Netflix Takes ‘Gringolandia’ For U.S., Latin America
BARCELONA — Netflix will stream popular Chilean webseries “Gringolandia” not just in Chile but also in U.S. and all Latin America.
A six seven minute web-skein, “Gringolandia” has cumed 4.4 million views for the whole series on YouTube, and 84,466 followers.
The Netflix version will include unseen material and first and second seasons. Series creators have announced a third season.
“It’s the first Latin American web series that migrates from Youtube to Netflix. And only the second one worldwide after “Video Game High School,” Cristobal Ross told Variety proudly.
“I feel very happy and optimistic about the future of online independent content,” he added.
“Gringolandia” (Spanish Latin American slang for the “U.S.”) is a web series created, and directed by Ross and produced by him via shingle produced Contento. It turns on Peter, a Chilean entrepreneur who falls in love with Stacey, a U.S. woman, and follows her to the Big Apple. There he sets up a company called “Yankee Way,” selling “completos chilenos,” which is a Chilean sandwich version of a hot dog.
Main role is played by well-known TV actor Koke Santa Ana (Luis R. Vera’s “Fiesta Patria”), who nabbed a best actor prize at the New York Web Fest in 2013. Santa Ana has been called the “Chilean Cantinflas.”
Streaming service Netflix has already worked with Chilean helmer Nicolas Lopez, co-producing his “Worst Friends Forever.” Deal marked an potential business model for lower-cost Latin American cinema production.
Trained as an engineer, Ross began his cinema career in New York two years ago. He also produced webseries “Entretiempo” and is the CEO of his own production company, Contento.
Netflix announced in August the shoot of its first Brazilian webseries, “3%.”
Already established in Latin America, Netflix will launch on Oct. 20 in Spain.
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