A thriller about kidnapped children, a drama about the power struggles between the church, state and criminal underworld of Rome and a series about 1920s telephone operators are among the foreign language shows to launch on Netflix this year.
Dark, a German fantasy which is being filmed in and around Berlin, follows the search for kidnapped children and unravels a myriad of family secrets.
Series writer Jantje Friese unveiled the first teaser at a launch event in Berlin, saying: “The family secrets go back to 1950s and 1980s.
“It is like a puzzle and with each episode you get a new piece, and in each episode you realise the fates of the families are tragically connected and they go beyond space and time.”
Producer Qurin Berg added: “Our generation are hungry for new stories.
“We are part of a new era of pioneers, there is a new era of TV, it might feel like when they went from black and white to colour TV and we are an active part of that era.”
Dark is expected to launch on the streaming service in December and is one of Netflix’s 90 European productions at various stages of development.
The service, which is already available in 13 languages, will soon add Romanian and Greek options to its library, chief executive Reed Hastings announced at a press conference.
New Italian drama Suburra will be an adaptation of a film of the same name, set several years before the events of the movie.
Gina Gardini, the producer of the film and series, explained: “Suburra is a word that describes an ancient quarter in Rome where criminals, senators and thieves met in secret and forged alliances.
“Now it has evolved into a concept where they need to work hand in hand to blur the lines between the illegal and the illicit.
“The Mayor of Rome has just resigned at the beginning of the series, creating a power vacuum and new prospects of business, which has whet the appetites of business and white collar people and that is the motor and drive of the series.”
Las Chicas Del Cable, which will launch on the streaming service on April 28, will be set in Spain in 1928, following four women at the National Telephone Company as they navigate the world of work and romance.
Actress Maggie Civantos, who will star in the show, said: “In 1928 there weren’t that many working opportunities for women, women had to fight much harder to get their say and we show that and that was something I enjoyed.
“I play a woman who wants to be free and independent. In the beginning she’s not that strong but wants to become independent and through the series learns her own strength.”
Producer Teresa Fernandez-Valdes added: “The series should not be too far away from today, a lot of the conflicts are happening today in various parts of society.
“We are not just portraying women in Spain but Latin America too. In every country, there are difficulties for women.”
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