Principal photography begins for Rafaela y su loco mundo, Atresplayer’s mould-breaking new original series
- Created by Aníbal Gómez and based on one of his books, the series stars Ingrid García-Jonsson, Carlos Areces, Joaquín Reyes, Arturo Valls, Carmen Ruiz and Gómez himself
Madrid is currently hosting the shoot for Rafaela y su loco mundo (lit. “Rafaela and Her Crazy World”), an original series by the Atresplayer platform set in a pop universe where absurdity rubs shoulders with hilarity. This irreverent comedy – based on his book El alucinante mundo de Rafaella Mozzarella (lit. “The Mind-bending World of Rafaella Mozzarella”) – was created by actor and musician Aníbal Gómez, who has appeared in films of the likes of Un mal día lo tiene cualquiera as well as in the La alarma episode of the series Historias para no dormir [+see also:
series review
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series profile]. He is also directing the show alongside comedian and filmmaker Ernesto Sevilla (Cámera café, la película [+see also:
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What’s more, it boasts a cast of popular names: Ingrid García-Jonsson (who is appearing in A Whale [+see also:
film review
film profile], still on the cinema listings) breathes life into the main character, flanked by Carlos Areces (¿Quién es quién? [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the series Muertos S.L.), Aníbal Gómez and Joaquín Reyes (The Night My Dad Saved Christmas), who play her best friends. Arturo Valls (who is presently appearing in the massive Spanish box-office smash Un funeral de locos), Carmen Ruiz, Pepa Cortijo, Laura Weissmahr (Goya Award winner for Salve María [+see also:
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interview: Mar Coll
film profile] and now gracing screens in Los aitas [+see also:
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film profile]) and Luis Callejo round off the cast. It will also contain a few surprises, such as appearances by episodic characters and cameos by Esty Quesada, Gakian, Victoria Martín, Javier Botet and musical duo Hidrogenesse, among others.
The series will tackle the peculiar teenage years of Rafaela, together with her friends Corpus, Chelo and Debo, plus her little puppy. They will all be placed in situations that will force them to grow up, and they will have one clear objective: to save the world before their adolescence is over and they have to start living life as adults.
Behind this zany idea is the unmistakeable brain of Aníbal Gómez (with Daniel del Casar as a consultant) – indeed, the synopsis sounds priceless: Rafaela is a young lady from a highly practical family made up of Dad, Mum, Grandma and her. Her mother is a housewife partial to dressing up, her father is an inventor with a time machine, and her grandmother… is simply her grandmother. She, her friends and her pet will endure situations that will force them to grow up as a group, as people and as a poodle, respectively. Sinister mansions, sleepovers and functional diversity will be just a few of the perils they will have to face.
“It might just be the craziest thing we’ve shot at Estela Films, and that’s saying something. Time travel, colourful sets that could be straight out of Pippi Longstocking, a hilariously offbeat universe, songs by Ojete Calor… What more do you want?” producer Felix Tussell Sánchez (of Estela Films) posted on his social networks. And his colleague Arturo Valls (of Pólvora Films) exclaimed: “A miracle has happened in the Spanish audiovisual world! What, Carla Simón and Óliver Laxe being in the official section of the Cannes Film Festival? No, that’s well-deserved… Atresplayer is letting us produce this series!”
Rafaela y su loco mundo – made up of eight self-contained episodes, each lasting 25 minutes – is being produced by Montse García (Atresmedia) in collaboration with Félix Tusell Sánchez and Carmela Martínez Oliart (Estela Films), Arturo Valls (Pólvora Films), Bárbara Castellanos and Jorge Pezzi (Boomerang TV), and Tenampa Films.
(Translated from Spanish)
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