Macondo: ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ Adaptation as Netflix Series
One Hundred Years of Solitude is a book that embodies magical realism in all its glory. From a town suffering from a plague of insomnia to characters like Mauricio Babilonia surrounded by yellow butterflies, the novel is a tapestry of wonders. But woven into its fabric is also the Thousand Days’ War and the Banana Massacre, showing the dark history of Colombia.
It’s been almost six years since Netflix snagged the rights to turn Gabriel García Márquez’s masterpiece into a series. The author’s son, Rodrigo García, laid down three rules for the adaptation: many hours, Spanish language, and filmed in Colombia. And now, on December 11th, the first season of this monumental project will hit the streaming platform.
The show will span seven generations of the Buendía family over 16 episodes split into two seasons. The challenge was immense, given the iconic status of the novel that has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. The screenwriter, Natalia Santa, emphasized the importance of understanding the novel as a document of Colombian history, reflecting the nation’s struggles with violence.
The adaptation underwent meticulous planning and decisions, with the scriptwriters facing the daunting task of condensing a rich tapestry of characters and events into a chronological narrative. The aim was to stay true to the novel’s key moments and bring Macondo to life in a historically accurate way.
The production designer, Bárbara Enríquez, ensured the town of Macondo was meticulously built to reflect the actual history of the setting. More than 200 workers labored for nearly a year to construct the village in Alvarado, near Ibagué, replicating the Colombian Caribbean vibe while meeting the logistical needs of filming.
Macondo, in the series, isn’t just a town but a character in itself, evolving as the story progresses. The series promises to be a visual and narrative treat, set to capture the essence of One Hundred Years of Solitude on the small screen.
