Ventanarosa: Monarca depicts present-day Mexico

Netflix presented in Mexico City its new original Mexican series produced by Ventanarosa (Pepe Tamez and Salma Hayek), Stearns Castle (Michael McDonald) and Lemon Studios (Fer and Billy Rovzar), Monarca, that debuted on September 13 on the platform.

Hayek was present together with the main cast: Irene Azuela, Osvaldo Benavides, Juan Manuel Bernal, and Rosa María Bianchi. “It is very satisfying to know that 190 countries are going to witness the talent of these stars,” expressed Hayek, who highlighted the great moment Mexico is having in the film and TV industry: “Companies such as Netflix are making the difference, because the market is starting to be more competitive and that is healthy. It is a great opportunity for all of us to grow and we are happy to be part of it.”

Juan Manuel Bernal, who plays the elder brother, highlighted that the series will show amazing landscapes in the tequila ranches, as well as a very deep family drama. “Something I liked was resuming melodrama from another perspective, betting more on subtlety, complexity. Another lucky point is that they let us propose, there was flexibility for us to contribute to the story,” added Osvaldo Benavides, who plays the younger brother in the series.

“Monarca depicts present-day Mexico, a Mexico that is no longer riding on a donkey or wearing a hat. It shows the corporate, sophisticated Mexico; a cosmopolitan, vibrant, and culinary city; a rich province with traditions, beauty, and family troubles. You can identify all the countries in the world. The best it can achieve is for us as human beings to identify with other human beings,” expressed Hayek.

The series will have a strong component regarding the role of women in society and female empowerment, represented in the character of Irene Azuela, who makes her way under the incredulous gaze of her brothers. Irene said she felt happy and proud to belong to a project like Monarca and “protected” by a platform such as Netflix.