Alan Ball, creator of ‘Six Feet Under’ and ‘True Blood’, guest on 12th Serielizados

Alan Ball, creator of series such as Six Feet Under and True Blood, will be one of the featured international guests at the 12th edition of Serielizados – Barcelona Series Festival, which will take place from November 3rd to 12th at CCCB, Mooby Aribau cinemas, and CASA SEAT.

Ball will attend the festival coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the finale of Six Feet Under, considered one of the best in history. The series, about a Los Angeles family that runs a funeral home, is one of the most emblematic fictions from the HBO brand. Over its five seasons, it earned more than 60 awards, including 9 Emmys (among them, Best Directing for Alan Ball) and 3 Golden Globes, including Best Drama Series.

Also at HBO, he created True Blood, another resounding success that ran for a total of seven seasons. With this series, Ball delved into genre fiction with a supernatural drama starring Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and Alexander Skarsgård, exploring coexistence between humans and vampires while combining sex, violence, and social critique.

Ball began as a writer and producer on the sitcom Cybill, starring Cybill Shepherd, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for American Beauty. Among other works, he has also stood out as executive producer of the series Banshee, as creator of the series Here and Now, and as director of the films Uncle Frank and Towelhead.

Alan Ball’s Activities at Serielizados

Alan Ball will give a public talk to discuss his extensive career as a creator and the relevance and cultural impact that his series still hold. It will take place on November 8th at 7:30 p.m. at CCCB. The American screenwriter will also deliver a masterclass as part of the Serielizados PRO activities, the festival’s industry section. This event is organized in collaboration with ESCAC, the Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya, and will be moderated by filmmaker Clara Roquet.

• Get your tickets for the ESCAC Masterclass with Alan Ball here.
• Get your tickets for the Live Talk Serielizados 2025 withAlan Ball here.

Alan Ball’s assistance further establishes Serielizados as a benchmark festival for series lovers and professionals. In previous editions, it has welcomed such renowned creators as David Simon (The Wire), Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad), and Jesse Armstrong (Succession). Thus, the festival once again reaffirms its commitment to bringing to Barcelona the most influential and innovative voices in international television fiction.

Alan Ball on the set of ‘Six Feet Under’.

National Official Selection

Serielizados also reveals the four series that will compete in the National Official Section:

• Anatomía de un instante (Movistar Plus+)

Opening series in competition.

Based on the 23-F coup attempt, Anatomía de un instante dissects one of the key moments in recent Spanish history: the democratic transition.

The series is directed by Alberto Rodríguez and written by Rafael Cobos, Fran Araújo, and Rodríguez himself. It is based on the novel of the same title by Javier Cercas and stars Álvaro Morte, Eduard Fernández, Manolo Solo, and David Lorente, among others.

The day after the screening, a Serielizados Presenta session will be held at CASA SEAT with the participation of many of the series’ artistic and creative team.

• Argi Gorriak (EITB)

A voice actress trapped in routine sees her life turned upside down with the return of her ex-husband, who has suffered a stroke and is under threat of death. Her dysfunctional family will join forces to unravel the mystery. A dramedy with elements of suspense and dark humor.

The series is created by Alex Merino, Alejandra Arróspide, and Alberto Gastesi; directed by Gastesi and starring Itziar Ituño (Money Heist), Nerea Sanz, and Arnatz Puertas, among others.

Alberto Gastesi and Alejandra Arróspide will attend the session.

• Los 39 (RTVE)

Los 39 tells the untold story of the men Columbus left behind on the island of Hispaniola, present-day Dominican Republic. Trapped in an unknown and mysterious land, they confront civilizations they could never have imagined.

The series is created by David Martínez and Roberto Serrano, directed by Max Lemcke and Jorge Saavedra, and written by Mayte Castillo, Paula Moreno, David Martínez, Natalia Peralta, and Roberto Serrano. It stars Andrés Requejo, Hugo Silva, Pablo Derqui, and Daniel Grao.

• Yakarta (Movistar Plus+)

Joserra, a former Olympic badminton player now struggling to find purpose, makes a living teaching physical education at a public high school. Recently divorced and feeling disillusioned, he thinks he has found a life-changing opportunity when he meets Mar, a talented teenage player, during a school tournament.

Yakarta is an original Movistar Plus+ series produced by 100 Balas (The Mediapro Studio) and Buendía Estudios Canarias. Created by Diego San José and directed by Elena Trapé (both also responsible for the series Celeste, last year’s Best Screenplay winner), the series stars Javier Cámara and Carla Quílez, among others.

Javier Cámara, Carla Quílez, Diego San José, and Elena Trapé will attend the session.

Poster of the series ‘Yakarta’

Premieres of major international series

The 12th Serielizados – Barcelona Series Festival will screen the series I Love LA, created and starring Rachel Sennott (Bottoms, Shiva Baby), a comedian also known for films such as I Used to Be Funny and Saturday Night. The HBO Original comedy series follows an ambitious friend group navigating life and love in LA., with Jordan Firstman and Josh Hutcherson also in the cast.

