“Roma” producer Nicolás Celis’ Pimienta Films is preparing its drama series debut, to be pitched by fellow Mexican producer Telegrama Audiovisual’s Enrique Rizo to potential investors at In Development on Wednesday. The series weighs in as one of the event’s most buzzed-up titles.
Produced by Pimienta Films, Telegrama Audiovisual and Tita Productions, “Perfect Monsters” producers are Celis, Rizo, and Marion d’Ornano.
Originated by Dornano, who optioned the rights to Argentine novel of the same name from writer and former police officer Miguel Ángel Molfino, the action is transferred from the Argentine plains to Chihuahua, Mexico in 1968. The screenplay has been further developed by Colombian screenwriter Andrés Castro.
Unusual for Mexico’s nascent high-end scripted industry, this is a period piece which is not set in a primordial political context.
In the series, 16 year-old Miroslavo runs away after his parents are murdered. He is eventually picked up by arms dealer Hansen. The two begin an ambivalent neo-father-son relationship which is closer than what Miro had with his biological father.
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Hansen teaches the boy the ropes of the gun-running industry, and that to survive they must always shoot first. Obsessed with finding his parents killers, Miro begins to develop schizophrenia, although he is completely unaware.
According to Rizo, Hansen is “An antihero. Not everyone will agree with what he does. He’s one of those people who have been pushed into their situation, and they adapted to it well.”
“He gives Miroslavo an opportunity and looks after him,” he went on. “Obviously their relationship is rocky, and when Miroslavo learns about the trade he is conflicted. He’s not always willing to do harm.”
The series is one of the first for TV to have benefitted from an Imcine grant. Previously the state-sector agency only supported film projects.
“The people at Imcine truly fight for the improvement of the industry. With all the (budgetary) disadvantages they have, I think they’ve done amazing work,” Rizo said.
Now Pimienta Films is looking for a creative partner experienced in developing and producing high-end TV series, which also has experience in distribution.
“We aren’t aiming to take the whole cake. We’re happy finding partners,” Rizo explained of the company’s realistic ambitions for its first steps into TV drama and ownership of IP.
According to Rizo the series will be ideal for a VOD platform, and cites HBO-style high-end series as visual references. According to Rizo, the series look will be “very narrative-minded, very cinematic.”