The eighth edition of Conecta Fiction & Entertainment has begun and will run until June 21, featuring an agenda with 71 activities and 175 speakers. On the first day, there were discussions on key global, regional, and local trends, along with pitching sessions from various territories.
The day started with a keynote presented by María Rúa Aguete, Sr. Research Director Media & Entertainment at OMDIA (UK). She shared global trends identified by the company in the industry. Among these, she highlighted that by 2028, the FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) market is expected to reach $12 billion, led by the U.S., which currently has the most FAST channels, with almost 2,000—triple the number in the second-largest country, the UK. Additionally, she explained that this sector's growth has allowed hardware companies like Roku to profit more from their FAST channels through advertising than from equipment sales. “There's no more money in selling hardware,” she said.
Ana Marques, Executive Director at Portugal Film Commission; Susana Gato, Executive President of APIT; and Catarina Duff Burnay, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Master's in Communication Studies at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, discussed Portugal's growing audiovisual activity. They highlighted the country's fiscal incentive systems and unique features: natural and historical richness, short distances, accessible locations, six airports, five ports, stability, and experienced professionals. They also mapped the audiovisual media landscape, showing gradual and moderate growth in OTT consumption. A subsequent panel moderated by José Machado from Gray Film featured Leonel Vieira (Volf Entertainment), Piethein Bakker (Plural Entertainment), José Eduardo Moniz (TVI Portugal), and Ricardo Carbonero (Prime Video Portugal & Spain). They explained the transition from state-financed Portuguese productions to the current scenario where various players produce series, influenced by the recent establishment of platforms. They also noted the rise in high-quality telenovelas with notable improvements in storytelling and cinematography.
Phillipe Carrasco, Head of Film and TV Content Partnerships at YouTube Brazil, discussed how the company collaborates with major Brazilian networks like Globo and new streaming players like Cazé TV. “We approach the market with the idea of exploring and enhancing specific IPs rather than executing an entire brand strategy,” he explained. An example of this is the launch of the YouTube Original "Novelei," a series produced with Globo where local content creators participate in crafting a story where telenovelas (one of Brazil's most popular genres) have vanished. Carrasco highlighted that YouTube adds value by offering complementary audiences for regular IPs, proving effective as a second window. He also announced that YouTube is working with Sony to produce four episodes of "Shark Tank," featuring content creators, to be premiered first on YouTube and then on linear TV.
The panel “Deciphering Spanish Fiscal Incentives” was moderated by Elisa García Grande from ICEX-Invest in Spain and included Yousaf Bokhari (Palma Pictures Spain) and Helena Suárez (Écija). They outlined the differences between co-production incentives with a Spanish partner and those of a service company. The experts advised productions to hire specialized accountants for these matters, independent of other business areas. They also provided tips for projects needing upfront financing, recommending the use of specialized service companies and strategically aligning production registrations with the fiscal year.
In the panel “Conecta Digital: Fearless AI. Embracing Responsibility Amidst Chaos,” Pilar Sánchez-Bleda from Auren, Paco Torres from Blend Studios, and Hilario Abado, a filmmaker, scriptwriter, and post-producer, discussed the current and future challenges of implementing artificial intelligence in content production. They agreed that AI is here to stay but emphasized the need for careful use. Pilar Sánchez-Bleda explained, “Humans currently decide what to do with their works. Generative AI systems need data to create new content and have used works not yet in the public domain. Today, AI-generated content cannot be protected and does not generate copyright.” They discussed how AI systems might compensate authors and the necessity of flexible regulation for these technologies.
The Toledo Room hosted the Amazon Studios keynote. Lily Ford, a journalist from The Hollywood Reporter, interviewed Javiera Balmaceda, who, despite a hoarse voice from the climate changes, emphasized Amazon's powerful storytelling that aims to reach larger audiences. Amazon focuses on combining local stories with local talent, a formula that has worked well in Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Balmaceda also mentioned that while great stories have global appeal, humor can be complex due to cultural differences. She dismissed content that explicitly dictates how the audience should think and saw AI as a tool to be used responsibly, emphasizing it would never replace human creativity.
Next, it was the turn of American companies to present their productions. Pablo Ghilione, Head of International Co-productions at Globo, opened the session by highlighting the company's diverse platform ecosystem, which includes linear TV and streaming. He emphasized that this setup allows them to be “leaders in all markets, except for Globoplay, which is second.” Ghilione explained that currently, the company is working on multiple projects across various genres, including telenovelas, series, miniseries, documentaries, movies, and animated designs, mostly produced in-house but also in collaboration with local production companies. Internationally, Globo recently worked on two productions with Sony, “Passport to Freedom” and “Rio Connection,” which Sony distributes globally. They also announced a four-co-production deal with Disney, with more information about the first project to be revealed soon. Ghilione mentioned that Globo aims to engage in international co-productions that make sense for the company: “We are interested in working with players who allow us not to split the window in Brazil.” He further explained that they focus on two aspects for each production: It should be a “mainstream” project, aiming to reach the largest possible audience, and it should have the potential for multiple seasons.
