27/03/2025 - Co-directed by Alberto Rodríguez and José Manuel Lorenzo, and produced by Movistar Plus+ in partnership with ARTE France, the series recreates the event and the careers of those involved

David Lorente as coup leader Antonio Tejero during the filming of The Anatomy of a Moment (© Movistar Plus+)

UPDATE (27 March 2025): ARTE France has joined the production of the original Movistar Plus+ series through an agreement that guarantees its premiere in the network of territories in which the channel operates. One year after their collaboration on The New Years [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile], the two companies have announced they are renewing their joint work at Séries Mania. Alexandre Piel, deputy head of Drama at ARTE France, highlighted, “It seemed essential to us to participate in this reconstruction of the moment when young Spanish democracy almost plunged into a dark period. We are thrilled to be working with the Movistar Plus+ team once again, and with one of the most talented directors of his generation.”

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The Anatomy of a Moment is the title of the mini-series by Movistar Plus+, now in full production, which has already filmed part of its plot at the location where the events primarily took place: the Spanish Congress of Deputies in Madrid. There, on 23 February 1981, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero led a coup d'état (known in Spain as 23-F) that threatened the country's newly established democracy. This occurred just six years after the death of fascist General Franco, who had ruled Spain under a dictatorship for 40 years.

The creator of the series, José Manuel Lorenzo, shares directing duties for its four 50-minute episodes with Seville-born filmmaker Alberto Rodríguez, director of titles such as Marshland [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alberto Rodríguez
film profile] (which won the Silver Shell for Best Actor at San Sebastián and ten Goya awards), Smoke & Mirrors [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alberto Rodríguez
film profile] (which also won the Silver Shell for Best Actor at San Sebastián and two Goyas), and the most recent Prison 77 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (out of competition at San Sebastián and winner of five Goyas). He has also used this same platform to film the ambitious historical recreation The Plague [+see also:
interview: Alberto Rodríguez and Rafae…
series profile] and more recently the film Los Tigres (read news). The series is based on the critically acclaimed 2009 book of the same name by Javier Cercas, which is adapted for the screen by the author himself, alongside Fran Araújo and Rodríguez's regular co-screenwriter, Rafael Cobos.

The main cast includes Eduard Fernández (winner of the Silver Shell at San Sebastián for Smoke & Mirrors and of four Goyas, the last one this year for Marco [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño
film profile]), who plays the communist political leader Santiago Carrillo. Álvaro Morte (Money Heist) portrays the former president of the Spanish government Adolfo Suárez, while Miki Esparbé (Distances [+see also:
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interview: Elena Trapé
film profile], the series Smiley) takes on the role of King Juan Carlos I, and Manolo Solo (Goya for The Fury of a Patient Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Raúl Arévalo
film profile]), plays the vice-president Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado. The cast also features Samuel López as the socialist politician Alfonso Guerra, Ignacio Castillo as the minister Landelino Lavilla, Juanma Navas as the military figure Alfonso Armada, and David Lorente (Escape [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) portraying the unlikeable role of Tejero, the ringleader of the failed attempt to overthrow Spain’s fledgling democracy.

Filming of the series has begun with the moment when a group of armed soldiers interrupted the inauguration of the newly elected president, Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, as already fictionalised in the miniseries 23-F: el día más difícil del rey and 23-F: Historia de una traición, as well as the film 23-F: La película. Antonio Tejero fired his gun and shouted the now legendary phrase, "Everybody on the floor!"—but only three people remained seated: Adolfo Suárez, Santiago Carrillo, and Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado. The series follows their journeys in the first three episodes, with the final episode dedicated to the trial of those responsible for the coup d'état, which held Spain's democratic government hostage in the chamber and kept the country in suspense for hours.

The Anatomy of a Moment is produced by Movistar Plus+ and DLO Producciones.

(Translated from Spanish)