“Many years later, in front of the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía would remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to see ice.”
This is the opening line of the best-selling magical realist novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude, which is becoming a Netflix series.
The series takes you to the mythical town of Macondo with the Buendía family, showcasing stunning scenes as José Arcadio Buendía (Marco González) and Úrsula Iguarán (Susana Morales) seek happiness.
Claudio Cataño, who felt a “huge responsibility” in portraying Colonel Aureliano, said it was “an honor and a risk” to take on the role. He adds: “Macondo and its cast of characters, which I truly feel as my own blood, are universal, yet at the same time so unique; so Colombian, so beautifully tragic that it’s impossible not to get caught up in this world.”
What is One Hundred Years of Solitude about?
The story follows cousins José and Úrsula, who marry against their parents’ wishes and leave their village to embark on a long journey in search of a new home. Accompanied by friends and adventurers, their journey culminates in the founding of a utopian city on the banks of a river of prehistoric stones that they name Macondo. Several generations of the Buendía lineage will shape the future of this mythical city, haunted by madness, impossible loves, a bloody and absurd war, and a terrible curse that condemns them, hopelessly, to 100 years of solitude.
Bringing to life the magical elements of the mythical city was “a huge challenge for everyone involved,” says Cataño. “I think the scripts and direction combine both aspects of magic and humanity, of exuberance and realism. On the acting side, it was a hard and exquisite pleasure.”
García Márquez’s novel, published in 1967, has sold over 50 million copies and has been translated into more than 40 languages. This adaptation is one of the most ambitious productions in Latin American history, filmed in Spanish and shot in García Márquez’s native Colombia with the support of the author’s family.
“Directing this project was both a challenge and an adventure; after all, in life, it is necessary to take risks to give meaning to what we do,” said Alex García López, who directed episodes 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, to Netflix. “In diving into the adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude, my intention was to create something authentic that has the stature of an international production, because the story deserves it.”
Laura Mora, who directed episodes 4, 5, and 6, added: “As a filmmaker and as a Colombian, it has been an honor and a huge challenge to work on such a complex project that carries as much responsibility as One Hundred Years of Solitude, always seeking to understand the difference between literary and audiovisual languages, and to build images that contain the beauty, poetry, and depth of a work that has impacted the entire world. We did this with love and respect for the novel, with the support of an exceptional technical and human team.”
The series consists of a total of 16 episodes and will be released in two parts, each containing eight episodes.
Source: Tudum from Netflix