Serielizados will also host the premiere of I Know Your Soul, from filmmaker Jasmila Zbanic, known for the film Quo Vadis, Aida? (Best Film at the European Film Awards and Oscar-nominated for Best International Feature) and director of several episodes of The Last of Us. The series follows a prosecutor investigating the suicide of a teenager at her son’s school, but the case takes a tragic turn when her own son is accused of abuse.

The festival will also premiere 37 Seconds, a gripping series based on true events that revisits the mystery surrounding a fishing boat disaster, which won Best French Series at the most recent Séries Mania festival. Another series in the programme is the South Korean Family Matters, about a family who uses their special powers to deliver justice. It stars Bae Doona, known for her role in Sense8 and films such as Cloud Atlas, The Host, and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.

Frame from the series ‘I Love LA’, created by and starring Rachel Sennott.

Serielizados continues to showcase strong documentary content with the premiere of the new docuseries The Nazi Cartel (SkyShowtime), by Justin Webster. Set in 1980, it focuses on a notorious nazi and a drug lord who overthrew the Bolivian government to establish the first cocaine state, paving the way for figures such as Pablo Escobar and today’s drug cartels. Webster, known for other series such as Muerte en León, will attend the session.

Closing Series: Sense filTRES (3Cat)

Sense filTRES (3cat) will be the closing series of the 12th edition of Serielizados. It’s a fiction that focuses on digital identity through the lens of sexting, social media pressure, digital validation, and the dissonance between online life and everyday reality.

The series consists of nine episodes divided into three blocks of three episodes each. The block to be screened at the festival centers on Charlie, a transgender teenager who uses artificial intelligence tools to alter his appearance when interacting on social media, reflecting struggles with identity and the pressure to maintain a virtual image that differs from reality.

Frame from the series, starring Nico Ariso.

Sense filTRES is created by Ainhoa Bolaños, Aleix Mestre, Amaya Izquierdo, and Afioco Gnecco. The block shown at Serielizados is directed by Jiajie Yu Yan and stars Nico Ariso, Asier Burgos, Mariona Naudin, Joan Solé Martí, and Daniel Mérida.

The series’ creative team and cast will attend the screening. Afterwards, the festival will close with its traditional party featuring DJ Meneo’s pop hits.

Tribute to Ventdelplà, Series Showcase, and children’s session with SX3

As every year, Serielizados pays tribute to an iconic Catalan series. In previous editions, titles such as Porca Misèria and Oh! Europa were celebrated; this year, the focus is on Ventdelplà (3Cat), marking the 20th anniversary of its premiere. The tribute will feature the assistance of its lead actress, Emma Vilarasau, as well as Georgina Latre and much of the original cast.

‘Ventdelplà’, iconic series on its 20th anniversary.

Another highlight of Serielizados is the annual Showcase of emerging talent, in collaboration with Zoom Festival. This year’s finalist projects are Pol i Obe by Robert Abecasis, Storytellings by Emma Soler, <3 by Norbert Palazón, and a project with a title to be confirmed by Josemi Online.

Serielizados will also feature a special session for children, dedicated to the SX3 program A jugar!. Two episodes will be screened, and attendees can look forward to a very special surprise.

More featured titles

Serielizados will screen new episodes of the series Ets i uts (EVA / 3Cat), which follows Roger (Marc Tarrida Aribau) and his aunt Mònica Glaenzel (Plats bruts) on a journey across Catalonia to preserve the Catalan language through twenty reports. The session will be attended by the series’ stars and creators: Joan Coll, Kevin Domínguez, and Pep Feliu.

Also from 3Cat, the docuseries La fugida, veritats ocultes will be presented. It tells real stories of sexual abuse of minors in religious schools, revealing how the perpetrators avoided justice and how institutions and brotherhoods protected them. Using investigative reporting, testimonies, and archival material, the series exposes the silence that has affected victims and society alike, while highlighting the ongoing fight for truth and memory.

Another notable premiere is Missing in Murcia, a true crime series by Carles Porta, an original Movistar Plus+ production in collaboration with True Crime Factory and Goroka. The series explores the 2013 disappearance of former elite volleyball player Ingrid Visser and her partner, Lodewijk Severin. Missing in Murcia is the first case of Porta’s new true crime season on the platform.

Nagore Aranburu, star of ‘Zeru Ahoak’.

In addition to Argi Gorriak, selected for the National Official Selection, Basque fiction will have an even stronger presence at the festival with the Catalan premiere of Zeru Ahoak, also from EITB. Directed by Koldo Almandoz and starring Nagore Aranburu (Querer), the series, presented last week at San Sebastian Film Festival, is a thriller that follows an ertzaina who, after years of isolation, returns to investigate the discovery of a woman’s body, apparently murdered in a ritualistic manner.

Podcasts and talks

Serielizados will host a live conversation between Estela Ortiz and Oye Sherman, in which they will analyze the series The Sopranos. This event originates from the Club de Serias podcast on Radio Primavera Sound, a cultural program exploring iconic series of past and present.

The festival will also host a live recording of the new season of Travelling Series, the podcast by Lorenzo Mejino. This special episode will feature comedian Joaquín Reyes, who will talk about his career and his hometown of Albacete. The remaining nine episodes of the season, exploring lesser-known regions of Spain, will be available from October 2nd on all major podcast platforms.

