Natalia Verbeke, Julián López, Ángela Cervantes, and Vebjørn Enger lead the cast of WELCOME TO LAPLAND, the film adaptation of the acclaimed stage play
Cristina Clemente and Marc Angelet, authors of the original stage play, have penned the screenplay for the big-screen version
WELCOME TO LAPLAND is one of the flagship titles being unveiled by THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO Distribution at MIPCOM 2025, which is handling the film’s international sales
The film will be released theatrically in Spain in 2026, distributed by A Contracorriente Films
THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO has today unveiled the teaser poster for WELCOME TO LAPLAND, a new film produced by Laura Fernández Espeso and Javier Méndez and directed by David Serrano. Adapted from the hit stage play of the same name — a critical and commercial success in Spain and abroad, with productions in the United States, Croatia, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Venezuela, and the Czech Republic — WELCOME TO LAPLAND subverts the conventions of the classic family comedy. Through a sharp, ironic lens, the film explores the ethical and moral dilemmas of everyday life.
The film, with international sales handled by THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO Distribution, is one of the key new titles the company will showcase at MIPCOM 2025. In Spain, WELCOME TO LAPLAND is set to hit cinemas in 2026, distributed by A Contracorriente Films.
With sparkling dialogue and a keen eye on themes like family, white lies, tradition, and social expectations, WELCOME TO LAPLAND uses humor as a springboard for reflection. This is a family film — just not one for the whole family. One you might not want to watch with your youngest children.
Directed by David Serrano (‘I’m Going to Have a Good Time’, ‘Football Days’, whose work earned a Goya nomination for Best New Director and who co-wrote the award-winning ‘The Other Side of the Bed’, which won the 2002 Málaga Film Festival’s Golden Biznaga for Best Feature Film) – WELCOME TO LAPLAND is penned by Cristina Clemente and Marc Angelet, based on an original concept developed with Jordi Casanovas.
Natalia Verbeke (‘The Other Side of The Bed’, ‘The Method’), Julián López (‘Los destellos’, ‘Pain and Glory’), Ángela Cervantes (‘La furia’, ‘El mal invisible’) and Vebjørn Enger (‘The Ash Lad: In Search of the Golden Castle’) lead the cast in this story set on Christmas Eve in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland and the reputed hometown and residence of Santa Claus
After several years without spending the holidays together, Nuria (Ángela Cervantes), now living in Lapland with her husband Olavi (Vebjørn Enger) and their daughter, invites her sister Mónica (Natalia Verbeke), her brother-in-law (Julián López), and their son to enjoy a picture-perfect Christmas in her home in Rovaniemi. Everything seems set for an idyllic celebration—until Nuria’s daughter casually informs her young cousin that the man in red with a white beard who supposedly leaves gifts for well-behaved children doesn’t actually exist, and that Santa Claus is simply a character invented by parents to manipulate their kids. What was meant to be the most magical Christmas quickly unravels into a full-blown family meltdown between sisters, in-laws, and cousins. Over the course of one chaotic night, long-buried secrets surface amid a heated debate over whether it’s better to tell the truth at all costs—or preserve belief, even if it’s built on a lie.
WELCOME TO LAPLAND is produced with the participation of Movistar Plus+, RTVE, and 3Cat.