International breakers: Galician writer and director Dani De La Torre on the rise of Spanish drama production and how embracing the US showrunner model transformed the local industry

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we will focus on top executives and companies outside of the United States that are improving the offshore market. This week we talk about Danny de la Torre, co-creator and showman of the Movistar + counter-terrorism drama series. Unit (ᲔIt is difficult) And the director of the newly released film Life is life! Speaking of local events, the rise of Spain as a major European drama center and the love of making 80s nostalgic films.

Dani de la Torre is one of a growing number of creative talents from Spain who are forcing the world to sit back and pay attention to stories from the country. The country was once not considered a major player in European betting, but a series of discounts, new studios and the arrival of (crucial) streaming services – local and global – have pushed Spain to the center of the market. . Boom.

The government’s € 1.6 billion ($ 1.7 billion) five-year AVS Hub plan is now underway: popularize local talent, attract more foreign investment, and sell Spain as a major manufacturing hub for streamers and producers international. growing. . Writer, producer and director De la Torre is at the forefront of change.

“It is a historical fact that we have always dreamed of having an industry like that of the United States, a place where the creative community can do what it loves,” said de la Torre. “There is a lot more work to be done in the industry these days, and even more on incredible and ambitious projects. We believe we can now create a work that will compete perfectly with American and Latin American fiction, and this will force us to build more ambitious and inspiring projects for the creators of the next new generation. They’ll probably do even better than us, but we’re building a way to do it. I hope the current situation continues, because it is incredible for Spain ”.

The country’s emergence as a global manufacturing giant is arguably best expressed by the collapse of Netflix. The robbery of money (theft of money), but de la Torre’s greatest contribution is to the growth of local legislation. is Unit (ᲔIt is difficult), a crime thriller he co-wrote with Beto Marini. The show, produced by Buendía Estudios, is currently in its third season for Spanish-language streaming giant Movistar +.

With a higher investment budget level for the Movistar + drama series, the series follows members of the Intelligence Commissioner’s intelligence service as they control a terrorist organization planning an attack in Madrid. The second season started in March, while the third takes place in Afghanistan. A source of pride for de la Torre is that much of each season’s filming takes place in his homeland of Galicia in the north of the country. This is despite the fact that much of the action takes place in many parts of the world or in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

Movistar + International has sold the show to various buyers including HBO Max and Viaplay and with their global stories, this comes as no surprise. “I have noticed interest in the program outside of Spain, especially throughout Europe,” de la Torre said. “Unit It has a universal theme: terrorism. Unfortunately, this has affected the whole world: US high school shootings, jihadist attacks and global terrorism. This is something that is common all over the world and is the main ingredient of the show. “

Reveals plans for a spin-off if season three is as successful as the first two. “Let’s see how the shooting goes,” she added bitterly.

The series reflects de la Torre’s extensive work in the suspense genre, but also reflects how Spanish production has followed the path of the American production model in many ways – this is the vision of him and screenwriter Marin, who are the showrunners. of sets.

“In Spain, the world of entertainment is a newly created role,” says de la Torre. “Traditionally, there have been producers and screenwriters, but having a unique position, a guardian who upholds the philosophy of the story and believes it’s a tact, despite any issues, makes sense for the show’s unique vision. “They care about the budget and can make changes that respect the story, if something changes, they keep the philosophy and guarantee the essence of the project”.

change the pace

De La Torre began his career as a Spanish producer after studying film, initially working for the local television station Televisión de Galicia and directing short films, promos and commercials. After receiving a critically acclaimed miniseries free bookSelected at the Houston and Chicago Film Festivals, he made his first feature film in 2015, a political thriller. Payment (The stranger), who performed in Venice and San Sebastián. The shadow of the law (shadow of the law/city ​​of arms) Followed in early 2018 Unit Commissioned two years later.

His latest film, Changing the rhythm of the director, is Life is life, a comedy-drama in Galicia, premiered on June 3 in Spain, by local distributor Warner Bros. Con Fotos España. The story of Albert Espinoza tells the story of five young friends from 1985 who meet in one of the Galician cities of La Noche de San Juan (St. John Eva) on June 23, which changes their lives forever.

De la Torre says it reflects nostalgia for fun, family-friendly American movies of the 1980s, something he thinks modern cinema lacks. “I miss 80s adventure movies as if they were ი Stay by my side Y Gunies,” he says.

“This cinema has been lost and in reality it only exists these days. Strange things Y The. They are films with a lot of entertainment that make us better people, encourage us to live, dream and take advantage of opportunities. In cinema, this gap has been lost, now it’s just independent stories or blockbusters. “

As such, he views the film’s success through a traditional filter. “The best win would be for people to go to the movies with their families, like they did years ago,” she said.

He also expects Spanish drama series and feature films to expand as a new talent emerges. “It’s a slow process to cast new votes, but it brings more representation every year,” she said. “In Spain there has been a great wave of film and television stories created by women, immigrants and other minority groups. These stories are important because their worldview is interesting and vital. Society is more reasonable now than in the past, so perhaps we as a society can accelerate this process. We must be open to this different worldview: as a creative society and community, it is essential to achieve this goal.

Back on the television front, de la Torre focuses on the following Unit The third season develops a drama series for Movistar + about organized crime in southern Spain, focusing on the Marbella mafia. A thriller project starring a woman is also released for Atresmedia Studios. Details on both projects are scarce and are not considered at the go-ahead stage.

Also, he plans to experiment with more genres that will respond Life is life It encourages you in this direction. “As an industry, we have to take risks to create diverse and innovative projects, try to reach high-budget films and attract viewers. Ultimately, we need to explore all kinds of genres to attract an audience. Taking risks is the right way to develop. “

This week’s edition of International Disruptors features Guillotine Vodka.