A Netflix series about the turbulent relationship between Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera is in production, with Patricia Riggen (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) and screenwriter/director/producer Gabriel Lipstein (600 Miles and Narcos) attached to direct.
The as-yet-untitled show delves into their lives, exploring how political, social and artistic upheavals have shaped their relationships and work. Produced by Monica Lozano of Alebrije Producciones (Amores Perros, Instruction Manual Not Included), the film is an adaptation of French author Claire Berest’s novel Rien n’est noir, translated as “an award-winning novel about the colorful and fascinating life of Frida Kahlo.”
Maria Renee Prudencio, a writer and actor whose credits include Los Adioces and Club Sandwich, is the head writer.
Carolina Leconte, vice president of content at Netflix Mexico, said: “The ambition of this project is unprecedented. We want to show the real Frida. A Frida who jumps out of the screen and takes you by the hand so you can live her story with her in one of the most important eras in this country, in Mexico where Frida and Diego put it on the world map.”
“This is a bold proposal that takes us into the most intimate space of two characters who feel tired of myths, but whose true story we have not yet had the courage to face directly. At Netflix we believe in local stories, but the love and toxicity between Frida and Diego There are few stories as Mexican and exuberant as this one. I was honored to work on this series with Patricia Riggen and Gabriel Ripstein and to create Frida and Diego that feel unsettling, seduced, and more alive than ever. ”
The new project aligns with the streamer’s goals, which announced last year that it would invest $1 billion in production over the next four years in Mexico.
This also coincided with Mexico finally announcing a landmark 30% film production incentive to encourage domestic and international projects. This complements the existing 16% VAT recovery option and Jalisco incentives. Salma Hayek, who announced the news while standing next to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, produced and starred in the 2002 Oscar-winning biopic Frida.
Riggen first broke out with the 2007 immigrant drama “Under the Same Moon,” which sparked a bidding war at Sundance. She is one of the few female directors of color in the industry and the first Latina director to helm mainstream action thrillers such as “G20” and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.” The Los Angeles resident is also working on films such as The 33, about the rescue of Chilean miners who were buried underground for 69 days, and an episode of Dope Sick starring Michael Keaton.
“After working abroad for so many years, returning to film in Mexico meant so much to me, and I couldn’t think of a better project to come back to,” Riggen said. “I’ve been a fan of Frida since I was a child, because of her courage and how she turned pain into strength. I want to tell the relationship between Frida and Diego not only from a female and Mexican perspective, but from a global perspective. I want to explore their love, struggles, and artistic life in a way that feels contemporary, intimate, and powerful for a new generation.”
Ripstein, who grew up on the sets of her legendary director father Arturo (Principio y Fin) and grandfather Alfred Ripstein Jr., producer of Hayek’s breakout film Midac Alley, made waves with her 2015 directorial debut 600 Miles, which won her the Best First Feature award at the Berlin International Film Festival. He also collaborated with Michel Franco to produce such gems as Lorenzo Vigas’ 2015 Venice Golden Lion winner From Afar, Franco’s Chronic, and April’s Daughter.
“One of the aims of this series is not to repeat the obvious. Everyone already knows about Frida and Diego. What I’m interested in is truly humanizing them, not just in their brilliance, but also the worst parts of each. This series is deconstructed, mischievous, and timeless. It’s a wild story, but always emotional and deeply respectful. It’s built around two fundamental axes: their complicated love relationship and the artistic life they share, which brings them to the present and connects them with today’s audiences.”
Among Netflix’s new Mexican projects are “The Dead Girls” (“Las muertas”), the first series from Luis Estrada (“Herod’s Law”), and the romantic series “Love 9 to 5,” both of which were released a few months ago.
Other upcoming projects include “Mal de amores,” a Mexican Revolution-era series based on a novel by Angeles Mastretta; “Santita” starring Gael García Bernal. “I’m Not Afraid” (“No tengo miedo”) and “El circulo,” based on the novel “Los Corruptores.”
Six other new titles announced in January include “Alicia’s Law,” starring Fernanda Castillo; Takedown, a feature film starring Alfonso Herrera and Noe Hernandez. A documentary about Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. the reality competition show “Physical 100 Mexico” and the series “El Otro Padre” starring Manolo Cardona, Eric Heiser and Sylvia Navarro. Netflix’s first Latin American live event, “Supernova: Genesis,” is also scheduled.
