Álex De la Iglesia and Carolina Bang’s Pokeepsie Films Turns 10

Pokeepsie Films has cause for celebration. This month, the Madrid-based production business has three new premieres on three distinct streaming platforms, making for an excellent release schedule. The company is also celebrating its tenth anniversary, having been started by real-life partners actress and producer Carolina Bang and filmmaker and genre writer Álex De la Iglesia. 

Over the past ten years, Pokeepsie has subtly become a unique shelter for Spanish talent, to the extent that in 2022, the global Banijay provided backing to finance their ambitious television and cinema projects.

"With the release of these three premieres, we are incredibly proud to wrap up our tenth anniversary year," the company's CEO, Bang, continues. "2024 has given us an amazing year-end that shows our continued dedication to innovation and fortifies our resolve to produce shows, even though this was not our original plan."  that appeal to a wide range of audiences."

When taken as a whole, the three new December releases sum up the production company's reputation as a place where both well-known and up-and-coming musicians can work on entertaining personal projects. The group provides a venue for aspiring and experienced writers and filmmakers to work on a range of genres, such as thrillers, horror, and comedy.

De la Iglesia asserts that "passion is our greatest hallmark." "We at Pokeepsie have a deep passion for films, and it permeates every aspect of our work."

Poughkeepsie is also responsible for the internationally released horror series The Fear Collection, which is supported by Sony Pictures and Amazon Prime Video and features talent such as regular De la Iglesia writing collaborator Jorge Guerricaechevaría (Venicefrenia) and REC director Jaume Balagueró (Venus).

"When it comes to our productions, we take great pride in our versatility," De la Iglesia continues. "Our three upcoming premieres reflect this diversity."

The first of the December streaming trifecta, 1992, the latest murder mystery thriller series from De la Iglesia himself, was made available on Netflix on December 13. The plot revolves around a series of mysterious murders in which the victim's body is burned along with a doll that was left by their side. The well-known mascot of the 1992 Expo in Seville, Curro, is not your typical doll.

Fans of Bilbao-born De la Iglesia's unique approach, which typically blends black humor with suspense and fantasy, will like the return to the 1990s when the director first became well-known with films like Day of the Beast (1995) and Perdita Durango (1997). In recent years, his name has become even more prominent to viewers worldwide thanks to streaming programs like HBO Max's 30 Coins (30 Monedas).

The next item on Pokeepsie's December calendar is the science fiction serial Sanctuary (Santuario), which will premiere on the Spanish platform Atresplayer on December 22. The popular television series The Handmaid's Tale is reminiscent of Sanctuary, which is set in an apocalyptic future where women must spend their pregnancies alone in a climate-controlled dome. Although they have always been told that the dome is for their benefit, they discover that it might not be.

De la Iglesia said, " One of our primary objectives has always been to foster bold and innovative concepts and introduce new talent to the film business. Santuario is an excellent illustration of this dedication."

The program is based on the well-known local podcast of the same name. The eight 50-minute episodes are being directed by two in-house mentored creatives, Zoe Berriatúa and Rodrigo Ruiz-Gallardón. Ruiz-Gallardón has directed HBO's Headless Chickens (Pollos Sin Cabeza), while Berriatúa has written and directed for earlier Pokeepsie shows (The Heroes of Evil, En las Estrellas). Aura Garrido and Lucía Guerrero are the main actors.