TV adaptations of classic Latin American books take over streaming — and defy stereotypes
"One Hundred Years of Solitude," "Like Water for Chocolate" and "Pedro Páramo" on Netflix and Max are lush, sweeping sagas and not common Latino portrayals of drugs and crime.
Gabriel García Márquez’s "One Hundred Years of Solitude," one of the world's most revered literary masterpieces, is getting the Netflix treatment.
After five years of developing and producing the highly anticipated television adaptation of the acclaimed novel, the streaming service is releasing part one of the series on Wednesday.
The show is also one of three ambitious projects released this year reimagining beloved Latin American classics treasured by book lovers for their use of magical realism.
In addition to “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” Netflix also recently adapted Juan Rulfo's Mexican novel "Pedro Páramo" into a film. Its streaming competitor Max turned Laura Esquivel's "Like Water for Chocolate" into a series so successful it was recently renewed for a second season.
"I love to see that domino effect in which these works of literature are being made into shows," said Cruz Castillo, external relations and digital manager at the National Hispanic Media Coalition, a nonprofit advocating for better Latino representation in media.
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