Suma Content and Atresplayer share first teaser of ‘Mariliendre’

Javier Ambrosi and Javier Calvo’s Suma Content (“La Mesías”, “Vestidas de Azul”) and Spanish platform Atresplayer are collaborating on “Mariliendre”, a new fictional musical comedy series from creator Javier Ferreiro.

“Mariliendre” was unveiled earlier this month at FesTVal Vitoria, and Variety has now been given exclusive access to the first international teaser for the show.

‘Mariliendre’, a common Spanish nickname for a gay man’s female best friend, is set in Chueca, one of the most vibrant gay neighborhoods in the Spanish capital and probably the world. It follows Meri Román, a former queen of Madrid’s gay nightlife. . Now, at 35, those days of recognition are in the review mirror for Meri, a dethroned diva who can’t let go of the past and is bored by her mundane present.

After her father’s death, Meri reconnects with her old group of gay friends, bringing memories of her glorious past and the musical hits that marked that time in her life into sharper focus. By reexamining that bygone era, Meri may be able to better define her current life and identity.

According to the team at Suma Content, the series will take an unequivocally feminist stance and answer questions about identity, body image, mental health, motherhood and the families we choose, as well as the families we don’t. The show is packed with Spanish pop classics from the 2000s, songs that can still be heard at every gay party decades later. The producers promise that such a musical series has never been produced in Spain.

“’Mariliendre’ is a musical fantasy that explores the figure of that fundamental woman in the life of every gay man: his friend Mariliendre,” Ferreiro explained. Variety. “It is a tribute to all those women who gave their days and nights for all of us.”

“It is a series in which I reflect on personal issues that have marked my life, such as the relationship with my wife and mental health. “I have chosen to carry out this reflection through music and comedy because I believe these are useful tools in sharing experiences that can be both pleasant and painful,” he added.

“Mariliendre” was written by Ferreiro with Paloma Rando and Carmen Aumedes. Ferreiro will direct every episode. The musical directors of the series are Pablo Lluch and Vic Mirallas, with Belén Martí as choreographer.

Rising Blanca Martínez Rodrigo (“Alimañas,” “In Love All Over Again”) will star as Meri. The actor recently appeared in Netflix’s hugely popular Spanish hospital drama “Breathless,” which has not dropped out of the streamer’s top three most-watched non-English-language series since its debut on August 30. She is accompanied by Martin Urrutia and Omar Ayuso. , Carlos González, Yenesi, Álvaro Jurado, Mariona Terés, Mariano Peña and Nina in the show’s primary cast.

Other off-screen talent includes co-directors of photography Lali Rubio and Andreu Adam, art director Marta Loza, costume designer Diana García, and hair and makeup heads Ana Urosa and Raúl Gallego.

Commissioned by Atresplayer, “Mariliendre” is produced by Suma Content with Montse García and Andrea H. Catalá as executive producers and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrosi as producers.

Although song and dance production is not particularly common in Spain, Suma Content does have experience working in the genre. In 2017, under its previous name Suma Latina, the company produced the musical comedy ‘Holy Camp’, a cult hit written and directed by Los Javis. Other series produced and directed by the duo – “La Mesías,” for example – often featured choreographed musical numbers, even if the productions were not explicitly classified as musicals.