‘I Am Gilda’ Helmer Participates in ‘Pioneers’ Set at 1971 Women’s World Cup

Lorena Muñoz, who shot to fame as the director of Argentina’s 2016 box office hit I’m Gilda, has been tapped to direct Pioneers, a historical fiction limited series inspired by the Argentine soccer team’s little-known participation in the 1971 Women’s World Cup. This was a milestone for the sport in general, and for Argentina, as the makeshift team defeated England in a dramatic match.

A moving and empathetic sports thriller set against the backdrop of gender politics, the dramatic series Pioneers is created and executive produced by Pablo Udenio, whose new production company Duca launched the award-winning HBO pickup The Gunman (Gatilero) and one of the most notable horror films, The Virgin of the Quarry Lake (La Virgen de la Tosquera). It will emerge from Latin America in 2025.

With a screenwriter to be confirmed, Pioneers has been selected as one of six finalists for a scripted series project to be screened live at Content Americas’ CoPro Pitch on January 20th.

“The addition of Lorena Muñoz improves the Pioneers in every sense of the word,” Udenio said. “Her proven experience in telling real-life stories, combined with her sensitivity and deep understanding of character-driven storytelling, brings unique depth and authenticity to the series, strengthening both its creative vision and international appeal,” he added.

For example, “I’m Gilda” is a musical biopic that focuses on the childhood and rise to fame of Miriam Alejandra Bianchi, a cumbia singer and composer sensation known as Gilda.

What is “Pioneer”?
“Pioneers” tells the true story of Argentina’s role in the World Cup, which was notable in part because it was a huge success. In Buenos Aires in 1971, women’s soccer was dismissed as a mere curiosity when 16 young women were unexpectedly chosen to be members of Argentina’s first women’s national soccer team. Without proper equipment and with a dangerous manager in tow, they arrive in Mexico for the journey of a lifetime, the synopsis states. If you look at the photos that remain from that time, you can definitely see that Argentina’s players exude a Latin charm.

The organizers of the tournament wanted to recreate the huge impact of the 1970 Men’s World Cup, which was won by perhaps the greatest soccer team on the planet, the Brazil of Pele, Jairzinho and Rivellino. they were right. The 1971 World Cup had sponsors, including Italian drinks giant Martin & Rossi, who provided airline tickets.

That being said, Argentina was a disappointing opponent in this tournament. The team manager runs away with the funds. Coaching will be done by themselves, players will have to decide which position they will play, and will take part-time jobs at their hotels to cover their accommodation costs. The retired player has finally agreed to coach. Argentina defeated England 3-2 in a match that one English player decades later described as “brutal.” Then, a few days before the semi-finals, the team suffers from a bus accident…

“Pioneers” “tells a story that has been overlooked for far too long: the story of a group of women who dreamed, played, and dared to claim a space that was never originally intended for them,” Muñoz told Variety. “What moves me most about this project is the combination of intimacy, courage and collective power, and how football becomes a tool for identity, resistance and freedom.”

An estimated crowd of 110,000 people watched the 1971 Women’s World Cup final at Mexico’s Azteca Stadium. But it took 20 years for FIFA, soccer’s male-dominated global organizing body, to host an official Women’s World Cup in 1991. “It was like being transported to another world, like going to the TARDIS or Narnia,” England’s centre-left Chris Lockwood recalled to the BBC 40 years later.

What’s the difference?
Udenio asserted that the project’s strength in today’s global market is based on three clear and strong pillars: One is a female-led story. “At its heart, ‘Pioneers’ is a female-led sports story set in a deeply patriarchal era, about women who boldly challenged the rules of their time,” Udenio said. “This is a story of empowerment, perseverance and collective courage, told with emotional depth and humor that makes it appealing and resonant for modern audiences.”

Soccer is also the most widespread sport in the world. “Importantly, this is also the year that the men’s FIFA World Cup will be held in North America, making the United States the center of the global audiovisual industry. ‘Pioneer’ will have strong cultural and temporal relevance, connecting past and present,” Udenio said.

Additionally, audiences around the world continue to show strong interest in stories inspired by real events. “The true story of the Pioneers adds ‘authenticity, emotional weight and international appeal,'” Udenio told Variety. It added that “Pioneers” “tells a deeply universal and emotional story of resilience for an international audience.”

“With a focus on character, identity and sports, ‘Pioneers’ is designed for today’s premium series landscape. It is primarily targeted at streaming platforms and television networks seeking female-driven stories inspired by real life, with universal themes of transformation, teamwork and social change,” Udenio concluded.