The Cartel, the successful Caracol Televsion series is now being distributed as a finalized series and has been included in the list of original creations with a version out of its own country boarders.

Now, the new association of Brazilian production house Casablanca with VIP 2000 TV distributor achieved a new deal with Caracol Television to take to Brazil the original Colombian product as well as the format to be produced locally in hgh definition.

Sold in over 50 countries around the world, The Cartel has become an audience phenomenon in Colombian broadcast television, where shares reached 50%, as well as in the US, in Puerto Rico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama, where it reached the first positions on the viewers list.

Getting in Brazil was one of the challenges that were faced by the company and that now is consolidating with a recognized distributor and with the experienced Brazilian production company, a pioneer in the production of international television content in High Definition, that will be responsible for the realization of the series.

"We believe that Caracol is the product for the Brazilian market; we have acquired the produced series as well as the format, and we promise to deliver a version that will overwhelm Brazilian television viewers, produced 100% in High Definition. And we have advanced negotiations with potential buyers", declared Arlette Siaretta, President of Casablanca.

Roxana Rotundo, CEO of VIP 2000 TV, highlights especially the selling work made by Lisette Osorio of Caracol, who she defines as ?an executive with an accurate business vision, and who knows what it takes to close a deal in the present reality of the Brazilian broadcast market.

Angélica Guerra, VP International of Caracol, made clear the importance of the alliance for the company: "It's a key step for the international expansion of Caracol, because it assures our entrance in the Brazilian market through an important producer such as Casablanca, with a winner series like The Cartel. We are sure that this will be only the first step towards a long term relationship of mutual benefits."

After launching on last April Casablanca VIP 888, a format and content company for the international market, the association between the distributer VIP 2000 TV, of Roxana Rotundo and the Brazilian production house Casablanca of Arlette Siaretta, generated several ads associated with the new company and demonstrated the creativity and capacity of Roxana Rotundo in the generation of businesses.

Initially, the development of the first project of Casablanca VIP 888: Soccer, Passion and Samba, a format created aiming at the 2010 Football World Cup (see related info). Soon, the incorporation of Harry Abraham-Castillo to head the production products in Brazil, and simultaneously the definition of Arcadia de Miguel Rosenfeld to distribute Soccer, Passion and Samba in Latin America (see related info). Last Thursday the 14th, was announced that the successful television series The Cartel, of Caracol, will have its Brazilian version produced by Casablanca. (see related info).

Within this sequence of achievements it is important to highlight that VIP 2000 TV was created less than years ago, and that in such a short time it has achieved important agreements that enhanced its catalogue. Among them are: the rights to distribute the telenovela Turma do Gueto, of Casablanca; the rights for productions of RAI, from Italy, to several Hispanic regions (Venezuela, Hispanic USA, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Ecuador; as well as the rights for the child telenovela produced in India ?Aladino? for Latin America and Hispanic USA.

Roxana Rotundo created in the early 90's the distributer IntraRoyal, and later, by the end of the decade, she opened the Rubicon production company in Miami. Later, she was incorporated to the Beverly Hills Entertainment, of José Manuel Brandariz, and at the Mipcom 2007 launched her own company: VIP 2000.

His initial responsabilities will be centered on the company merger between VIP and the Brazilian production house Casablanca.

Comencing this month Harry Abraham-Castillo, an executive with over 24 years of experience in the production and programing of television content, becomes part of the VIP 2000 TV team. Roxana Rotundo, owner of the company officially confirms the contract of the executive who has in the past worked in high executive positions at networks such as Telemundo and Azteca América, as well as in other important television networks.

His first responsibility will be to work the VIP 2000 initiatives in the newly inaugurated Casablanca VIP 888, a recently accomplished company merger between VIP 2000TV and Casablanca, a prestigious independent production company from Brazil. The first project created by this merger is the telenovela Soccer, Passion and Samba, presently in pre-production and with shooting scheduled to commence next November. "We had been looking for an executive that knows well the Hispanic USA tv market, and also that would understand the products integration potential, the studios co-production, and Harry fit in just perfectly", said Rotundo.

Harry Abraham-Castillo, through his career, has headed successful television projects, with over 8500 hours of original content produced and created by the executive producer.

