‘I’m Gilda’ Helmer joins ‘Pioneers’ at the 1971 Women’s World Cup

Lorena Muñoz, who rose to fame by directing the 2016 Argentine blockbuster ‘I’m Gilda’, is attached to direct ‘Pioneers’ (‘Pioneras’), a limited historical fiction series inspired by the Argentine football team’s participation in the only half-known Women’s World Cup of 1971, a milestone for the sport in general and for Argentina, whose makeshift side defeated England in a dramatic match.

An inspiring and resonant sports thriller with gender political undertones. The drama series ‘Pioneers’ is created and executive produced by Pablo Udenio and set up in his new production house Dukkah, which has burst onto the scene with the production of the critically acclaimed HBO pick-up ‘Gunman’ (‘Gatillero’) and ‘The Virgin of the Quarry Lake’ (‘La virgen de la tosquera’), one of the most notable horror films released in Latin America. 2025.

With screenwriters yet to be confirmed, “Pioneers” will feature as one of six scripted series project finalists selected to present live during Content Americas’ CoPro Pitch on January 20.

“Having Lorena Muñoz on board elevates ‘Pioneers’ in every way,” said Udenio. “Her proven experience in real-life storytelling, combined with her sensitivity and deep knowledge of character-driven storytelling, brings unique depth and credibility to the series, amplifying both its creative vision and international appeal,” he added.

For example, “I’m Gilda” is a musical biopic that focuses on the childhood and rise of cumbia singer-composer sensation Miriam Alejandra Bianchi, better known as Gilda.

What ‘Pioneers’ is about
“Pioneers” tells the true story of Argentina’s part in a remarkable World Cup, partly because it proved a huge success. In 1971, in Buenos Aires, where women’s football is written off as a curiosity, sixteen young women are unexpectedly chosen to form Argentina’s first national women’s football team. Without the right equipment and an unreliable manager, they arrive in Mexico for the trip of a lifetime, according to a synopsis. Indeed, photographs that have survived from that era show Argentinian players exuding a Latin glamour.

The tournament organizers wanted to capitalize on the enormous impact of the 1970 Men’s World Cup, which was won by perhaps the greatest football team to ever walk this earth: the Brazil of Pelé, Jairzinho and Rivellino. They were right. The 1971 World Cup had sponsors, led by Italian drinks giant Martin & Rossi, who paid for flights.

That said, Argentina was the tournament’s poor cousin. The team’s team manager absconds with his financing. They have to coach themselves – the players have to decide which position they play – and work part-time at the hotel they are staying at to cover their accommodation. A retired player eventually agrees to coach them. Argentina beat England 3-2 in a match that decades later was described as ‘brutal’ by an English player. Days before the semi-finals, the team gets into a bus accident…

“Pioneers” “tells a long-overlooked story: that of a group of women who dared to dream, play and claim a space that was never meant for them,” Muñoz said. Variety. “What moves me most about this project is the mix of intimacy, courage and collective strength, and the way in which football becomes an instrument for identity, resistance and freedom.”

The 1971 Women’s World Cup final, staged at Mexico’s Azteca Stadium, was watched by an estimated 110,000 spectators. However, it took 20 years before FIFA, the male-led global governing body, organized an official Women’s World Cup in 1991. “It was like entering the Tardis of Narnia – being transported to another world,” England center-left Chris Lockwood recalled to the BBC 40 years later.

And what sets it apart
The project’s strength in today’s global market rests on three clear and powerful pillars, Udenio argued. One of them is a female-driven story. “At its core, ‘Pioneers’ is a female-led sports story set in a deeply patriarchal era, depicting women who dared to challenge the rules of their time,” said Udenio. “It is a story of empowerment, perseverance and collective courage, told with emotional depth and moments of humor, making it both compelling and resonant for today’s audiences.”

Football is also the most universally followed sport in the world. “Significantly, this is also the year of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, hosted in North America, with the US at the center of the global audiovisual industry. ‘Pioneers’ will have a powerful cultural and temporal relevance that connects the past and present,” said Udenio.

Audiences around the world also continue to show a strong appetite for stories inspired by real events. “The true story of Pioneers adds “authenticity, emotional weight and international appeal,” Udenio said Variety.. “Pioneers” “tells a story of resilience that is deeply universal and emotionally inspiring to an international audience,” he added.

“With a strong focus on character, identity and sports, ‘Pioneers’ is designed for today’s premium series landscape. It is primarily aimed at streaming platforms and television networks seeking real-life-inspired, female-driven stories with universal themes of transformation, teamwork and social change,” concludes Udenio.