Netflix Orders First Original Series in Spain

Carlos Sedes' 1920s-era drama will air worldwide on the platform in 2017.

Netflix has acquired its first original series to be shot and produced in Spain, snagging Velvet and Gran Reserva director Carlos Sedes for a 1920s-era, female-driven drama.

The 16-episode as-yet-untitled series is set to start shooting in Madrid later this year, with Bambu Producciones' Ramon Campos and Teresa Fernandez-Valdes executive producing.

The drama, running in 50-minute time slots, will debut worldwide in 2017. It tells the story of four women across different social strata who work together as switchboard operators at the state-owned phone company's central headquarters in Madrid.

The local commission comes five months after the streaming service launched in Spain and after several original drama series were already announced in the U.K., France, Italy and Germany.

Bambu has a reputation for top-drawer fiction, with Gran Reserva airing for three successful seasons on Antena 3. The Beta Film format sold to broadcasters in France, the U.K. and Russia. Televisa USA with production partner Lantica Media are developing an English-language version of the popular series, with Emmy-winning producer Stephen Kronish (24, The Kennedys) adapting the script.