Alex de la Iglesia-Produced Dystopian Podcast Adaptation ‘Sanctuary’ Heads to Berlinale Series Market Selects

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Expectant mother Pilar (played by Lucía Guerrero in “Money”) moves into a picturesque, domed birthing sanctuary due to a climate-induced disaster that has contaminated the air. There she encounters Valle (Aura Garrido from “What the Future Holds”), the caretaker responsible for the women’s wellbeing. As Pilar becomes more accustomed to her surroundings, she discovers that this seemingly peaceful haven conceals a series of chilling mysteries; nothing is as it initially appears.

Sanctuary” (originally titled “Santuario”), a joint production between Spain’s forward-thinking Atresmedia TV (known for shows like “Money Heist” and “Velvet”) and Pokeepsie Films (supported by Banijay in Madrid, makers of “30 Coins”), is an intriguing blend of a less-than-farfetched, ominous setting, and robust female protagonists. This gripping series highlights the depth of female resilience when confronted with imminent peril, all while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.”

Or more concisely:

“Sanctuary”, a joint Spanish production between Atresmedia TV and Pokeepsie Films, is an intriguing blend of a plausible dark setting and strong female leads. It showcases resilience in the face of danger while keeping viewers captivated.

Four years ago, we found ourselves captivated by the podcast. The narrative was so compelling and skillfully woven that its transformation into a television series felt organic, as Montse García, the director of fiction at Atresmedia, shared with EbMaster. “We’ve worked closely with the creators of the podcast to ensure this adaptation remains faithful to the original concept,” she explained. “Furthermore, our partnership with Pokeepsie Films, experts in science fiction, has led to a series that is nothing short of spectacular across all aspects,” she concluded.

García is working as an executive producer, teaming up with Rodrigo Ruiz-Gallardón, while Bang and De la Iglesia are also involved in the production process.

The upcoming Berlinale Series Market Selects will feature an eight-episode thriller, which is skillfully directed by Ruiz-Gallardón and Zoe Berriatúa. They immersively explore the unusual to adapt the captivating universe of a podcast for the television screen.

While we were working on the scripts for several months, the project started taking a distinct shape. Even though our foundation was strong, I felt a delicate nature when it came to turning all that accumulated information into the final product. Ensuring accuracy was what prompted me to assume the director’s role,” Ruiz-Gallardón shared.

It was crucial to develop a consistent visual aesthetic; each component should have a clear reason for existing, a rationale, and a link to other elements in the surroundings. This included the design of buildings, lighting choices, and props, as well as the actresses’ dialogue, body language, and movements. All these details had to be harmoniously connected to form a single, powerful image that suggested an artificial and oppressive atmosphere,” he explained.

Building a completely fresh universe with its unique laws, beauty, and moral standards captivated my imagination. I found myself intrigued by how ‘reality’ itself was being questioned. How would things change if everything we sense, think, and recall were artificially produced? The notion that ‘I think, therefore I am’ relies on the assumption that our own thoughts are indubitable, yet we’re edging closer to a technological stage where these thoughts can be influenced. ‘Sanctuary’ offered me the chance to construct a world where this becomes a tangible reality.

Pacheco and Bartual brainstormed the idea for the podcast during a chat at a restaurant, which eventually became a story focusing on two women with contrasting personalities. The narrative hinges on these characters’ determination and an abundance of instinctive insights.

I was privileged to witness Manuel craft a one-paragraph narrative for Audible. Upon glimpsing it, we felt inspired to revise it, maintaining its structure but infusing themes of surrogacy and motherhood. These elements proved instrumental in shaping the expansive world of Sanctuary. From that enlightening discussion emerged our captivating protagonists, Valle and Pilar,” I shared, with excitement still echoing in my words.

Combining two characters from starkly different upbringings provided us with a wealth of creative opportunities for ‘Sanctuary’, reflecting the deeply fractured universe we envisioned. Characters like Valle and Pilar, who are both strong yet fragile women, showcase this dynamic particularly well. Their true strength isn’t revealed until they learn to trust one another. Essentially, their shared adventure becomes the prism through which we delve into the world where the series is set, according to Bartual.

Alba Ribas, Songa Park, Anna Canepa, Jaime Ordoñez, Melida Molina, Joan Sentís, Borja Luna, Manu Fullola, Juan Viadas, Blanca Velletbó, Melina Matthews, and Godeliv Van Den Brandt make up the group.

The creators faced a task of transforming a popular podcast idea into a script, while ensuring their work aligned with the widely imagined visualizations that the audience already had in mind.

Bartual shared that while crafting the story, we emphasized on providing just the necessary details, allowing listeners to fill in the blanks about the universe’s intricacies. When it came time to transform the podcast into a TV show, we found ourselves pondering over the appearance of this world, and the insights we uncovered played a significant role in shaping ‘Sanctuary’ as we know it today.

As a cinephile, I must say that the initial two episodes masterfully establish the confined atmosphere and help the two female characters find their niche within their respective roles, effectively setting their character archetypes.

In an environment bathed in brilliant white light and with vegetation becoming increasingly rare, the Sanctuary employees, clad in blood-red hazmat suits, stand out starkly. The expectant women here are kept calm and discouraged from probing the procedures, instead engaged in activities like yoga, art, or music. Simple daily tasks and chats fill the air, yet beneath this veneer, Pilar’s inquisitiveness grows restless, drawing unwanted attention upon herself as the team diligently strives to mask the true objective of their journey.

Initially, “Sanctuary” and its themes might have seemed like science fiction concepts set in distant futures. However, as climate issues persist alongside politically-driven bias and potential backlash from rapid technological progressions, these situations appear surprisingly relevant and tangible.

Over the past five years, we’ve found it astonishing to see how certain themes we delve into on ‘Sanctuary,’ such as the climate crisis and artificial intelligence, have grown in prominence. If anything, we underestimated their impact,” Pacheco expressed.

It seems our series is similar to many other dystopian stories that have warned us about the destructive path society might take. However, I believe these stories are often enjoyed without much thought, even romanticizing post-apocalyptic settings. Instead of being alarmed by their potential reality and thinking, ‘This could happen if we continue on this course,’ let’s start actively asking ourselves, ‘What actions should we take immediately to prevent such a future?’

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2025-02-10 14:18