Mediapro Studio Distribution heads to Mipcom with a strong slate co-leading the scripted series “Raza Brava,” a captivating four-part series from international Emmy winner Hernán Caffiero produced by DeCulto, Atómica and Erik Barmack’s Wild Sheep Content.
The first fictional depiction of an actual Latin American soccer fan club, the story follows a young boy from a working-class neighborhood who, along with his best friend, rises to lead the Garablanca (a passionate supporter of the hugely popular Coro Coro soccer team).
During a panel discussion held at the recent Iberseries & Platino Industria conference in Madrid, Javier Esteban, head of international at Mediapro Studios, discussed the upcoming series with Cafiero (“Suspended Tribute”), fellow backer CNTV Chile’s head of development Magdalena Tocornal, Eric Barmack, and others.
“This is a series that explores universal themes such as passion, family, loyalty, identity and betrayal, all of which are connected through one of the most universal sports, soccer,” Esteban said, adding, “One of the key commercial strengths of Laza Brava is that it is a timeless series, with real-world relevance that easily matches today’s headlines.”
Cafiero said he drew inspiration from Brazil’s “City of God.” Directed by Fernando Meirelles, this is a vivid portrayal of a young boy growing up in a brutal world of gang violence, drugs, and poverty in the slums of Rio de Janeiro.
In fact, he not only had his actors undergo rigorous physical training in the gym a year in advance to prepare them for the series, but he also filmed in a particularly dangerous area of Santiago de Chile, where the police were not allowed. “It allowed me to create a connection to the physical space I was photographing,” he said. “As the community saw the actors involved and immersed in this process, we were able to begin to form a direct bond with them. And this wasn’t social or cultural extractivism. It was someone stepping in and taking an idea and profiting from it. That was never our intention. What ended up happening was that we talked to everyone in the community and made them part of the filming process.”
“In the end, over the course of 20 days of shooting, we created a kind of mini-city, and I think that’s where our crew felt most at ease. So from that perspective and with all the prior knowledge that we had from being immersed in this world, we were able to stay respectful. That was one of our guiding principles,” he said.
“It wasn’t easy. It was a journey, in the middle of a pandemic, and it shocked us all in one way or another,” Tokornal agreed, noting that he had the opportunity to visit the set and said, “It was incredible to see the team’s ability to transform, communicate and deliver a realistic vision of what Coro Coro is all about.”
“We’re not just talking about Colo Colo as a football team, we’re talking about Colo Colo as a social phenomenon. And how it opens the door to discussing topics that are very relevant today, such as the social phenomenon of football, violence, Chile’s past military dictatorship, and bringing it together in one series that at the same time manages to have a universal resonance,” she pointed out.
For Barmac, his decision to board the Raza Brava was rooted in a deeply personal experience, when he attended the Liverpool vs. Roma final with his father at the age of five. “That night, Roma lost on penalties and everyone was crying around me. When I think back to that moment, I don’t think I’ve ever cried in my life,” he said, reflecting on how soccer can evoke such deep passion.
Barmack noted that Colo Colo is one of the top five or six clubs in Latin America, and that Cafiero has created a story where soccer opens doors, but the drama within is one that has universal resonance, especially in Latin America, where the sport is closely tied to identity, pride and struggle.
The panel concluded by extolling the benefits of co-production, and said: “International producers should take a closer look at Chile. The country has a rich narrative and directorial talent, and the stories are unique and compelling. However, because Chile is often left out of the mainstream production circuits, Chilean producers struggle to gain recognition in the global market.” CNTV’s Tocornal said.
“The Chilean National Fund, which is entering its 33rd year, offers co-production options across eight competitive lines, but this model still needs further development. As co-production becomes the norm in the industry, early stage support is more important than ever. Development funding is limited in Chile, but this stage is critical, defining the project’s structure, vision and international viability,” she emphasized, adding: “Chilean producers have talent, but they need more initial investment to bring projects to the world stage. Content must remain local in its voice, but strong archetypes can be transmitted if formed properly from the start. International co-producers can play an important role from the beginning, not just when a project is fully packaged.”
He points out that co-production has become an increasingly standard model for MediaPro Studios, and is in fact the model that pioneered MediaPro Studios’ co-productions with Latin America and Europe in the television world. Esteban, who now regularly uses co-production to get ambitious projects off the ground, said: “The industry is rapidly evolving, and in terms of structure, the best companies are those that simply create projects. In this case, that means a co-production model, partnering between companies with diverse profiles and bringing complementary strengths.”
“At Mediapro Studios, flexibility is important. It’s part of our DNA. When Eric Barmack brought stakeholders to the table, each brought something important to the table, and Mediapro Studios added important pieces to complete the puzzle. It was the collaboration, the sum of the parts, that made the project possible.”
Mediapro Studio’s notable credits include “The Head,” “Iosi, the Regretful Spy,” “Las Bravas,” “Consuelo,” and “Intercambiadas.”
This year’s Mipcon productions include the badminton-themed series “Yakalta” and the comedy-thriller series “Celeste” (both from Diego San Jose), “So Far So Good” (“El Resto Bian”) directed by Daniel Berman, and the thriller “Quiet” directed by Luis Alcarazo.
