🎬 🇪🇸 What to watch in Spanish: Discover Los Javis!
Have you heard of Los Javis? Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi are one of Spain's best-known creative duos, famous for their distinctive storytelling, humour and explorations of identity, family and Spanish society.
Their latest film, La bola negra, inspired by an unfinished work by Federico García Lorca, won Best Director at this year's Cannes Film Festival and was released in Spanish cinemas on 25 September. It's bringing renewed international attention to Lorca's extraordinary legacy.
But you don't need to wait for the film to discover their work! Here are two very different Spanish-language series we recommend exploring.
📺 1. Paquita Salas — Comedy
🤣 Where to watch: Netflix UK
Meet Paquita, a larger-than-life talent agent who enjoyed success in the 1990s but is now struggling to keep up with the changing entertainment industry.
Full of wonderfully eccentric characters, celebrity appearances, Spanish humour and cultural references, this mockumentary-style comedy is a brilliant introduction to Los Javis' distinctive style.
🇪🇸 Spanish-learning tip: The dialogue can be quite fast and full of colloquial expressions, so try watching with Spanish subtitles if you're feeling confident, or English subtitles to enjoy the humour!
🎞️ Three seasons available, with short episodes of around 20–30 minutes.
📺 2. La Mesías — Drama
🎭 Where to watch: MUBI or MUBI through Amazon Prime Video
A very different experience! This award-winning, seven-part drama explores family relationships, religious fanaticism, childhood trauma and the lasting impact of the past.
When a viral video of a Christian pop group brings back painful childhood memories, a brother and sister must confront their extraordinary family history.
Powerful, visually striking and sometimes unsettling, La Mesías shows a much darker, more dramatic side to Los Javis' storytelling.
Please note this series contains mature, potentially distressing themes, including religious abuse and childhood trauma.
🇪🇸 Spanish-learning tip: A great choice for more confident learners who enjoy challenging drama and discovering contemporary Spanish society through film and television.
💻 UK viewers can watch with a MUBI subscription, either directly or through the MUBI channel on Amazon Prime Video. A separate subscription may be required.
❤️ From Los Javis to Federico García Lorca…
Their new film, La bola negra, explores themes of love, sexuality, repression and historical memory, drawing inspiration from Lorca's unfinished work.
It's also the inspiration for our upcoming online Spanish-language workshop with Elena: 🇪🇸 Lorca: Life, Love and Memory
We'll explore the world Lorca lived in, what Spain was like in the 1920s and 1930s, the Spanish Civil War and why his memory still resonates today.
📅 Thursday 29 October | 10am–12.15pm (UK)
💻 Live on Zoom
🗣️ Predominantly in Spanish, with English support
📚 Beginner 2 (A1) upwards
🎟️ Just £20 for Todo el Mundo Students!
¿Habéis visto alguna de estas series? ¿Qué os parecieron? 🇪🇸
Have you watched either series? We'd love to hear what you thought in the comments!