- The tenth edition of the forum will address, from 25th to 28th May, topics ranging from artificial intelligence to the creator economy, with exclusive matchmaking spaces
- Magaluf hosts the event in the context of the ‘Year of Cinema’ with the aim of showcasing the municipality as an ideal location for films and advertising
- The mayor, Juan Antonio Amengual, has thanked the Balearic Government for its support through the ITS in transforming Magaluf's international image
- ‘Se tiene que morir mucha gente’ the Movistar Plus+ original series, will be presented at CONECTA with a special screening open to the public of Calvià
CONECTA Magaluf presented its programme this Wednesday at a press conference, featuring more than 40 activities organised around the major themes transforming the audiovisual industry: the widespread adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence, the consolidation of global entertainment supergroups, the rise of microdrama, new content financing models, and, as a cross-cutting theme throughout the entire programme, the Intellectual Property (IP).
The presentation took place on the terrace of the Club Oceans Calvià Beach, located on Magaluf beach. There, the Mayor of Calvià, Juan Antonio Amengual, highlighted the municipality's commitment to the audiovisual sector, which has resulted in various initiatives during 2026, such as the ‘Calvià, Film Set’ film route and the Conecta event. According to the Mayor, this “contributes to the transformation of Magaluf into a destination that champions literature, music, and culture in general.”
For his part, the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports of the Balearic Government, Jaume Bauzà, emphasised the key role of the audiovisual sector as an engine of diversification and excellence. “Investing in events like Conecta consolidates the Balearic Islands as a benchmark for the creative industry on an international scale,” Bauzà stated. The Regional Minister also emphasised that "the support of the Balearic Government through the ICIB and the Sustainable Tourism Tax reaffirms our commitment to a model that unites culture, technology, and quality tourism that generates value throughout the year."
The Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Elisa Monserrat, highlighted the importance of holding top-tier events that position Magaluf as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination. In fact, the support offered by the Balearic Government through the Sustainable Tourism Tax will, according to her, serve to "continue attracting a large number of initiatives to Magaluf that position us as a quality destination."
The Island Councillor for Culture, Antonia Roca, believes that Conecta is a "key opportunity to place Mallorca on the international map of the audiovisual sector." “Within this framework,” she explained, “Conecta Creative Lab becomes a strategic space for reflection and innovation that reinforces our commitment to talent, creativity, and the development of the industry.”
The event director, Géraldine Gonard, presented a summary of the programme's content, highlighting that “we will offer more than 40 activities with the participation of nearly 100 speakers, in a year in which we are celebrating our tenth anniversary in a very special way. For this reason, we will pay tribute to a great journalist and international reference in specialised information, John Hopewell, in addition to the presentation, with a special screening open to the public, of the Movistar Plus+ original series ‘Se tiene que morir mucha gente’. We will also focus on all the profiles that structure our industry: from creators to distributors, including commissioners, investors, producers, and digital content generators, without forgetting the press, whose work is fundamental to all of us.”
Amongst those attending the event were the director of ICIB, Diana de la Cuadra, and Raquel Aguilera, director of projects, programmes, and productions from IB3, the media outlet promoting the event, which will take place from 25th to 28th May in Magaluf.
The director of the ICIB emphasised that CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca responds to a need for the Balearic Islands to have an international forum where the local audiovisual sector can grow and expand nationally and internationally: “We are crossing the invisible border of the Mediterranean, this time in reverse. With CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca, we are attracting the most relevant players in the sector to our island, with the conviction that this will generate connections, boost our industry, and increase its competitiveness.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2026 PROGRAMME
‘Se tiene que morir mucha gente’, the Movistar Plus+ original series, will be presented at CONECTA with a special screening open to the public in Calvià.
The Movistar Plus+ original series, produced in collaboration with Corte y Confección de Películas and Living Producciones, stars Anna Castillo (winner of two Goya Awards for 'El olivo' and 'Viaje al cuarto de una madre'), Macarena García (winner of the Goya Award for Best New Actress for 'Blancanieves'), and Laura Weissmahr (winner of the Goya Award for Best New Actress for 'Salve María’).
The series was created by Victoria Martín and is based on her successful novel of the same name. Its premiere is scheduled for 21st May on Movistar Plus+, while CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca will host its big-screen presentation at the Peguera Auditorium, also known as Casal de Peguera, on Wednesday, 27th May at 7:00 p.m.
AI and vertical micro-dramas on trial
The programme's most anticipated debate places artificial intelligence at the centre of attention. In a unique session titled "AI and vertical micro-dramas on trial" (Wednesday, 27th, 3:30-5:00 p.m.), María Rua Aguete, an analyst from the renowned consulting firm Omdia, will lead a mock trial in which key voices from the industry, technology, and the digital content creator sphere will confront arguments about the real impact of AI on audiovisual media (opportunities, risks, and ethical boundaries), as well as the emergence of vertical micro-dramas and their dual nature as a natural evolution of content consumption or a break from traditional media. All of this will take place before an audience that will act as both jury and stakeholder.
The reflection on technology does not end there: the ‘AI Workshop: Creating and producing a vertical series’ (Tuesday 26, 3:00- 5:30 p.m.) will demonstrate in real time how far generative tools have come: in less than three hours, creator Paco Torres will produce a complete episode of a vertical series in front of the audience using exclusively artificial intelligence models.
Market analysis with the most influential consulting firms
The market analysis track will kick off on Tuesday 26th with two sessions led by some of the most respected research firms in the industry. Jonathan Broughton of PlumResearch will headline ‘Focus on Fiction: What comes next?’ (10:00 a.m.), while Caroline Servy of The Wit will do the same for the Entertainment genre (10:30 a.m.). Both sessions will offer a forward-looking perspective on where the markets for both genres are headed globally.
