During the recent Mipcom event, Movistar Plus+ International, the sales division of the prominent Spanish pay TV and SVOD platform, announced a significant agreement with HBO Latin America for the series “La Mesías.” This series gained significant attention as the most talked-about title at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September.
“La Mesías” is created, directed, and produced by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo of Suma Content, who are well-known for their work on series such as “Veneno,” which was picked up by HBO Max in the U.S., and “Paquita Salas,” sold to Netflix. According to Movistar Plus+ International, “La Mesías” marks the return of this creative duo to the director and screenwriter roles after a three-year hiatus.
The series tells the story of a family torn apart by the religious fanaticism of the matriarch. It is described as the most ambitious and complex project from Los Javis, as the creative duo is commonly known. “La Mesías” unfolds across seven captivating episodes, each with a runtime of just over an hour. The narrative spans multiple time periods, shifting between 2013 and the 1980s when siblings Enric and Irene were children and around 1997 when they were in their late teens. The production was entirely shot on location, with primary filming conducted at 30 rural settings near Barcelona. The series features a cast of 170 characters and nearly 4,000 extras.
Episode 3, scheduled to air on Oct. 19 on Movistar Plus+, delves into the ’80s, portraying the challenging childhood of Enric and Irene, marked by abandonment, isolation, religious fanaticism, and violence. They live with their mother, Montserrat, her new and much older partner, Pep, and the many children the couple keeps having.
The series benefits from the director of photography, Gris Jordana, original music by Raül Refree and Hidrogenesse, editing by Alberto Gutiérrez, and art direction by Roger Bellés.
“La Mesías” made its world premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September, where it garnered attention as one of the most compelling titles at the event. Subsequently, it was introduced to the market at Mipcom.
Los Javis have also produced other series through their Madrid-based label, Suma Content, which they established in 2021, where they serve as creative directors. Notable productions include the trailer for the “Veneno” sequel, “Vestida de Azul” (“Veneno 2: Dressed in Blue”), and series like “Una navidad con Samantha Hudson,” “Cardo,” and “Cardo 2.” Both “Veneno” and “Cardo” earned recognition as Variety’s Top International Shows of the Year.