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

There's reason to celebrate Pokeepsie Films. With three new premieres on three different streaming platforms this month, the Madrid-based production company has an impressive release schedule. In addition, the company, which was founded by real-life partners Álex De la Iglesia, director and genre writer, and actress and producer Carolina Bang, is commemorating its tenth anniversary.

Pokeepsie has quietly established itself as a distinctive haven for Spanish talent over the past ten years, to the point where in 2022 they received support from the multinational Banijay to fund their ambitious film and television projects.

"With the release of these three premieres, we are incredibly proud to wrap up our tenth anniversary year," adds Bang, CEO of the company. "Even though this was not our original plan, 2024 has given us an incredible year-end that demonstrates our continued commitment to innovation and strengthens our resolve to produce shows that appeal to a wide range of audiences."

When combined, the three new December releases perfectly capture the production company's image as a venue for both established and emerging artists to create audience-pleasing personal projects. The organization gives both up-and-coming and seasoned authors and filmmakers a platform to work on a variety of genres, including humor, horror, and thrillers.

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

Pokeepsie is also behind The Fear Collection of internationally distributed horror series, backed by Sony Pictures and Amazon Prime Video, and involving talents like REC director Jaume Balagueró (Venus) and regular De la Iglesia writing partner Jorge Guerricaechevaría (Venicefrenia), among others.


"We take great pride in our versatility when it comes to our productions," De la Iglesia continues. “This diversity is reflected in our three upcoming premieres.”

The most recent murder mystery thriller series from De la Iglesia himself, 1992, was released on Netflix on December 13th, marking the first of the December streaming trifecta. The plot centers on a string of enigmatic killings, each of which results in the victim's body and a doll left by their side being burned. Curro, the famous mascot of the 1992 Expo in Seville, is not just any doll.

The throwback to the 1990s, when the filmmaker initially gained popularity with films like Day of the Beast (1995) and Perdita Durango (1997), will be appreciated by fans of Bilbao-born De la Iglesia's distinctive style, which usually combines black humor with suspense and fantasy. Due to streaming shows like HBO Max's 30 Coins (30 Monedas), his name has been even more well-known to audiences throughout the world in recent years.

The science fiction serial Sanctuary (Santuario), which will debut on the Spanish platform atresplayer on December 22, is the next item in Pokeepsie's December schedule. Sanctuary, which is set in an apocalyptic future where women must spend their pregnancies alone in a climate-controlled dome, is reminiscent of the popular television series The Handmaid's Tale. They learn that the dome may not be for their own benefit, despite the fact that they have always been assured it is.

Opening the film industry to fresh talent and supporting audacious and creative ideas has always been one of our main goals, according to De la Iglesia. "Santuario is an excellent illustration of this dedication."

The show is based on the same-titled, highly regarded podcast in the area. Both Zoe Berriatúa and Rodrigo Ruiz-Gallardón, two in-house mentored creatives, are directing the eight 50-minute episodes. Berriatúa has directed and written for previous Pokeepsie products (The Heroes of Evil, En las Estrellas), and Ruiz-Gallardón has directed HBO's Headless Chickens (Pollos Sin Cabeza). Starring are Lucía Guerrero and Aura Garrido.