Following this, Georgina González, VP, Global Scripted Series at Universal International Studios, explained that the company's focus is not confined to one territory but seeks opportunities worldwide, with particular attention to certain genres and themes. She mentioned that the company aims to elevate the prestige of procedural content, bring back “Blue Sky Shows,” and create or acquire more series related to sports. González also highlighted that thrillers, dramas, romances, action, and adventure are among the genres they are focusing on the most. Moreover, the company plans to bring characters from Universal's monster universe back to the screen, always prioritizing diverse stories and voices in their productions.
From The Walt Disney Company Latin America, Leonardo Aranguibel, VP of Production, and Mariana Pérez, VP of Development and Production, presented seven new series produced in Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, set to premiere soon on Disney+. When defining the genres the company produces, Mariana Pérez stated: “There is no formula for what we are looking for; all genres can be accessible to our platform if there is a good idea behind them.” Leonardo Aranguibel added: “We need content that is extremely relevant locally, for the market where we make it. Besides the content, it is very important to connect the content to the best local talent.” In Brazil, the company produced the dramas “Cross Game” (“Jogo Cruzado”) and “Capoeiras”; in Mexico, the comedies “Between Walls” and “Mama Cake”; and in Argentina, they produced the thriller “The Absent Voice,” “The Best Heart Attack of My Life,” featuring a cameo by Airbnb founder Joe Gebbia, and the third season of “The Boss,” which will premiere on the platform on July 19.
Next, Jarmo Lampela from YLE & New 8, Michele Zatta from RAI Fiction, and Wolfgang Feindt from ZDF discussed the current situation of their companies and where the production focus is placed. All three executives emphasized the importance of international collaboration with other companies. Lampela explained that YLE is currently exploring new formats, such as miniseries, and highlighted the variety of content they offer: “Crime, family drama, comedy, animation—we have it all.” Zatta noted RAI's current position in Italy, with around 70% market share, and explained that their audience focus has changed in recent years: “We are developing more programs aimed at young people. If parents see their children are interested in a program, they will be curious to see what their children like.” Feindt added that, from ZDF’s perspective, when starting to work together with other companies, ZDF is clear about what it looks for: “ZDF must be a minority partner, with a total budget of 500,000 to 5 million euros per episode, and have exclusivity in our territory. We seek strong partnerships with (public) broadcasters, distributors, and producers.” Currently, RAI and ZDF are working on two joint productions, “The Collective” and “Kabul,” which are in the production stage.
“Mastering of Marketing Content” was a Masterclass led by Isabelle Hen-Wollmarker, a Marketing, Media & Innovation Expert, in collaboration with G.E.M.A (The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy Sciences). The expert presented her key learnings in marketing interactively and engagingly. Through various examples, she provided insights on audience thinking, interaction, channels, and budgeting. It was a relaxed talk where the audience even competed for Swiss chocolate.
The panel “Operation Triumph: A New Approach to Entertainment” was moderated by Irene Jiménez, Editor of Audiovisual 451. The panelists included María José Rodríguez from Amazon Prime Video, Tinet Rubira, an executive from Gestmusic Banijay, Óscar Prol, representing Amazon Prime Video, and Chenoa, the presenter of “Operación Triunfo” (OT). The discussion highlighted that OT is an ideal content for Prime Video because it is innovative, bold, entertaining, and generates significant audience anticipation. The executives noted that as early as 2017, they identified its digital potential, being the first of its kind to launch from a platform. They also emphasized that the format always demanded to be live and announced a new edition with a premiere date to be determined soon. Additionally, they integrated various Amazon developments and businesses into OT's multiplatform universe.
Finally, the panel “Deciphering the Docudrama: Impact and Strategies” featured Julia Groszark, a Polish documentary director, Aubrey Kamga, Sales Manager at ARTE France Développement, and Sergio Nakasone, Content Entertainment Development Director at Warner Bros. Discovery LatAm. They discussed how to make a documentary series successful. The three participants agreed that the key stages for any documentary are access to information, development, and editing. “You have to find the best characters. You have to earn the trust of the protagonists to show us the whole story,” said Groszark. Kamga explained that “the success of the docuseries lies in the exclusivity of access to information and how immersive it is,” to which Nakasone added: “Any documentary that meets these three criteria will do well. If it meets none, it is impossible.” They also explained that the sooner the parties get involved in the production process, the better, as each can contribute from their role to the final creation. ARTE is currently working on four new documentaries: "Mafia & Banks," "The Gospel of Wealth" (entirely in archives), "Triads: The Chinese Mafia's Conquest of the World," and "The Thing: America’s Invisible Enemy" (in production for Canal+). Meanwhile, WBD announced “The Narcosatanic” for Mexico.
The day ended with the premiere of “Vidas Bandidas,” a new Brazilian action-drama series from Star Original Productions. It tells the story of Serginho (Rodrigo Simas) and Raimundo (Thomás Aquino), accomplices working for Bruna's gang (Juliana Paes), robbing tourists in Rio de Janeiro. A botched heist sets off a chain of revenge-driven plots for lives that follow no plan. “Vidas Bandidas” revolves around revenge, a sentiment that corrodes the ability to reason and drives characters to take completely unanticipated actions. It will premiere soon on Disney+.
By Federico Martínez and Alan Levy, from Toledo