Even after being honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature, Gabriel García Márquez often reveled in describing himself as a passionate aficionado of cinema, with a particular fondness for Latin American films that resided deep within his heart. Throughout his journey, he not only delved into studying and imparting knowledge about film but also penned screenplays and played a pivotal role in the establishment and leadership of the New Latin American Cinema Foundation in Cuba. Hence, it is only appropriate that the 45th annual International Festival of New Latin American Cinema in Havana, next month, will be presenting an exclusive advance screening of the highly anticipated and ambitious Netflix adaptation of García Márquez's most celebrated work, "One Hundred Years of Solitude," encompassing its first two episodes.
García Márquez, the Colombian novelist renowned for his mastery over magical realism, was a staunch supporter of Fidel Castro, Cuba's veteran leader, and maintained a long-standing bond with the Havana film festival. Tania Delgado Fernández, the director of the festival, made the announcement of the screenings at a press conference last week, revealing it as a fruit of an accord with Netflix. Slated for December 6, these screenings are set to serve as a well-merited homage to García Márquez, who had once presided over the festival's jury, as articulated in a statement on the festival's website. García Márquez, until his demise in 2014 at the age of 87, was the president of the Foundation of New Latin American Cinema.
In a 1989 interview with The New York Times, García Márquez articulated the foundation's vision: "The essence of the foundation lies in fostering a unified Latin American cinema, acknowledging the unique characteristics and cultures of each nation, yet embracing their shared traits." He employed a musical metaphor, stating, "The vast distance between the tango and salsa is undeniable, yet both are unmistakably recognized as Latin American music."
"One Hundred Years of Solitude," chronicling the saga of the Buendía family in the imaginary town of Macondo, stands as a beacon of Latin American literature, catapulting García Márquez to the forefront of the renowned Latin American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s. His literary prowess was recognized globally when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982.
A spokesperson for Netflix revealed on Friday that following a sneak peek in Havana, showcasing merely two episodes, the grand premiere will unfold in Bogotá, Colombia, within a matter of days. Available to Cubans with internet access since 2015, Netflix will roll out the series worldwide on December 11th.
Helmed by Laura Mora and Alex García López, the first segment of the Netflix adaptation, filmed in the homeland of García Márquez – Colombia, boasts an ensemble cast featuring Marleyda Soto, Claudio Cataño, and Diego Vásquez. According to Netflix, the magic of García Márquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude," which has sold approximately 50 million copies and been translated into 46 languages since its publication in 1967, is now being brought to life on screen.
Netflix acquired the rights to adapt this literary masterpiece in 2019. García Márquez's children shared with The Times that their father had been inundated with offers to turn the book into a film over the years. Their father harbored concerns that the essence of the narrative couldn't be encapsulated in a single movie and feared that the story might lose its Spanish authenticity.
"In the past three to four years, the popularity, prestige, and success of series and limited series have skyrocketed," Rodrigo García, the novelist's son, elaborated on the family's decision to grant the development rights. "Netflix pioneered the idea that viewers are more than ever eager to immerse themselves in foreign-language series with subtitles. All those previous worries seem obsolete now."
