The fiction series El observatorio, created by Laura Roqué, Luis Sorolla, and Eloy Moreno, has been named the winner of Mind the Gap, the international project pitch session organized by Serielizados PRO. The project received a 5,500-euro prize at the event, which celebrated its second edition this year.
The recognition comes at a time of growing interest in identifying and supporting new European series in their early stages, before they reach platforms or networks. Mind the Gap has established itself as a key space for connecting creators with international sales agents and content executives from major operators.
Ten projects competing at the SGAE headquarters
The presentation took place at the SGAE headquarters in Catalonia, where ten projects selected from an international call for entries were showcased, alongside collaboration agreements that Serielizados PRO maintains with other festivals and markets such as Seriencamp, held in Cologne (Germany), ECAM Forum, and Iberseries & Platino Industria.
The goal of Mind the Gap is to identify first seasons of series or miniseries that are still in development or pre-production to help them advance toward production. El observatorio arrived at this event in Barcelona after having participated in the ECAM Forum last June.
What is El observatorio about?
The series, which does not yet have an associated production company, takes place in a small town in the Sierra Morena region plagued by depopulation, around the year 2011. A couple of astrophysicists live there, their romantic relationship intertwined with their work at a large astronomical observatory installed in the town.
The plot begins when an inexplicable light appears in the sky, blinking in a rhythmic pattern that defies any scientific explanation. Sara, one of the two protagonists, is grieving the recent death of her father and begins to suspect that the light could be a form of communication with him, an idea that deeply unsettles Gabi, her partner.
The project is conceived as a six-episode series of 45 minutes each, combining dramedy with rural science fiction. Underlying themes include the clash between reason and faith, the search for meaning in life, unresolved grief, and individualism.
Special mentions and other awards from the gala
The Mind the Gap jury also awarded two special mentions. One went to Callback, the new series by the Vilapuig sisters, creators of Selftape, alongside Diego Vega, produced by Funicular Films and Left Tackle Films. The other recognized Dangerous Woman, a project created by the Finnish producer Marika Makaroff and produced by Gutsy Pictures.
Additionally, Callback received an extra prize awarded by Konga Music, specifically intended for a Spanish project participating in the pitch session.
The international jury was composed of Ben Driscoll, Head of Programming and Lead Series Curator at MUBI; Laura Escrivá from Movistar Plus; Peter Lohner, Vice President of International and Hispanic Acquisitions at Beta Film; Susanne Frank, Director of Drama at ZDF Studios; and Alexios Kastrissianakis, commissioning editor for digital content at ARTE France.
A joint award for 3Cat and HBO Max Spain
During the same Serielizados PRO gala, a joint award from Audiovisual451 and Serielizados was presented for the first time, designed to recognize the work of professionals, companies, or institutions that stood out in the field of series in Spain over the last year.
This inaugural award went to the joint work of the fiction department of 3Cat and the acquisitions department of HBO Max Spain for their collaboration on the production of series such as Pubertat, Ravalear, and In Vitro, the latter of which was recently released. Both operators also maintain an active collaboration on Los huérfanos, which is currently filming in Catalonia.
The award was accepted by Oriol Sala-Patau and Conxa Orea, representing 3Cat, and by Jessica Ortiz and Joana Silva, on behalf of HBO Max Spain. It was presented by Irene Jiménez, co-founder of Audiovisual451, and Víctor Sala, co-director of Serielizados.
Who are the creators of El observatorio?
Laura Roqué is a director and screenwriter. She has directed the comedy short film Niu (2026), supported by ICAA and ICEC and selected for the Acció Curts program by Dones Visuals, as well as Estius i hiverns (2025, presented at L'Alternativa). She also wrote the audio fiction El día que murió la música (2025) and is currently developing her first feature film.
Luis Sorolla is a screenwriter, actor, playwright, and theater director. He has been a resident playwright at the Centro Dramático Nacional and an associate artist at the Teatro de la Abadía, with premieres at the Teatro Español, the Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico, and in France, Mexico, and the United States. As an actor, he has participated in Se tiene que morir mucha gente (2026, Movistar Plus) and Déjate ver (2023, Atresmedia). He is currently developing a feature film and preparing his first short film.
Eloy Moreno is a screenwriter and Head of Content and Development at Dadá Films, a production company for which he has written on series such as Ultras (HBO, 2026), Tras el Cristal (HBO, 2026), and Dani Fernández: Todo Cambia (Movistar Plus, 2025). Independently, he has written and directed STOCK (2025) and is currently immersed in the development of two fiction feature films.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Serielizados PRO’s Mind the Gap?
It is an international series project pitch session organized by Serielizados PRO, aimed at first seasons in the development or pre-production phase, with the goal of boosting their path toward production.
What was the prize won by El observatorio?
The series received a 5,500-euro prize after being chosen as the winner among the ten projects presented in the 2026 edition of Mind the Gap.
What is the series El observatorio about?
It is set around 2011 in a depopulated town in the Sierra Morena, where a couple of astrophysicists face an inexplicable light in the sky that one of them, while grieving, believes could be a sign from her deceased father.
Who created El observatorio?
The project is signed by Laura Roqué, director and screenwriter; Luis Sorolla, screenwriter, actor, and playwright; and Eloy Moreno, screenwriter and Head of Content and Development at Dadá Films.
What other projects received mentions at Mind the Gap 2026?
The jury highlighted with special mentions Callback, by the Vilapuig sisters and Diego Vega, and Dangerous Woman, created by the Finnish Marika Makaroff. Callback also received an additional prize from Konga Music.
What other award was presented during the Serielizados PRO gala?
A joint award from Audiovisual451 and Serielizados was presented for the first time, which in this edition recognized the collaboration between the fiction department of 3Cat and the acquisitions department of HBO Max Spain.
