas y Jueces por la Democracia / Judges for democracy), Jacobo Dopico (Accredited chair of Criminal Law Universidad Carlos III), Joaquín Giménez García (Judge Emeritus of the Spanish Supreme Court), Xavier González de Rivera (Ágora Judicial organization), Dr. Stefan Kirsch (Lawyer specializing in Criminal Law, Germany), José Antonio Martín Pallín (Prosecutor and Judge Emeritus of the Spanish Supreme Court), José María Mena (Former lead prosecutor for the TSJC / Supreme Court of Justice of Catalonia), Lluís Mestres )Asociación Atenas Juristas por los Derechos Civiles / Athens lawyers for civil rights association), Jordi Nieva (Head of Procedural Law Universitat de Barcelona), Raimundo Prado (Asociación Judicial Francisco de Vitoria / Francisco de Vitoria legal association), Mª Victoria Rosell (Judge and former MP), Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca (Professor of Political Science Universidad Carlos III), Frank Verbruggen (Professor of European Criminal Law - Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium).
MEDIAPRO today presented Mediapro Labs, the new content hallmark from MEDIAPRO, which aims to identify digital audiovisual talent with whom to forge associations and produce new ideas and formats, connecting the different divisions of the Group with the community of independent creators. The project is designed to explore new formats and narratives and to produce a minimum of one audiovisual project in categories such as fiction, entertainment programmes, documentary series, e-sports and podcasts.
Mediapro Labs will be co-directed by Maya Maidagan, Digital Content Director for the MEDIAPRO Group, and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. "The Javis" will primarily focus their attention on the selection process for fiction projects through their production company SUMA LATINA, and in association with MEDIAPRO, the co-production of the winning project, for which they will act as Executive Producers.
Javier Méndez Zori, Director of Content at MEDIAPRO, highlighted that "for MEDIAPRO, creative talent is an absolute priority. In a world where digital natives will soon become the largest audience, MEDIAPRO is looking to make contact with young creative minds and to develop innovative projects." Maya Maidagan explained that Mediapro Labs is a meeting point for the community of independent creators and MEDIAPRO, as well as a development program. "It goes without saying that the industry must implement change to adapt to the radical disruption the content business is currently undergoing, and Mediapro Labs is one of the MEDIAPRO Group's investments in this direction. Innovating in the world of audiovisuals is risky, but Mediapro Labs wants to give a clear 'YES' vote to innovative and distinctive projects".
The permanent headquarters for Mediapro Labs, in Calle Maratón 11 in Madrid, will be inaugurated this coming December 18 with an open-day. Office installation include an auditorium, studios, workstations and networking zone, where regular sessions of Mediapro Talks are scheduled to take place given by leading names from the sector. Mediapro Labs will also have an office in Barcelona, where proposals will be screened for selection and consultancy services provided to Barcelona-based creators.
Leading lights from the sector and young creative minds will act as project patrons, mentoring creators, sponsoring projects and actively participating in talks organized by Mediapro Talks. Those who have already confirmed their participation include Javier Olivares ("The Ministry of Time"), Thais Villas (journalist and presenter), Quique Peinado (journalist, writer and presenter), Facu Díaz and Miguel Maldonado ("No te metas en política"), Carmen Aguilera (Director of "El Intermedio"), Ibai Llanos (LVP caster) and Esty Quesada (responsible for the Flooxer-based series, "Looser"). In addition to project sponsors, the Mediapro Labs presentation event was also attended by creators including Sr Forfast, Kiron, Abi Power, Toni Emcee, Gominuke, Kikillo, Juan Arroitia, Isaac F. Corrales y Living Postureo.
All information about the incubator is available for creators to access via the project's website mediaprolabs.tv, where you can find details about the space, calendar of upcoming events and the platform where you can submit project proposals. To follow the day-to-day happenings at Mediapro Labs, simply access the official channels on Instagram and Twitter @MediaproLabs
The French professional football league (LFP) has awarded MEDIAPRO the main package of broadcast rights for the 2020-21 through 2023-24 seasons. The audiovisual group will produce the matchups and apply the highest quality standards to guarantee top production and open the necessary doors for all fans to be able to follow entire games live. These broadcasting rights complete and reinforce the content of the TV channel MEDIAPRO plans to implement starting with the 2020-21 season for which it plans to exclusively broadcast 8 Ligue 1 games per round. MEDIAPRO has also been awarded broadcasting rights for programs dedicated to the second division, which will be broadcast from Tuesday through Friday.
