Magic Realism
Gloria Saló emphasized that "stories are the origin of everything," highlighting that well-told stories with characters that evoke strong emotional reactions are crucial for success. These stories come in various forms, including original concepts, remakes, spin-offs, and literary adaptations. One of the most prominent themes she explored was the continued influence of Latin American magical realism, referencing iconic works like Cien años de soledad (Netflix, Colombia) and Como agua para chocolate (HBO Max, México), La Casa de los espíritus (Amazon Prime Video, Chile) by Isabel Allende: “In addition to the magical realism that permeates these three novels adapted as fiction series, they all share a common setting. It is the family sagas and their unique characters, spanning various time periods, that give the stories a powerful appeal” – said Saló.
Dramatic Stories
In addition to magical realism, Saló discussed the growing demand for dramatic series based on real-life events, such as El juicio (Mexico) is inspired by real cases, such as that of a father seeking justice for his daughter. Vencer o Morir (Chile) is a story set during Pinochet's dictatorship. Cromañón (Argentina) tells the story of a fire that occurred in a concert hall. Asalto al banco central (Netflix, Spain) takes place in the 1980s with a heist that goes wrong.
Original stories include Accidente (Netflix, Mexico), a suspense-filled drama about ordinary people who experience an extraordinary event, and Desaparecida (Primeran and Netflix, Spain), which follows the disappearance of a young man after leaving behind a video that goes viral on social media.
Provocative Characters
She also noted the increasing popularity of provocative characters, particularly in productions such as Mafalda and El Eternauta from Argentina: “stories, besides being well-told, must have compelling characters that provoke the audience”. Real-life characters appear in Spanish productions like El gran salto (AtresPlayer), which tells the story of the rise and fall of a gymnast, or Las abogadas (La1, Spain), featuring four labor lawyers who defied the status quo in the 1970s.There are also well-known characters, such as those in Argentine Netflix productions: Mafalda, the character created by Quino, or the science fiction graphic novel El Eternauta. Original characters include Mariliendre (AtresPlayer, Spain), a tormented woman seeking to reclaim her past.
Melodrama is huge
Melodrama has always been one of the most appealing storytelling formats, especially with stories where love, betrayal, and revenge play a fundamental role in both romantic and family relationships. Juegos interrumpidos (Las Estrellas, Mexico) follows a mother who discovers deception after adopting her child. Sed de venganza (Telemundo, USA) and Cautiva por amor (TV Azteca, Mexico) are stories centered around love and revenge. Leche de tigre (Peru) is a telenovela set in the world of Peruvian gastronomy. Ella, maldita alma (Telecinco, Spain) tells the story of an impossible love, based on a tale by Manuel Rivas. Regreso a Las Sabinas (Disney+, Spain) follows the reunion of sisters due to their father’s health, while Valle salvaje (La1 and Netflix, Spain) is a daily period drama set in the 18th century.
The comedy is healthy
Disney+ in Spain is betting on comedies of all kinds: dramedy with Custodia compartida, a police comedy with Si es martes, es asesinato, and a comedy set in the world of bullfighting with La suerte.Envidiosa (Netflix, Argentina) tackles the midlife crisis in a comedic tone, while Cómplices (Televisa, Mexico) brings dark humor to the television industry. Mamen Mayo (SkyShowtime, Spain) is a mockumentary with dark humor about an inheritance mediator.…Y llegaron de noche (ViX, Mexico) is inspired by a true story… about vampires. Yo no soy Mendoza (SPT, Colombia-Mexico) is a telenovela with comedic touches. Tô Nessa! (Globo TV, Brazil) is a sitcom about a mother who juggles supporting her three daughters and a granddaughter.
The Platforms
The audiovisual world has led to successful productions that have fueled the literary world. Platforms like Netflix have focused on novels, signing deals with bestselling authors like Harlan Coben. One of the latest is Atrapados (Argentina), a suspense story set in the city of Bariloche. Delirio (Netflix, Colombia) is based on Laura Restrepo’s story of a woman driven to madness, while Las Maldiciones (Netflix, Argentina) adapts the political drama from Claudia Piñeiro’s novel.
Popular literary sagas include La nena (AtresPlayer, Spain), the third novel by Carmen Mola to be adapted, and Cicatriz (La1, Spain), a thriller about revenge based on Juan Gómez Jurado’s novel.
The audiovisual world has led to successful productions that have fueled the literary world. Platforms like Netflix have focused on novels, signing deals with bestselling authors like Harlan Coben. One of the latest is Atrapados (Argentina), a suspense story set in the city of Bariloche. Delirio (Netflix, Colombia) is based on Laura Restrepo’s story of a woman driven to madness, while Las Maldiciones (Netflix, Argentina) adapts the political drama from Claudia Piñeiro’s novel.
Popular literary sagas include La nena (AtresPlayer, Spain), the third novel by Carmen Mola to be adapted, and Cicatriz (La1, Spain), a thriller about revenge based on Juan Gómez Jurado’s novel.
