Scripted

Keshet International (KI), the global content producer and distributor, has secured the international distribution rights to the hotly contested six-part biopic drama Cuba Libre for its scripted slate at MIPCOM 2022.

Produced by Hop! Films for Portugal’s public service broadcaster RTP with new-comer Beatriz Godinho in the lead role of Annie, Cuba Libre (6x45’) tells the true story of a young Portuguese woman who gave everything to the Cuban revolution and Che Guevara, including herself.

Set against the political backdrop of the Cold War, this is the extraordinary biography of Ana Maria Silva Pais, the only daughter of the Director General of the PIDE, Portugal’s secret service. Annie was a mass of contradictions: a legendary beauty who loved music, dancing, and French culture, she was also a rebellious spirit with strong-held political opinions that often clashed with her family’s. While her looks brought her beauty-contest success, it was these political ideals that shaped her life. Thrilled to escape the Portuguese dictatorship with her Swiss diplomat husband when he is posted to Havana, Annie falls in love with more than just the vibrant culture there - abandoning her life as she knows it to dedicate herself to the Cuban revolution, all the while being secretly in love with Che Guevara.

Anke Stoll, KI’s VP of Acquisitions and Co-productions, says: “This is an incredible true story of a woman who changed so many lives to follow her passion and strong political beliefs. The team at Hop! Films have done a fantastic job bringing her vibrant story to life for TV viewers.”