The prestigious CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca successfully launched its 10th-anniversary edition last week (May 25–28, 2026), solidifying its position as a top-tier international market for the audiovisual sector.
Held in the heart of Calvià, the event served as a hub for industry leaders to discuss the future of content, technology, and global production.
The opening ceremony, hosted at the INNSiDE by Meliá Calvià Beach hotel, welcomed 150 elite delegates. Regional authorities, including the Mayor of Calvià, Juan Antonio Amengual, and representatives from the Government of the Balearic Islands, underscored the event’s importance as a cultural, economic, and tourism driver for the region.
Event Director Géraldine Gonard highlighted the CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca’s evolution, noting, “We were founded with the aim of being a space where the industry can reflect on itself, discuss its future and generate the projects that will shape the coming decade.”
High-Level Networking and Global Decision-Makers
The CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca Summit convened 20 of the world’s most influential audiovisual decision-makers to tackle the industry’s most pressing challenge: protecting and monetizing IP in a market increasingly dominated by digital-first formats and AI. Key international executives in attendance included Kai Finke (SkyShowtime), Ricardo Cabornero (Prime Video), Mariano César (HBO Max), José Eduardo Moniz (TVI), Emilio Sánchez (atresplayer), Anastasiia Alieksieieva (Holywater), and Sara Fernández-Velasco (Grupo iZen).
Key Takeaways from the 2026 Edition of CONECTA Magaluf-Mallorca
The four-day event was packed with over 40 high-level activities aimed at bridging the gap between creativity, business, and technology.
- Conecta CREATIVE LAB: This year’s think tank featured insights from global consultancies like Parrot Analytics, OMDIA, and the European Audiovisual Observatory. The discussions focused on critical industry shifts, including AI in production, vertical microdramas, and digital-first funding models. The findings will be published soon in the CONECTA Mallorca Report.
- Strategic Announcements: A major highlight was the introduction of the new RTVE Play Award, a €5,000 grant dedicated to fostering emerging talent in the vertical series space.
- High-Level Networking: The Conecta SUMMIT brought together 20 global decision-makers, including executives from Prime Video, HBO Max, SkyShowtime, and atresplayer, to address the pressing challenge of protecting intellectual property in an AI-driven, financially pressured market.
- Industry Insights: HBO Max Spain’s Bibiana González delivered a standout keynote on the strategic importance of non-fiction, focusing on the global appeal of the true crime genre.
Connecting Professionals and the Public
Beyond high-level strategy, the event fostered a connection with the general public through Conecta FICTION FEST. Highlights included the red-carpet premiere of Mallorca Confidencial and a special screening of the Canneseries-selected series ‘Many people need to die’ by Movistar Plus+.
Celebrating Global Industry Impact
A standout moment of the evening was the presentation of the 2026 Conecta Honorary Award to John Hopewell, the veteran International Features Editor at Variety. Géraldine Gonard, director of CONECTA, presented the award in recognition of Hopewell’s exceptional contribution to international journalism and his global influence in covering the evolving entertainment landscape.
2026 Pitch Competition Winners
The awards provided vital support for the development, production, and international exposure of winning projects. The distinguished winners included:
- RTVE Play Award: MALLORCA THINGS TO DO (Bastera Films, Spain) – A €5,000 development grant.
- Spain Film Commission Award: TO CATCH AN OLD LADY (Treboa, Spain) – Awarded €3,000 for showcasing Spanish locations.
- Triodos Bank Award: NUA (Empatic Films / Corte y Confección de Películas, Spain) – €3,000 prize.
- Warner Music Award: TO CATCH AN OLD LADY (Treboa, Spain) – Five days of Dolby Atmos studio time.
- ACORDE Award (Music Library Licensing): AFTERTASTE (Spain), WHAT YOU DID (Colombia), and MALLORCA THINGS TO DO (Spain).
- New Art Award: ROOM ZERO (Escaleta Audiovisual / Be a Child Group, Spain) – €5,000 in post-production services.
International Industry Partners:
- ROOKIES (Rhayuela Films, Colombia) won the SANFIC Award (Chile).
- BREAKDOWNS (Lab Producciones, Argentina) secured the BAM Award (Colombia).
- IDYLLIC (BRAINS Narrative Studio, Germany) received the TV Beats Forum Award (Estonia).
Looking Ahead
As the 10th edition concludes, the industry is already looking toward the conclusions of the CONECTA Mallorca Report, which promises to provide a roadmap for the next decade of audiovisual production. By successfully navigating the intersection of European and Latin American markets, CONECTA continues to prove its status as an indispensable fixture in the global media landscape.
For more information on the event’s outcomes and to view the full program archives, visit here.
