The session provided insights into how this iconic story will be brought to international screens, with a focus on the key elements of the adaptation process, the portrayal of Latin American magical realism, and the challenge of producing a local series that transcends borders. Panelists included Jerry Rodríguez, showrunner and executive producer of Como Agua para Chocolate and SVP Head of Scripted at EndemolShine Boomdog (Mexico); Jorge Tijerina, Head of Scripted Content Development for Mexico at Warner Bros. Discovery; and Curro Royo, head writer of the series.
In addition to Royo, the writing team consists of María Jaén and Jimena Gallardo, who also contributed to the adaptation.
Based on Laura Esquivel's 1989 novel, Como Agua para Chocolate, which has been translated into more than 30 languages and inspired one of the most successful Latin American films ever, the new HBO series was filmed in Mexico. Directed by acclaimed filmmakers Julián de Tavira and Ana Lorena Pérez Ríos, the show features a stellar Mexican cast, including Irene Azuela, Azul Guaita, Ari Brickman, Ana Valeria Becerril, Andrea Chaparro, Andrés Baida, Ángeles Cruz, and Louis David Horné.
The series boasts a powerhouse team of executive producers, including Salma Hayek Pinault, José Tamez, Siobhan Flynn, and Curro Royo from Ventanarosa Productions, alongside Sharon Levy, Lisa Fahrenholt, and Flavio Morales from Endemol Shine North America. Additional executive production is handled by Alejandro Rincón, Jerry Rodriguez, Clara Machado, and Manuel Vargas for Endemol Shine Boomdog, and Mariano Cesar, Mônica Albuquerque, and Anouk Aarón for Warner Bros.
After screening two previews from the series, the creators emphasized that the adaptation remains faithful to the original story but with a modern perspective that will appeal to both new viewers and longtime fans of the novel. “It’s the same story, reflecting the significance of the Mexican Revolution, but it’s also crucial to move forward and not stay stuck in the past. That’s why the narrator brings a contemporary vision to the events,” Rodríguez pointed out.
The plot centers on Tita de la Garza (played by Azul Guaita) and Pedro Múzquiz (Mauricio García Lozano), two young lovers separated by rigid family traditions. In Tita’s family, the youngest daughter is destined to remain unmarried to care for her mother, preventing her from being with Pedro. In her despair, Tita takes refuge in the kitchen, where her deep emotions are expressed through her cooking. Her recipes become a conduit for her repressed desires, influencing those who taste her dishes with a touch of magical realism that is a hallmark of the story.
“The story is set during the Mexican Revolution, but the series also focuses on the inner revolution that takes place within the main character, Tita, who longs to be free to love and to follow a destiny different from the one dictated by tradition and her mother’s will, which represents a patriarchal mindset," added Jorge. Meanwhile, Jerry Rodriguez highlighted the great attention to detail, such as the period costumes and traditional recipes, since food plays a crucial role in this series, as well as the meticulous reconstruction of the setting“.
“The topic of magical realism was a major discussion, and we finally arrived at a definition,” Royo remarked, something real that intrudes where it shouldn’t be, coexisting with the ordinary.”
photo JuanCarlosLucas
“The topic of magical realism was a major discussion, and we finally arrived at a definition,” Royo remarked, something real that intrudes where it shouldn’t be, coexisting with the ordinary.”
photo JuanCarlosLucas
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