Meanwhile, VIP announced the association with Arcádia, company owned by Miguel Rosenfeld, for the distribution of the format "Soccer, Passion and Samba" in Latin America. "Right now, I'm focused on distributing tasks and on the expansion of the specialists of each area, a necessary action because it?s impossible to do everything alone", said the CEO of the company.

From this merger between Casablanca and VIP 2000, a list of new products is ready to be released next week at the LA Screenings, among them the first formats negotiated with Brazil.

Manolo Cardona in "The Cartel", series that has been sold to over 50 countries. The Brazilian production house Casablanca and the distributer VIP 2000 TV announced the agreement with Caracol Television to take to Brazil the successful series "The Cartel". "We believe that Caracol is the product for the Brazilian market. We have acquired the finalized series as well as the format, and we promiss to produce a version 100% in high definition that will startle Brazilian television. We are advanced in our negociations with possible buyers in the region" declared Arlette Siaretta, president of Casablanca. Roxana Rotundo, CEO of VIP 2000TV, enhanced the sales work made by Lisette Osorio from Caracol, who she defined as being "an executive with vision for diferent businesses and who knows what is needed to close a deal in the present reality of the Brazilian market. Angelica Guerra, International VP of Caracol, said that "this deal is key for the expansion of Caracol internationally, because it assures the company's presence in the Brazilian market through one of the most important producers of the country: Casablanca, with a successful product. We are sure that this is only the first step of a long and mutual benefit relationship." Sold more than 50 countries around the world, "The Cartel" has become a audience phenomenon in Colombia, reaching a 50% share, as well as in the US, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama, where it is presently number 1 in viewers.

(Maribel Ramos-Weiner). The channel Passiones, of the group Imagina US, have overcome expectations of its creators. In the next step for the signal transmission in the Hispanic US (via DISH) and in Latin America (via DirecTV) is the superproduction "Fútbol, pasión y samba", produced in conjunction with Casablanca, VIP 2000, the public television network CCTV and the Pasiones Channel. According to Juan Pablo Santos, VP for New Businesses and Development of Imagina US "It's a superproduction, recorded in High Definition, at locations in South Africa, Brazil and Spain. It premiers in the beginning of 2010, with a perfect timing with the World Cup in South Africa".

Santos also said that the group is working on several new projects, among them the launching of new channels and the development of documentaries in Colombia.

"Another great news is that, by the end of this year, we will be at our new offices of the Imagina complex, where our operations will be, with studios, a channel transmission center - not only for us, but also for other clients - as part of actions that we took to ensure a strong and consolidated base in Miami."

Santos also mentioned that the interstitials "Behind Pasiones", will be converted until the end of the year into a weekly half-hour shows dedicated to show the backstage of the production of telenovelas. He also stated that they are working in several projects using new platforms and that they already have content in VOD.

See video interview with Juan Pablo Santos of Imagina US

The VIP Team: Mario Rodríguez, Roxana Rotundo, Rosalind Rotundo and Guillermo Domínguez in the new offices of the company located in Brickell, Miami. (Click to enlarge)

The Brazilian Production house Casablanca, of Arlette Siaretta, and the distribution company VIP 2000 TV of Roxana Rotundo, created the Casablanca VIP 888, to produce contents and formats for the international market.

The first Project produced is Fútbol, pasión y samba, a production that will be executed in two formats: a 40 episode mini-series and as a 120 chapter telenovela. The story takes place in Brazil and China, and combines Brazils cultural tropical flavours with the secrets of the Chinese millenary culture.

Preproduction has already begun. "We have put together a renkowned international team of writers from Brazil, Spain and Venezuela, and shortly we will announce the names of the prestigious executives that will unite with team to manage this corporate expansion. We have selected the numbers 888 to be a part of the name of the new company because, in Chinese culture, they represent good luck, DICHA and prosperaty, as a retribution for our Chinese partners, CCTV, for their participation in the premier project."

Siaretta and Rotundo informed that negociations are being made to create new hispanic formats in Brazil, and that in the following week two deals made at the Mipcom Convention, will be announced.

Casablanca has been working with last generation high definition technology in successful Brazilian versions of American formats such as: The Apprentice, Next Top Model and Simple Life. VIP 2000 TV has put together a catalogue of successful feature films and ground breaking telenovelas aired on the major Latin American and Hispanic US networks.