The South International Series Festival will showcase its most international edition with screenings from a dozen countries. The Spanish premiere of "Leonardo Da Vinci," a documentary series produced by Florentine Films and WETA Washington D.C., which joins the Official Non-Fiction Section, and "Joan," directed by Richard Laxton and starring Sophie Turner, which joins the Official Fiction Section, adds to the nearly 50 series presented this past Wednesday at the press conference held in Madrid, set to be screened from October 25 to 31 in the Cádiz capital.
Directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon, and written by David McMahon and Sarah Burns, "Leonardo Da Vinci" is a two-part, four-hour documentary that explores the life and work of the 15th-century polymath. Set against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy, the film brings to life the immense achievements of the artist through his prolific personal notebooks, primary and secondary accounts of his life, and on-camera interviews with scholars, artists, engineers, inventors, and modern admirers. This documentary, scheduled to be screened in Cádiz on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 29, delves into one of humanity's most curious and innovative minds.
The South International Series Festival has also announced the inclusion of "Joan" (United Kingdom) in its lineup, a drama directed by Richard Laxton and starring Sophie Turner, based on the true story of Joan Hannington, a jewel thief in 1980s Britain, who struggles between her prosperous and daring career in the criminal world and her fight to regain custody of her daughter from social services.
These two series join other confirmed international productions from Portugal, the United Kingdom, Germany, Colombia, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Russia, and France. Let’s briefly review each of them. First, "Xuxa: O Documentário" (Brazil) is a five-episode documentary series about the life and career of the famous Brazilian television host Xuxa, who is about to celebrate her 60th birthday and over 40 years in the profession. Triumphs and disappointments, fights and loves recount her entire journey in this production by Endemol Shine and Estúdios Globo.
"This Town" (U.S./United Kingdom) tells the story of a dysfunctional family that must navigate various obstacles to stay together. A production of Kudos (Banijay UK) and Nebulastar for BBC in co-production with Mercury Studios, in collaboration with Kudos North, Stigma Films, and Nick Angel, this series is from the creator of "Peaky Blinders," Steven Knight. Meanwhile, "Nautilus" (United Kingdom), out of competition, is a series written and produced by James Dormer with Michael Matthews as director, which tells the origin story of Captain Nemo. Also in the lineup is "Rivages (Sea Shadows)" from France. This fiction directed by David Hourrègue narrates the story of Abigail, an oceanologist sent to Fécamp, her hometown, to analyze the reasons behind a mysterious shipwreck.
"(In)Visibles" (Mexico) from Ecocinema and UNHCR narrates a journey through the lives of those who have been forced to leave their homes in search of a better future. "Oderbruch" (Germany) is an eight-episode drama with a supernatural twist, directed by Christian Alvart and Adolfo J. Kolmerer, which combines a dark criminal investigation with elements of the fantastic in an oppressive atmosphere. "Matilha" (Portugal) (7x45’) stars Afonso Pimentel and Margarida Vila-Nova. It tells the story of a kind-hearted Lisbon thug trying to rebuild an honest life with his girlfriend Mafalda. From the United Kingdom comes "Alive," a series produced by ITN Productions, with the French giant Banijay handling distribution, which narrates, through the vivid and impactful testimony of survivors, the definitive story of heroism in the Miracle of the Andes. Politics and the environment are present in "On Thin Ice: Putin vs. Greenpeace" (Russia/United Kingdom). This co-production recounts a risky protest on a Russian oil platform that goes horribly wrong. As a result, the activists become unwilling pawns in Putin's war against the West and find themselves at the center of a global crisis.
On the other hand, "Dead in the Water" (United Kingdom) is a production by Raw for Amazon Prime Video in association with All3Media International, recalling the moment when a British couple was murdered during a trip through Central America in the 1970s. The case goes cold, and 40 years later, their family investigates and discovers something surprising. Finally, out of competition, "Escupiré sobre sus tumbas" (Colombia), a production by Caracol TV with an international cast led by Spanish actor Cristian Gamero and Puerto Rican Essined Aponte, brings to life this story of love and vengeance, set against the backdrop of the port elite of the Colombian Caribbean.