Chilean bio-musical series “Los Prisioneros” had its European debut at Madrid’s inaugural Iberseries Platino Industria on Sept. 28 where it screened in the event’s Chapter One sidebar.
Taking place in the mid ‘80s, the eight-episode show kicks off with the titular iconic band Los Prisioneros playing their sardonic protest songs to a rowdy, unappreciative crowd. It’s only when they perform at Chile’s then biggest entertainment show, “Sabado Gigante,” hosted by the equally iconic Don Francisco, that their career takes flight.
Episode one shows the key moments of their debut on the show and the start of their career, which later led to their persecution by the military regime and censorship on Chilean radio and television. To this day, their songs are anthems at protest rallies in the region, most recently in Chile and Colombia.
“Their songs have become ever more relevant, they still resonate to this day,” showrunner Joanna Lombardi told Variety.
“Los Prisioneros” marks the first series made exclusively by Movistar Play in Chile, in co-production with Chile’s Parox (“Invisible Heroes”), run by Sergio Gandara and Leonora Gonzalez.
Lombardi, the former head of Fiction at Telefonica Media Networks, Latin America, led the team presenting the show at Iberseries Platino.
Also present was one of the series’ directors, Peruvian actor-director Salvador del Solar (“Magallanes”) who also served as
Prime Minister of Peru in President Martín Vizcarra‘s administration in 2019 and prior to that, was Peru’s Minister of Culture in 2016.
Colombia’s Carlos Moreno (“Dog Eat Dog,” “All Your Dead Ones”) directed episodes 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, said Lombardi.
The lead actors Aron Hernández and Diego Madrigal also participated in the show’s presentation, along with cast members Mariana Di Girolamo, Annick Durán, Li Fridman, Geraldine Neary and Amparo Noguera. Parox producers Gándara and González were also present.
Production was halted during the height of the pandemic for about a year but it turned out to be a blessing, said Lombardi. “It gave the actors more time to learn how to play their instruments and become real musicians in the end,” she said. Health protocols also made them turn to VFX for some crowd scenes.
The show boasts some of Latin America’s top talent. It was written by Enrique Videla (“La Jauria”), Luis Barrales (Sebastian Munoz’s “The Prince”), Paula del Fierro (“La Jauria,” “Besieged”) and filmmaker Dominga Sotomayor who is best known for her drama “Too Late to Die Young” which won her the Best Director award at the 2018 Locarno Film Festival.
One of Chile’s most prominent editors, Soledad Salfate (“A Fantastic Woman,” “Gloria Bell”) edited the show.
The series will include original songs on its soundtrack and is slated to bow on Movistar Play in Latin America by early next year. It then moves on to other platforms, which have yet to be determined.