With the rights to 8 second division games, the channel will be able to capture the interest of fans all across France and become the reference in French football starting with the 2020 season. Games are broadcast on Saturdays at 7 p.m. In Spain, the LaLiga 1/2/3 channel, produced by MEDIAPRO, simultaneously broadcasts second division games.
The football-focused channel MEDIAPRO will produce with the rights to the French league will offer uninterrupted programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week and broadcasting will be offered to all Premium TV channels operating in France. MEDIAPRO has ample experience in managing sporting rights, channel production and broadcasting content. With a turnaround of 1.6 billion euros in 2017 and an EBITDA of 189 million euros, it has a team of more than 6,500 professionals in 53 offices on 4 continents, including the MEDIAPRO France headquarters, which has been in operation for more than ten uninterrupted years. The Group produces more than 15 TV channels around the world, including several sports-themed and specifically football-themed channels like beIN Sports and beIN Sports LaLiga (in association with beIN Media Group), Real Madrid TV and Golf Channel.
Production companies 100 Balas (MEDIAPRO Group) and 93 Metros have begun to develop a new documentary series as part of the framework agreement between both production houses. The project involves the portrayal of the Christian Palmarian Church, a church whose origins lie in the alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary to four Spanish schoolgirls in the town of El Palmar de Troya (Seville) in 1968. This alleged apparition brought dozens of other "seers" to the area who also claimed to see the Virgin, including Clemente Domínguez, a 20-year-old who would gradually become the principal leader of this schismatic Catholic church with followers across half the world.
The project stems from the alliance between the two companies which combines the know-how of David Beriain's 93 Metros, a documentary and factual programming factory specialized in hostile environments and with access to areas and protagonists which are off-limits to other journalists and investigators; together with the expertise of the MEDIAPRO Group in producing major documentaries, including The Lightbulb Conspiracy, by Cosima Dannoritzer; The State's Secret Cesspit and Grietas, produced for Amnesty International to mark its 40th anniversary in Spain.
The project aims to become the most comprehensive, ambitious, rigorous and documented approach to the El Palmar de Troya case that has been made so far, combining the documentary genre with the narrative structure of fiction, which will include first-hand testimonies, as-yet unpublished material and recreations of the events.
The collaboration between the production companies confirms the cooperation line initiated with the Mafia projects, a documentary series that covers the cultures, traditions and codes of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world; and Black Market, factual programme about the black market and illegal trafficking of all types of merchandise.
93 Metros
93 Metros is a television production company specializing in full-length feature documentaries based on exclusive and unique access to clandestine worlds. The company's flagship programme Clandestino, has been running for three seasons on DMAX and has lead company founder David Beriain, to travel the globe delving deep inside some of the world's most powerful criminal organizations. The company also produced the Estrecho (The Straits) special for laSexta, factual programme La Búsqueda de Diego Cortijo (Diego Cortijo's Search) for Movistar+ channel #0 and La Vida en Llamas (Life in Flames) and Yasuní, genocidio en la selva (Yasuní, Genocide in The Jungle) for DMAX. The company also operates a branch specialising in news content for online newspapers and branded content.
100 Balas
Audiovisual production company 100 Balas, part of the MEDIAPRO group, is responsible for comedy hits including Olmos and Robles (TVE) and Pepe's beach Bar (Telecinco), in addition to entertainment formats Se hace saber (TVE), Sopa de Gansos (Cuatro), Feis tu feis (Cuatro), Espinete no existe (TVE), Fit Life (Fox Life) and eSports Generation (GOL). The company has recently finished production of the political satire Vota Juan (Vote For Juan) (TNT), set to premiere this coming January, and at the same time is involved in several non-fiction projects.
With the presence of its managing partner, Tatxo Benet, MEDIAPRO today presented U-BEAT at the Barcelona World Games. The online e-Sports platform in Spanish for the global market will offer VoD and live content designed to be viewed on a range of mobile devices. Tatxo Benet described the Group's position on e-Sports as, "part of our policy for continuous innovation across all our business lines. This move forms part of the MEDIAPRO Group's natural development, which is also striving to secure a leadership position in this sector".
