Apple TV+ Series 'Pluribus' Win at LMGI Awards Cements Canary Islands as Global Film Hub

The success of the series Pluribus at the 13th Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) awards in Santa Monica is more than just a technical win; it cements the Canary Islands as a key player in the global film industry. The Apple TV+ production won the award for Outstanding Locations in a Contemporary Television Series, a victory that highlights the impressive operational skills of the Tenerife-based production company, Sur Film.

In an industry where location management is often the key to a project's success, this award is significant. The series, created by Vince Gilligan—who also received the Eva Monley Award for his career-long commitment to using real-world locations—beat out major competitors like Landman, Slow Horses, and The Diplomat.

Working alongside their American counterparts, the local Sur Film team transformed sites in La Palma, such as the Cubo de La Galga and Tazacorte, into convincing Latin American settings. This required immense logistical precision, including the construction of an entire neighborhood designed by location manager Christian Díaz de Bedoya.

For Sur Film, the award marks a high point in two decades of work. Founded in 2006 by Juan Cano and Andreas Wentz, the company has grown from a local firm into a go-to partner for major studios like Disney, Warner Bros., and Netflix. Their work on blockbusters such as Eternals and Solo: A Star Wars Story has helped professionalize the Canary Islands' film industry, attracting foreign investment and nurturing local talent.

The success of Pluribus shows how the islands have matured into a vital part of the international production circuit. With offices in Barcelona, Mallorca, and Lisbon, Sur Film has proven that it can handle large-scale projects, showing that expert location management is now one of Spain’s most valuable assets in the global film market.