Filming has begun on the book adaptation in Madrid!
Picture Credit: Netflix
Netflix is expanding its robust Spanish feature film slate with a brand new romantic comedy, El acercamiento de la mujer cactus y el hombre globo. Filming is officially underway in Madrid, based on the popular novel. Here is everything we know so far.
The upcoming feature is an adaptation, first reported by Yotele at the end of April, of the debut novel by Spanish author and musician David Martínez Álvarez, better known by his stage name, Rayden. While originally published in Spain by Suma de Letras (Penguin Random House), international readers may recognize the book by its translated titles: The Coming Together of the Cactus Woman and the Balloon Man (used for most physical English editions) or Close Up of Cactus Woman and Balloon Man (as found elsewhere).
What is the plot of the movie?
If the quirky title didn’t give it away, this film is gearing up to be a highly unconventional romantic comedy about two people terrified of getting hurt.
Here is the official logline provided by Netflix:
“Sáhara is a brilliant and ironic florist who has turned cynicism into her ultimate defense against a love she believes is as fleeting as a bouquet of flowers. Ciro, a bicycle courier, lives his life in constant motion, firmly convinced that loving someone only means getting hurt. An explosive encounter on the streets of Madrid causes them to collide, and the city itself seems determined to keep crossing their paths. Amidst high-speed deliveries, misunderstandings, and a borrowed identity that Ciro adopts almost by accident, they both discover that even those who have learned to live entirely on the defensive might suddenly find themselves with the chance to stop running.”
Who is in the cast?
The movie will be anchored by two heavy-hitters in the Spanish television and film industry:
- Macarena García (Blancanieves, Holy Camp!) will play Sáhara, the cynical florist.
- Carlos Cuevas (Smiley, Merlí) will star opposite her as the fast-moving bike courier, Ciro (also referred to as Cisco in early production notes).
Joining the two leads are a stellar supporting cast, including:
- Eva Llorach (Quién te cantará, Burning Body)
- Santiago Korovsky (División Palermo)
- Silma López (Valeria)
Who is behind the production?
The film is being directed by Goya Award-winning filmmaker Kike Maíllo (A Perfect Enemy, Oswald. El Falsificador), with a script penned by Enric Navarro.
Production is handled by Sábado Time, a Spanish production company formed by the merger of Sábado Películas and Playtime Movies. Sábado Time has a fantastic track record with Netflix, having previously produced the international hit Crazy About Her (Loco Por Ella) and Kike Maíllo’s smash-hit thriller series Dos Tumbas, which quickly became the most-watched series on Netflix globally upon its release.
Toni Carrizosa and Araceli Pérez-Rastrilla will serve as executive producers on the project.
When will it be released on Netflix?
Netflix officially confirmed that principal photography began in Madrid on May 12, 2026.
Given the standard production and post-production timelines for a feature film of this scale, it is highly likely that we will see El acercamiento de la mujer cactus y el hombre globo land on the streaming service sometime in early to mid-2027.
We’ll be keeping you updated with release dates, teasers, official English localized titles, and first-look images as soon as they drop!