U-BEAT aspires to become a benchmark among e-Sports fans worldwide, with more than 3,000 hours of competitions, information, latest news and entertainment, all 100% e-Sports, in addition to exclusive in-house produced content which bear the trademark of quality that is MEDIAPRO, one of the world's benchmark audiovisual groups.
Having its own in-house production crew, U-BEAT will offer exclusive competitions and content from the most popular videogames in the marketplace, including League of Legends, Clash Royale, Fortnite, CSGO and Call of Duty; competitions and events produced for the LVP; and the most important international competitions. Analysis, presentation and commentary for all these events will be provided by the top Spanish-speaking casters, such as Ibai Llanos, Ulises Prieto and BarbeQ.
With the launch of U-BEAT, MEDIAPRO consolidates its strategic commitment to the videogaming and e-Sports sector, on the heles of the integration of Fandroid and The Breach Studios, thus securing activity in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru and the United Kingdom with over 20 million unique users and 75% of the global Spanish-speaking audience.
Mari Carmen Fernández Tallón, Head of Innovation at the Group, together with presenters Patrick Urbano and Gemma Manzanero accompanied Tatxo Benet during the platform's official presentation explaining the details behind the creation of U-BEAT.
TNT is set to premiere "Vota Juan" on the 25th January, the sitcom produced by 100 Balas (MEDIAPRO Group) in co-production with Turner Spain. The series which will air every Friday in a double-episode format and will also be available right after broadcast via the operators' SVOD platforms.
The comedy stars Javier Cámara ("Narcos", "Truman", "The Young Pope") and María Pujalte ("Los misterios de Laura", "Periodistas"), and was jointly created by Diego San José ("Ocho apellidos vascos") and Juan Cavestany ("Vergüenza"). Víctor García León ("Selfie") and David Serrano ("Tenemos que hablar") were in charge of directing the episodes.
Set in the world of Spanish politics, "Vota Juan" revolves around the figure of Juan Carrasco, an anaemic Agriculture Minister who, after a series of political coincidences sees awaken in him an ambition which leads him to stand for the leadership of his party and as a consequence, Prime Minister. Party intrigue, petty jealousy and crisis are par for the course for Juan in pursuit of his goal. But he won't be alone, as he'll have the help of his loyal press chief, his head of cabinet and his personal consultant. A campaign team that, just like its leader, will try to make up for its lack of experience and political nous with large doses of cheek and on the fly improvisation Will Juan Carrasco make it to La Moncloa?
The production, which is made up of 8 episodes, is one of the first attempts in Spain of a TV genre with a long history in other countries: political comedy.
Javier Cámara admits that it's a comedy which has been a challenge: "It's been fun, the characters are living on the limit and the more they suffer, the more the viewers will enjoy it".
Diego San José highlights the freedom given to the creators to go beyond what had previously been attempted: "Us comedy creators are obliged to force the viewer to sit up and take notice. With this comedy we've stepped into new territory for what is considered a prime-time sitcom. If we get some abuse on Twitter, it means we've hit the mark".
Cast of Vota Juan
Javier Cámara plays a run-of-the-mill politician who dreams of making it big. María Pujalte plays Macarena Lombardo, the chief of staff who needs all the patience she can muster and plenty of political skill to help save some of the ideas that turn up in the minister's head.
Esty Quesada ("Soy una pringada") plays Eva Carrasco, Juan's teenage daughter. The relationship between reveals the main character's warmest and most intimate side.
The cast is completed by Nuria Mencía ("La princesa de Éboli", "Tirando a dar") as Carmen Müller, the chief of staff, who does everything possible to cover up the cock-ups made by the minister and Adam Jezierski ("Con el culo al aire", "Gym Tony") as Víctor Sanz, Juan's personal secretary, who's waiting for his big chance in politics biding his time working for the minister.
Joaquín Climent ("El comisario", "Gran reserva: El origen") plays Luis Vallejo, an old-school politician with an inside track into the Moncloa; Pedro Ángel Roca ("Ella es tu padre", "La tira") is the minister's well informed bodyguard, and Mona Martínez ("Vis a vis", "Anclados") plays Juan's housemaid and witness to his most intimate moments with Yaël Belicha ("Apaches", "Los Protegidos") playing Paula, Juan's long-suffering wife.