Comedian Joaquín Reyes, starring in a live session of ‘Travelling Series’

Another festival activity will be the live broadcast of an episode of La Trama, a podcast about screenwriting and audiovisual storytelling featuring some of the best screenwriters in Catalonia. This is a Serielizados production, supported by DAMA (Derechos de Autor de Medios Audiovisuales) and the Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises (ICEC), and hosted by Xènia Puiggrós, Víctor Sala, and Pau Subirós.

These events complement the previously announced Literaturium de Series session, a humorous discussion where comedians Àlex Martínez Vidal, Tomàs Fuentes, Ignasi Taltavull, and Enzo Vizcaíno review the year’s best series. This special session is an adapted version of Literaturium, their annual podcast of literary recommendations.

In addition, as a pre-festival activity, there will be a special session of SerieSelektor, the series program from iCat FM led by Sílvia Comet, Betu Martínez, Carlos Perelló, and Víctor Sala. This will take place on October 21st at Fàbrica Moritz.

ECAM Masterclass with Benedikt Erlingsson (The Danish Woman)

As previously announced, Benedikt Erlingsson will be one of the international guests at the 12th edition of the festival. The Icelandic filmmaker will also give a masterclass as part of the industry sessions, in collaboration with ECAM, Escuela de Cinematografía y del Audiovisual de la Comunidad de Madrid. Erlingsson is presenting the series The Danish Woman at the festival, competing in the International Official Selection, and he is also the director of the films Woman at War and Of Horses and Men.

31st Miniput – Showcase of Quality Television

This year, Miniput celebrates its 31st edition, taking place within Serielizados. Seventeen programs from around the world will be presented, selected from the international INPUT network. Documentaries, journalistic programs, formats for social media, and fiction works together provide a comprehensive picture of the current state of global television.

Despite the variety of genres, this year’s showcase places a special focus on the use of new technologies in public television. The program includes a talk on the role of artificial intelligence in public service media by Kaare V. Poulsen (DR); a case study of the Danish program Shaped by History presented by Lisbeth Langwadt, Head of Broad Culture and Facts at danish public television; and presentations of Catalan programs case studies in collaboration with Clúster Audiovisual, featuring Miquel Garcia (Gestmusic), Dani Caneiro (Alguna Pregunta), Miquel Herrada (XAL), and Alan Valverde (IA graphics expert of the TV program Està Passant). There will also be a session on how public broadcasters are incorporating emerging talent into the industry, with participation from EITB, betevé, and the Dutch NPO.

The selection also includes three series that are part of the Serielizados program: the documentary series Black Swan and the fiction series Vestiaires and Los años heridos.

Festival spot

Serielizados focuses the spot for its 12th edition on everyday scenes that usually appear on our screens when we turn them on. Series have become so ingrained in our routines that even pets wait for them impatiently.

Previously announced programming for the 12th Serielizados

Serielizados has already announced the series that will be part of the International Official Selection: A Better Man (Norway, Lithuania), A Life’s Worth (Sweden, France), Empathie (Canada), Reykjavík Fusion (Iceland), Riot Women (United Kingdom), and The Danish Woman (Iceland, France). Additionally, the series Nepobaby, The Gold, Putain, Vanguard, and The Agent – The Life and Lies of My Father will be screened, along with the feature-length documentary ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!.

Regarding previously announced guests, highlights include Sally Wainwright, creator of Happy Valley and Riot Women; Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, known for Severance and starring in Reykjavík Fusion; Trine Dyrholm, lead actress in The Danish Woman and a frequent collaborator of director Thomas Vinterberg; and Mona Masri and Ahmed Abdullahi, writer and director respectively of A Life’s Worth.

Promotional poster for ‘Reykjavik Fusion’

The jury, sponsored by DAMA, that will evaluate the international series will be composed of Paloma Rando (President of the Jury), screenwriter of Mariliendre; Javier Giner, creator of I, Addict, winner of the National Official Selection in the previous edition; and Iria del Río, lead actress of Los años nuevos. The jury for the National Official Selection will include Henriette Steenstrup, known for the series Perni; Argentine critic Diego Batlle; and Jana Daedelow, coordinator of the Berlinale Series Market. The juries of each section will award the following prizes: Best Series, Best Screenplay, and Best Performance. Selected titles will also compete for the Popitas Audience Award and the SAE-CEV Youth Jury Award.

The main program of Serielizados PRO has also been announced, highlighting the first Mind the Gap (an international pitch for series co-productions), masterclasses by Sally Wainwright and Leticia Dolera, and other activities aimed at industry professionals.

Tickets are now available for all festival screenings. Link.

Press accreditations can be requested through this link.

In upcoming communications, Serielizados will announce the online programming, which will be available on Filmin.

The festival is supported by the Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises (Generalitat de Catalunya), the Barcelona Institute of Culture (Ajuntament de Barcelona), and DAMA (Derechos de Autor de Medios Audiovisuales), with the collaboration of AMC+, Fundación SGAE, and Antaviana. Official snack: Popitas. Official aperitif: Campari. Official beer: Moritz.