Remakes and Scripted Formats
Creating a remake or a local version isn’t just about retelling the same story; it's about adapting it from a global to a local context without losing the essence of the original narrative. For example, Las hijas de la señora García (Las Estrellas, Mexico) is a version of the Turkish drama La señora Fazilet y sus hijas (Star TV). Terra Brava (SIC, Portugal) has been adapted by TelevisaUnivisión (United States) as El precio de amarte.
Colombian productions like Rosario Tijeras and La prepago (RCN) are being adapted in India. Avenida do Brasil (Globo TV, Brazil) has been remade in Turkey as Leyla (Now). Margarita (Telefe and Max, Argentina) is a sequel to Floricienta.
Ciudad de Dios. La lucha no para (HBO Max, Brazil) picks up the story 20 years after the events of the film, while En el barro (Netflix, Argentina) is a spin-off of El Marginal, set in the world of female prisons.
Thrillers and crime dramas continue to be subgenres that produce the most fiction, with a wide variety of narrative styles. Medusa (Netflix, Colombia) is about a mysterious murder, seen through the eyes of the suspects and featuring a victim who returns. La mente del poder (TNT and Flow, Argentina) is a psychological thriller. Las muertas (Netflix, Mexico) is inspired by the real-life Mexican serial killers known as Las Poquianchis.
Gringo Hunters (Netflix, Mexico) follows an elite unit of the Mexican police, while Asuntos Internos (La1, Spain) focuses on the first female police officers in Spain. Weiss y Morales (La1, Spain) is a procedural police thriller, and 1992 (Netflix, Spain) is a political thriller set against the backdrop of the Universal Exposition in Seville.
There is much to listen to and reflect on when it comes to AI
Gloria Salò concluded her speech with a reflection on AI:"These days, we've been reading that artificial intelligence is learning to read our emotions. A study predicts that corporate spending on the adoption of artificial intelligence will have a global economic impact of $19.9 trillion by 2030, a year in which AI will generate 3.5% of the planet's GDP. The study also concludes something we've been hearing for some time: AI won’t replace your job, but someone who knows how to use AI better than you will.
The generative AI company, Runway, has recently signed an agreement with Lionsgate to create a new model for generating personalized videos to help filmmakers, directors, and other creative talents enhance their work. Additionally, Runway has launched The Hundred Film Fund, an initiative to help produce and finance audiovisual works that use generative AI technology to tell their stories.
We've also heard a lot about Write with Laika, a tool that emerged during the pandemic, allowing writers to generate text based on their own drafts. It has now transformed into a virtual writers' room with computer-generated assistants that offer feedback and suggestions…"
Creating a remake or a local version isn’t just about retelling the same story; it's about adapting it from a global to a local context without losing the essence of the original narrative. For example, Las hijas de la señora García (Las Estrellas, Mexico) is a version of the Turkish drama La señora Fazilet y sus hijas (Star TV). Terra Brava (SIC, Portugal) has been adapted by TelevisaUnivisión (United States) as El precio de amarte.
Colombian productions like Rosario Tijeras and La prepago (RCN) are being adapted in India. Avenida do Brasil (Globo TV, Brazil) has been remade in Turkey as Leyla (Now). Margarita (Telefe and Max, Argentina) is a sequel to Floricienta.
Ciudad de Dios. La lucha no para (HBO Max, Brazil) picks up the story 20 years after the events of the film, while En el barro (Netflix, Argentina) is a spin-off of El Marginal, set in the world of female prisons.
Thrillers and crime dramas continue to be subgenres that produce the most fiction, with a wide variety of narrative styles. Medusa (Netflix, Colombia) is about a mysterious murder, seen through the eyes of the suspects and featuring a victim who returns. La mente del poder (TNT and Flow, Argentina) is a psychological thriller. Las muertas (Netflix, Mexico) is inspired by the real-life Mexican serial killers known as Las Poquianchis.
Gringo Hunters (Netflix, Mexico) follows an elite unit of the Mexican police, while Asuntos Internos (La1, Spain) focuses on the first female police officers in Spain. Weiss y Morales (La1, Spain) is a procedural police thriller, and 1992 (Netflix, Spain) is a political thriller set against the backdrop of the Universal Exposition in Seville.
There is much to listen to and reflect on when it comes to AI
Gloria Salò concluded her speech with a reflection on AI:"These days, we've been reading that artificial intelligence is learning to read our emotions. A study predicts that corporate spending on the adoption of artificial intelligence will have a global economic impact of $19.9 trillion by 2030, a year in which AI will generate 3.5% of the planet's GDP. The study also concludes something we've been hearing for some time: AI won’t replace your job, but someone who knows how to use AI better than you will.
The generative AI company, Runway, has recently signed an agreement with Lionsgate to create a new model for generating personalized videos to help filmmakers, directors, and other creative talents enhance their work. Additionally, Runway has launched The Hundred Film Fund, an initiative to help produce and finance audiovisual works that use generative AI technology to tell their stories.
We've also heard a lot about Write with Laika, a tool that emerged during the pandemic, allowing writers to generate text based on their own drafts. It has now transformed into a virtual writers' room with computer-generated assistants that offer feedback and suggestions…"
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