Prime Video’s epic family saga, The House of the Spirits, a limited series adaptation of Isabel Allende’s iconic debut novel, premiered worldwide on April 29 on the giant streaming platform and is now available in more than 240 countries and territories.
“This is our most ambitious Latin American original to date and represents our unwavering investment in elevating storytelling on the world stage,” said Javiera Balmaseda, head of local originals for Latin America, Canada and Australia, at the 76th Berlin Film Festival, where Prime Video released three episodes of the eight-part series.
“The House of the Spirits represents everything we believe at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios: our commitment to helping visionary creators tell culturally authentic stories that resonate around the world,” she said, adding: “Isabelle Allende has created a multigenerational epic about extraordinary women who have touched the hearts of readers for over 40 years. And we are thrilled to hear from showrunners Francisca Alegría and Fernanda that she has created a multigenerational epic about extraordinary women who have touched the hearts of readers for over 40 years. Urehola has assembled an extraordinary talent pool, joined by a stellar regional cast led by Nicole Wallace, Dolores Fonzi (“Belen”) and Alfonso Herrera, who honor her vision with the scale and cinematic quality it deserves. ”
Spanning half a century, “House of the Spirits” follows three generations of women, Clara, Blanca, and Alba, as they navigate their lives in a conservative South American country marked by class conflict, political turmoil, and a touch of magic realism.
Filming in Chile was important to Alegría and Urehola, who co-wrote the pilot that was pitched to FilmNation and later to Amazon MGM Studios. “It wasn’t an obvious choice at first, but Fernanda and I insisted and luckily Amazon and Film Nation agreed. It was very important to us and to Andrés (Wood) to be able to film such an iconic Chilean novel in Chile,” said Alegría.
Wood, whose many credits include the critically acclaimed “Machuca” and the series “Kidnapping News,” later joined the project. He directed four episodes and also served as co-showrunner and executive producer. “It was a new experience for me. It was much more collaborative than before. And I learned a lot. I joined after Fernanda and Francisca had already adapted the novel, so my role was mainly to rebuild it when the number of episodes changed. “They had a very clear concept and I basically came on board to support it, so it was more about rewriting and enhancing their vision rather than starting from scratch,” he told Variety.
“It was also special creatively because the entire leadership team was made up of women, including Fernanda and Francisca and the producers at Film Nation and executives at Amazon. In a way, I was the only male voice in the room,” he said.
For Urehola, who served as co-writer, showrunner, and played a key character on the show, the experience was life-changing. “This story deals with very universal and deep themes. So having to delve into those topics right from the beginning changes you. It makes you think about things from a different perspective. And of course the challenge was in the fact that for Fran and I it was new when it came to writing a television series. So every step of the way was a big learning experience.”
Like Allende’s novels, the series is set in an unnamed South American country, so Chile is never mentioned. But they wanted to portray a distinct Latin American identity, a southern sensibility, and a unique flavor: Chile. “It was also important to showcase the country’s diverse landscape and history, from the capital, where the story is centered, to the desert in the north, to the countryside in the south, where important parts take place. Emphasizing the geographical and cultural diversity was fundamental for us,” said Urehola, who plays Blanca, the daughter of clairvoyant Clara del Valle.
Casting was their biggest challenge, as they needed to find actors who could convincingly play the same characters at different stages of their lives, ensuring continuity over the years. “We had to decide what ages to play, when to switch actors, and how many performers we needed for each character,” Alegria recalls.
“We focused on finding a physical and emotional continuity that would allow the family to feel together across generations. This required continued collaboration with Amazon Studios as well as us as showrunners, as many decisions had to be made by consensus,” she added.
“One of the real highlights for me was working with Manuel Alberto Claro as cinematographer. It was especially meaningful because, as far as I know, this was the first time he visited Chile to shoot a series or feature film,” said Alegría. The Denmark-based Chilean has frequently worked with Lars von Trier, including on the acclaimed “Melancholia.”
I also really enjoyed working with production designer Rodrigo Bazaes, whose credits include Fantastic Woman and Pablo Larrain’s Spencer and The Count.
For Allende, who serves as executive producer, the series is more than just an adaptation, it’s a return home, returning her most beloved work to its Chilean roots, honoring both its cultural specificity and universal themes of love, memory, and resilience. “When I saw the miniseries, I knew it was always meant to be.”
The series is produced by FilmNation Entertainment, the same company that won multiple Oscars for “Anora” and “Conclave.” Production services were provided by Pablo de Dios and Juan de Dios Larrain’s Fabula. Eva Longoria (CNN series “Search for France”) will executive produce through her Hyphenate Media Group company and Courtney Saladino (“Jessica Jones”) will executive produce.
Spirit House, presented by Prime Video
