Movistar Plus, the streaming and broadcast arm of Spanish telco giant Telefonica, has confirmed a breathtaking roster of talent which will helm its upcoming five-part anthology series “Apagón,” produced by Buendía Estudios (“Veneno,” “La Unidad”).
Inspired by the popular “El gran apagón” podcast, the series features five stand-alone stories, connected only in that they take place after a solar flair causes a worldwide blackout – “apagón” in Spanish – and deals with the consequences that such a catastrophe might impose.
The series’ impressive lineup of writing talent was first announced in June of this year, and Movistar has today confirmed that award-winning directors Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Alberto Rodríguez, Raúl Arévalo, Isa Campo, and Isaki Lacuesta will helm the five stories. For the first two filmmakers, the series is a return to Movistar Plus. The three new recruits further establishes the broadcaster as one of the Spanish industry’s premier platforms for upscale Spanish talent to express themselves in new and innovative ways. “Apagón” marks Lacuesta, Campo and Arévalo’s series directorial debuts.
Headlining the lineup is Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen (“Madre”), showrunner of what many claim was 2020’s best Spanish series, “Riot Police,” and one of the directors of Amazon Prime Video’s recent reboot of the anthology horror series “Stories to Stay Awake.” Sorogoyen’s long-time colleague and award-winning screenwriter Isabel Peña will write the episode.
Raúl Arévalo, an award-winning actor-turned director whose 2016 directorial debut “The Fury of a Patient Man,” seen at Venice, was a revelation, scooping four Spanish Academy Goya Awards and dozens of prizes at international festivals, will helm the second episode, teaming with award-winning screenwriter Alberto Marini (“Mientras duermes,” “Retribution”).
Celebrated writer-director Isa Campos will assume both of those duties for the series’ third episode. As a screenwriter Campos’ resume boasts one of 2021’s best-reviewed Spanish features and San Sebastian’s Best Basque Film in “Maixabel,” 2018 San Sebastian Glden Shell winner “Between Two Waters” and her Spanish and Catalan Academy Award-winning directorial debut “The Next Skin.”
Episode four will see Movistar go back to the power-duo of “Marshland” director Alberto Rodríguez and screenwriter Rafael Cobos. The two are regulars on the Spanish awards scene and were entrusted with the reins for Movistar Plus’ first big budget, blockbuster original series “The Plague.”
For the series’ fifth episode, Isaki Lacuesta (“Los condenados,” “The Double Steps”) will direct. He reunites with long-time creative partner Campo – the two worked together on both “The Next Skin” and “Between Two Waters” – who will write the episode alongside Fran Araújo, who is responsible for coordinating the “Apagón” project as a whole. Araújo’s impressive writing credits include “Hassan’s Way” and Movistar Plus original series “Hierro,” and he is also a prominent producer having recently worked on Alejandro Amenábar’s Movistar Plus original series “La Fortuna” and Sorogoyen’s “Riot Police.”
Shooting is scheduled to kick off in December, with the series scheduled to air in 2022.
