‘City of God' Director, DP Reteam on ‘El Abuso,' About Former Uruguayan President Mújica's Historic 1971 Prison Break (EXCLUSIVE)
Federation and OjoFilms have joined forces to create a new Spanish-language limited series titled 'El Abuso,' based on the book 'La Fuga de Punta Carretas' by Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro.
Directed by Academy Award nominees Cesar Charlone and Fernando Meirelles, the DP and co-director of 2003's 'City of God,' respectively, 'El Abuso' tells the true story of the dramatic 1971 jailbreak of 101 political prisoners from the Tupamaros, a legendary urban guerilla group. Among the escapees was Pepe Mújica, who later became President of Uruguay.
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'At a time when the world was deeply divided, this jailbreak symbolized freedom for an entire region,' said Charlone.
The series will also examine the kidnapping and assassination of CIA operative Dan Mitrione, which the Tupamaros used to expose the brutal tactics of the impending Operation Condor during a shadowy period of the Cold War.
Delivered as an eight-episode limited series, 'El Abuso' is being adapted by Mariana Santangelo ('En La Puta Vida'). Platino Award-winning 'Society of the Snow' actor Enzo Vogricinc will lead the show's cast. Juan Solá ('Retribution'), Mariana Santangelo and Damian L. Cattini are executive producing, with Maria Laura Bersch (casting director, 'Society of the Snow') and Joaquín Romero Vercellino ('Punta Blanca') of Alterna Media as associate producers.
'I'm thrilled to collaborate with OjoFilms, César and Fernando and draw from the rich history of Uruguay to bring this true story to audiences worldwide,' said Solá, co-CEO of Animal Federation in Los Angeles along with Nacho Manubens and CEO of Federation Spain.
According to its producers, 'El Abuso' is being developed to blend local authenticity with global appeal by offering audiences high-quality, thought-provoking content that sheds light on the human cost of political conflict. Although the story is part of Uruguay's history, its themes are not only relevant outside the country's borders but highly timely.
'We are deeply honored to tell this story, not only because it recounts one of the most extraordinary jailbreaks in history but also because it sheds light on a rarely explored chapter of the Cold War in South America,' said Damian L. Cattini of OjoFilms.
'El Abuso has been a passion project and the result of years of rigorous research, enriched by firsthand accounts from the protagonists, including Pepe Mújica. We are committed to delivering an entertaining, authentic story of humanity and profound historical resonance,' said Mariana Santangelo from OjoFilms.
In addition to its qualities as a series, 'El Abuso' is also being viewed by its backers and the Uruguayan industry as a means of demonstrating what the country can offer as a production hub, including competitive incentives, state-of-the-art equipment and experienced crews. Uruguay recently attracted major international projects such as the Netflix hit series 'Senna' and J.A. Bayona's Oscar-nominated feature 'The Society of the Snow.'
'While Uruguay has become an important shooting location for international productions, we believe it's equally vital to tell our own stories. 'El Abuso' is a prime example of how we can bring international audiences and production partners together to share the richness of our history with the world. At Alterna Media, we are deeply committed to developing local stories that resonate globally,' said Romero Vercellino and Bersch.
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