Berlinale’s “House of the Spirits,” “Laza Brava,” and “The Hidden Island.”

From Pablo Larrain’s Jackie, Spencer and Maria to Oscar-winning Sebastian Lelio’s Fantastic Woman, Chile has built an international reputation for author-driven films.

But at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival, the country’s television shows are equally in the spotlight. With three series lined up: “The House of the Spirits” (Berlinale Special), the soccer-themed “Raza Brava” and the thriller “Hidden Island” (all in the Berlinale Series Market Select), Chile has the largest drama series presence of any country at this year’s festival, second only to Spain.

“Chilean filmmakers are taking a little bit more risk than in other parts of Latin America, making very high-quality work on low budgets, so they want their work to be produced and hopefully distributed around the world,” said Eric Barmack, former Netflix international head of Los Angeles-based Wild Sheep Content, which co-produced “Raza Brava.”

“We believe this is an industry that is always evolving and expanding, with incredible talent. That said, there is still a lot of work to do, especially in terms of funding. We are also supported by public funds, but we are fully funding the series. And compared to the United States, there is very little private investment willing to take risks in this industry, which remains one of our biggest challenges,” says screenwriter, showrunner and actress Fernanda Urehola. Spirit house. ”

“Spirit House”

The highly anticipated limited series features an Ibero-American cast and crew and was filmed entirely in Chile. This is Prime Video’s most ambitious series in the region to date, and in fact is the most expensive series ever produced in Chile.

The series, an adaptation of Chilean author Isabel Allende’s 1982 debut novel that has sold more than 70 million copies worldwide, stars a formidable troika of Chilean talent: Francisca Alegría (The Cow Who Sang to the Future), Andres Wood (Sundance Award winner Violeta Gone to Heaven), and showrunner and screenwriter Fernanda Urehola (Narcos: Mexico). mission. Wood and Alegría each directed four episodes, while Urehola played a key role in the show.

The family story, told over half a century, features three generations of women: Clara, Blanca and Alba. Narrated by Alba in the 1970s, the story shifts between past and present as she turns to her grandmother Clara’s diary to understand her family’s history and the divided soul of her homeland. Through Clara’s reminiscences, we follow the rise of the Trueba family, from country mansions to elite salons, amid deepening social divisions where love, power, and politics collide.

Alegría, who was at EFM with Quijote Films producer Giancarlo Nasi to screen his second feature film, Nacimiento, recalled the challenges of multi-generational casting and working with at least 200 cast members every day. “We had to think very carefully: at what ages do we need to cast, when do we need to change actors or actresses, how many actresses will play each character, etc.,” she recalls.

The series is produced by FilmNation Entertainment (“Anora” and “Conclave”). Production services were provided by Pablo de Dios and Juan de Dios Larrain’s Fabula.

“Raza Brava”

Among the 17 scripted series being previewed exclusively at Berlinale Series Market Select, Laza Brava is set in the Chilean soccer underworld and follows Balti, a boy from the slums who rises through the ranks of the Gala Blanca, an enthusiastic supporter of the Colocolo soccer team. As power struggles and crime lead to betrayal, he must choose between loyalty and survival.

Produced and co-directed by International. Emmy Award winner Hernán Cafiero (“Suspended Mourning”) says he was inspired by Brazil’s “City of God.” Director Fernando Meirelles’s film is a moving portrayal of a young boy growing up in a harsh world of gang violence, drugs, and poverty in a shantytown in Rio de Janeiro.

During a show at Madrid’s Iber Series last October, Barmack pointed out that Colo Colo is one of the top five or six clubs in Latin America, and that Cafiero has created a story of football opening doors, but that the drama within is one that has universal resonance, especially in Latin America, where the sport is closely tied to identity, pride and struggle.

The film is produced by DeCulto with co-producers Wild Sheep Content and Atómica Group.

Spain’s The Mediapro Studio Distribution will handle worldwide sales. The production will compete for the newly introduced Studio Babelsberg Production Excellence Award.

“Hidden Island” (“Isla oculta”)

It is also part of a scripted series participating in the Berlinale Series Market Select, and is scheduled to be screened on February 16th. “Hidden Island” is set in southern Patagonia, where a detective investigates the disappearance of a Mexican archeology student who was searching the mythical Friendship Island in Chile, where extraterrestrial activity and people have been reported to have disappeared. The detective will be played by Daniela Ramirez, who was nominated for an International Emmy Award for her performance in the HBO Max limited series “Isabelle: The Intimate Story of Isabel Allende.”

Part thriller, part mystery, the show was produced by Pablo Díaz del Rio of Rio Estudios, with TVCO responsible for the rest of the world and sales for Latin America. It boasts a talented team of writers, led by Julio Rojas (podcasts “Case 63,” “Midnight Family”), Felipe Carmona (“Andean Prison”), and Juan d’Artizio (“The Unknown Enemy”).

Rodrigo Susarte, whose credits include “Gen Mishima” and “Invanche,” directed all six episodes.

“Hidden Island” will also compete in the newly introduced Studio Babelsberg Production Excellence Award. The award recognizes outstanding production quality, including creative vision, execution, innovative approach and international appeal.