MADRID — Spain’s newest powerhouse in TV and video rights, Imagina International Sales, said Monday it will add film rights to its repertoire, handling international rights on films produced by its partners as well as pickups from other production houses.
Beatriz Setuain, formerly an international sales executive at Sogepaq, will head the international distribution of films.
“I’m very excited about this new venture,” Setuain told The Hollywood Reporter. “Imagina has proved itself as a powerful force in TV sales and with that backing it now launches into film rights, where there is definitely a market.”
The move fills a void left by Spain’s biggest film and TV titan Sogecable’s decision to freeze its film activities — a move that has seen its sales division Sogepaq halt third-party pickups. Until last year, Sogepaq handled international sales for much of the Spanish film industry’s hottest titles.
Imagina International Sales is a holding created by Spain’s two biggest TV producers — Grupo Arbol and Mediapro — and handles their products as well as those of 10 other independents.
The new film sales branch will debut at the European Film Market in Berlin in February.