High-level matchmaking: where the conversations that matter happen
One of the highlights of this edition is the Conecta SUMMIT (Tuesday 26th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.), a space designed on the premise that the most relevant conversations in the industry rarely take place on a stage. The invitation-only event will bring together a select group of 20 international executives from studios, platforms, production companies, and Big Tech in a private environment, free from press, recordings, and source attribution, to address the issues shaping the current global content business. This is not a moderated panel discussion, but rather a direct exchange amongst peers who share decision-making responsibilities, aiming to lay the groundwork for future international collaborations.
Meanwhile, the Conecta CREATIVE LAB 2026 (Monday, October 25th, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) is solidifying its position as the event's international think tank. The CONECTA Mallorca Report, a strategic document outlining key conclusions and recommendations for the future of the audiovisual sector, will be produced as a result of this meeting. This event, although with limited capacity, is open to professionals and offers separate accreditation.
Complementing this high-level networking offer is the ‘Focus on Commissioners’ session, where programming directors from some of the major European networks and platforms will explain firsthand what content they are seeking. Confirmed participants include Morad Koufane (France Télévisions), Alberto Fernández (RTVE Play), Michele Zatta (RAI), and Ludovica Fonda (Mediaset Group).
The new entertainment landscape: supergroups, distributors, and digital creators
The structural transformation of the television format and entertainment market will be the focus of some of the programme's most strategic panels. The session ‘Formats: revitalisation, consolidation and launch’ (Tuesday 26th, 12:30 – 13:30 p.m.) will bring together André Renaud from Warner Bros. Discovery, and Nick Smith from All3Media, to analyse how concentration in large international groups is conditioning the development of projects and the control of intellectual property on a global scale.
From the perspective of independent distributors, ‘Focus on Distributors: Face to face with the market’ (Wednesday 27th, 15:00 – 16:00 p.m.) will give a voice to the most innovative indie distributors that continue to resist in an environment marked by constant mergers and acquisitions. Avi Armoza of Armoza Formats, Miroslav Radojevic of Global Agency, and Simone de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne of Primitives will share the keys to their business models.
The tension between linear channels and new digital-first content creators will be the focus of another of the most anticipated sessions: ‘Creators vs Broadcasters: Who controls the future of entertainment?’ (Wednesday 27th , 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.). Sebastian van Barneveld (Talpa Studios), María Arroyo (Seven.One Studios), and Catherine Alvaresse (Banijay France) will discuss how digitally native talent, production companies, and networks and platforms are redefining the ownership and development of entertainment formats.
Micro-dramas, financing and creator economy: opportunities for production companies
The rise of micro-drama as a new genre of fiction for mobile screens will have its own space in the ‘Focus on Microdrama: Deciding when to enter the game’ (Wednesday 27th , 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.). American producer Jay Blumenfield of The Jay & Tony Show and Portuguese producer João Maia Abreu of SPi will explain the real opportunities of a format that has captivated millions of viewers worldwide.
For those needing practical tools to finance their upcoming productions, the programme includes the ‘Workshop Financing : How to structure your project’ (Tuesday 26th , 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.), where Luis Piñas (Bankinter), Alexandra Lebret (AXIO Capital), and Sebastián Vibes (Green Screen) will share their knowledge of financial structuring for audiovisual projects.
Emerging talent and sport
CONECTA reaffirms its commitment to emerging talent through the second edition of Pitch Talent (Tuesday 26th, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.), an initiative developed in collaboration with the screenwriting labs IsLABentura Canarias, CIMA Impulsa, and DAMA Ayuda. This initiative aims to offer visibility to emerging screenwriters and creatives selected by each lab, who will be joined by the Mallorcan screenwriter and director, Ferrán Bex. After the individual presentations of their fiction projects, the four participants will share a discussion moderated by screenwriter and showrunner Curro Royo.
The programme also includes a breakfast in collaboration with the Television Academy dedicated to original sports content, with the participation of Marta García (IB3), Javier Martínez (You First-Gersh), and Juan Andrés García ‘Bropi’ (Movistar Plus+), moderated by sports journalist Matías Prats Chacón.
Access the complete event programme: www.eventconecta.com/programa-general/
Conecta Magaluf belongs to the Event Conecta umbrella brand created by Inside Content, which brings together various professional and international events dedicated to boosting the audiovisual industry. Under this platform, specialised activities are developed that connect creativity, business, and technology, and that strengthen collaboration between Europe and the Americas. Its flagship event, Conecta FICTION & ENTERTAINMENT, renamed CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca for its tenth anniversary, is positioned amongst the top ten international markets in the audiovisual sector.
Throughout the year, Conecta develops activities in different locations, both nationally and internationally, under various brands: FICTION & ENTERTAINMENT (content), DIGITAL (technology and innovation), CREATIVE LAB (creation and trends), and FEST (exhibition and screenings), amongst others.
CONECTA Magaluf will take place from 25th to 28th May 2026, on Magaluf beach in Calvià. The event is held in partnership with Calvià Town Hall, thanks to the support of the Balearic Islands Government's Sustainable Tourism Tax, and has the collaboration of the Balearic Islands Government's Institute of Cultural Industries (ICIB) and the support of IB3 Public Radio and Television of the Balearic Islands, the Council of Mallorca, and the Palma City Council. The design and production of CONECTA Magaluf is handled by Inside Content.
