(Corrects quote attribution for Alegria and Urrejola in paragraphs 2, 3, 12, 14)
By Hanna Rantala
BERLIN, Feb 16 (Reuters) – Isabel Allende’s novel “The House of the Spirits”, spanning several generations of women, was tough to translate to the screen, said the showrunners of an upcoming TV adaptation, but working with a Latin American cast made the challenge a joy.
“It was about time that we told the story ourselves,” Francisca Alegria told Reuters at the Berlin Film Festival, where the first three episodes were screened on Monday.
“For us, the novel, and for, I would say, all Latin America, is such an important piece of work. It talks so much about our identity, our history,” added Alegria.
“It’s just kind of like a dream come true.”
AN AMBITIOUS ADAPTATION
Alegria, along with Fernanda Urrejola and Andres Wood, are the creative trio behind the eight-part Spanish-language series that is set to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video this April.
Wood recalled that they felt a heavy responsibility to properly adapt the novel, but working on the project with a Latin American crew and cast in Chile was also a dream.
Allende, who is an executive producer, gave the team complete freedom to adapt her 1982 debut novel, they said.
The 83-year-old is one of the most widely read living writers in the Spanish language. Her books, which often blend historical events with magic and fantasy, have been translated into more than 40 languages.
A previous attempt in 1993 at a film adaptation featuring Meryl Streep and Glenn Close was a commercial flop.
AHEAD OF HER TIME
The TV series is told through granddaughter Alba’s perspective in the 1970s as she uncovers her family’s past and her country’s turbulent history through the diaries of her grandmother written half a century earlier.
Alba is played by Rochi Hernandez, who starred in the Argentine TV series “La caida”, while Clara is played by three actors: Francesca Turco, Nicole Wallace and Dolores Fonzi.
Urrejola pointed out that Allende never mentioned Chile explicitly, a decision the showrunners also kept as they see the story as a universal tale of the region’s history.
Allende was ahead of her time in exploring intergenerational trauma long before it was an accepted concept, she added.
“Talking about healing generational trauma – it’s huge. And to understand how important memory is in order for us not to repeat the story. And we need that now,” said Urrejola.
(Reporting by Hanna Rantala, Writing by Miranda Murray; editing by Diane Craft)
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