23/11/2023 - Berto Romero embodies a sort of adult version of the boy from The Sixth Sense in six episodes that, wisely mixing humour and terror, discusses dignity and journalistic ethics

It was first presented in its entirety in September at the Velodrome of the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival. However, it was somewhat overshadowed by the rest of the event's programme. In October, something similar happened during the Sitges Film Festival, just as immense as the previous year, where three of its six episodes, each lasting half an hour, were screened. And it's a pity that it went somewhat unnoticed, because the series The Other Side is, quite simply, great.

Directed by the duo Javier Ruiz Caldera and Alberto del Toro (who already joined forces in 3 Many Weddings [+see also:
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This pair formed by a self-conscious, traumatised and shy man and a spectre who plays the role of a very annoying Jiminy Cricket will face a poltergeist case in a humble suburb of Barcelona (the flat inhabited by Eva, played by María Botto). While this anti-hero's great rival - and former colleague - Gorka Romero (a quasi-double of Iker Jiménez, leader of the programme Cuarto Milenio, played by an amusing Nacho Vigalondo), will try to take over the case in order to fill it with high doses of sensationalism and populism in his successful programme Nueva Era.

With all this as a starting point, both Romero (co-writer with Rafael Barceló and Enric Pardo) and the directors have created one of the best series (together with La Mesías [+see also:
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The Other Side is a pure delight for both fans of the fantastic and for fans of fine irony, complicit laughter and raw costumbrismo, Álex de la Iglesia style. With the added bonus of setting itself up, under that layer of Buenafuente-Romero's usual humorous lightness (which they have squandered on successful television programmes), as a declaration of principles - without a hint of intensity - in defence of rigorous, dignified and ethical journalism, attacking sensationalism, amateurs on social media and the cheap demagoguery used not only by some reporters, but also by too many politicians.

The Other Side is a Movistar Plus+ original series in collaboration with El Terrat (The Mediapro Studio). Its sales are managed by Movistar Plus+ Internacional.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)