Al mal tiempo, buena cara is a Spanish saying meaning that when times are hard, put a smile on your face and keep going. And what better way to spend this difficult time, staying healthy during yet another outbreak of the thing that shall not be named, than watching incredible stories told in a beautiful language such as Spanish. Don’t let the accents be the only thing you love; this is great-quality filmmaking, writing and acting, from various countries and genres. There’s something for everyone in these series.
Nasdrovia (Spain, 2020)
Full of dark humour, Nasdrovia tells the thrilling story of two successful Spanish lawyers that in the midst of their midlife crisis, bored with their success, decide to open a restaurant with a Russian chef. What they didn’t expect was to have the restaurant become a favoured spot of the Russian Mob. The minute Edurne and Julian engage with the mob members, their lives change for better and/or worse. Watch the incredibly talented Leonor Watling in one of her best roles, constantly breaking the fourth wall to talk to her audience and laugh at her own misery. Funny and bold, this series will keep you hooked to the end.
Wild District (Colombia, 2018)
If action is what you’re after, Wild District won’t disappoint. This Colombian series follows the tormented Jhon Jeiver, a former guerrillero who has finally managed to flee the jungle, but can’t seem to escape the war. The guerrilla follows him to the streets of Bogotá and throws him into a political scandal as an infiltrated double agent. This show is a welcome alternative to the drug-centred dramas we usually see based in Latin America. It’s got everything you want in an action series: exciting storyline, very talented actors, corruption and political scandals, and as a bonus, a peek into life after and inside the Colombian guerrilla. It’s also a reminder that adapting to society after experiencing trauma can be harder than we can imagine.
Inspector Rojas: In Cold Blood (Chile, 2018)
Based on one of the most notorious crimes in the modern history of Chile, Inspector Rojas follows a detective trying to solve a case in which a dozen young girls have gone missing from the small desert town of Alto Hospicio. It features incredible Chilean actors and beautifully crafted cinematography showcasing the desert landscapes of northern Chile. Follow Inspector Rojas’ quest to stop the police’s dismissal of these missing girls while struggling with his own past. This dramatic thriller is for those who enjoy detective series and true crime.
Antidisturbios (Spain, 2020)
This acclaimed Spanish series offers a nuanced insight into policing, focussing on a unit that has frequently been in the public eye: the anri-riot squad. Antidisturbios has shaken Spanish audiences by depicting the inner world of a police force laden with distrust, violence, testosterone and corruption. The series examines the consequences of an eviction operation in which an African immigrant is killed, and the ensuing Internal Affairs investigation. One of the great achievements of this series is that it depicts the individuals from different points of view. No person is only one thing – one is a villain but also a friend; another is a 'good cop' but also makes mistakes.
Invisible Heroes (Finland and Chile, 2019)
Yes, this show is a Finnish production. Told in Swedish, German, Finnish and Spanish, Invisible Heroes tells the remarkable story of a Finnish diplomat based in Chile in 1973, the year the country suffered a military coup which led to the death of the president and began a 17-year-long dictatorship that perpetrated countless human rights abuses. Tapani Brotherus, recently appointed to the Chilean Embassy, finds himself risking his life to save thousands of persecuted Chilean citizens. This series provides an opportunity to get a glimpse of how the Chilean dictatorship began, the way the world viewed it at the time, and how far people were willing to go to save another human being. Wonderfully written and featuring outstanding cinematography and music, Invisible Heroes is a must-see.
La Jauría (Chile, 2020)
Another outstanding Chilean production, La Jauría is a thriller following the investigation of a misogynistic crime: a group of young men play a game in which they treat girls as prey, following and sexually assaulting them. The series covers topics such as gender-based violence, abuse of power and sexual abuse in schools, intelligently interweaving the topics in closely related storylines, crafting a story that is tense and thrilling from beginning to end. La Jauría is a reminder that women continue to face daily violence and that this violence is too often dismissed or normalised. If you’re after interesting female characters, this show is for you. Students and detectives are brought to life by an amazing cast including Daniela Vega, from the Oscar-winning movie, (streaming at SBS On Demand till 30 March).
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