Prime Video’s epic family saga, “The House of the Sprits,” a limited series adaptation of Isabel Allende’s iconic debut novel, is set to premiere worldwide April 29 on the giant streaming platform, now reaching over 240 countries and territories.
“This is our most ambitious Latin American original to date and it embodies our unwavering investment in elevating storytelling on the global stage,” said Javiera Balmaceda, head of local originals, Latin America, Canada & Australia, at the 76th Berlin Film Festival where Prime Video unveiled three episodes of the eight-part series.
“’The House of the Spirits’ represents everything we believe in at Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios – our commitment to empowering visionary creators to tell culturally authentic stories that resonate globally,” she noted, adding: “Isabel Allende created a multigenerational epic about extraordinary women that has moved readers for over 40 years, and we’ve brought together extraordinary talent from across Latin America and Spain – from showrunners Francisca Alegría and Fernanda Urrejola to our incredible pan – regional cast led by Nicole Wallace, Dolores Fonzi [“Belen”] and Alfonso Herrera – to honor her vision with the scale and cinematic quality it deserves.”
Spanning half a century, “The House of the Spirits” follows three generations of women – Clara, Blanca and Alba – as they navigate life in a conservative South American nation marked by class conflict, political turmoil and touches of magical realism.
For Alegría and Urrejola, who co-wrote the pilot they pitched to FilmNation and later, Amazon MGM Studios, it was important that it be shot in Chile. “It wasn’t the obvious choice at first, but Fernanda and I insisted and luckily Amazon and FilmNation agreed. Being able to shoot such an iconic Chilean novel in Chile was incredibly important for us — and for Andrés [Wood] as well,” said Alegria.
Wood, whose long list of credits includes the critically acclaimed “Machuca” and series “News of a Kidnapping,” boarded the project at a later date. He directed four episodes as well as served as a co-showrunner and executive producer. “It was a new experience for me — much more collaborative than what I was used to — and I’ve learned a lot. I joined after Fernanda and Francisca had already adapted the novel, so my role was mainly to help reshape it when the episode count changed. It was more about rewriting and reinforcing their vision than starting from scratch, since they had a very clear concept and I essentially came on board to support it,” he told Variety.
“It was also creatively special because the entire leadership team was made up of women — Fernanda and Francisca as well as the producers at FilmNation and the executives at Amazon. I was, in a sense, the only male voice in the room,” he noted.
For Urrejola who served as co-writer, showrunner and played a key character in the show, the experience was life-changing. “The story covers very universal and profound themes. So right from the start, having to delve into those topics changes you; it makes you consider things from a different perspective. And of course, the challenge lay in the fact that for Fran and I, we are first-timers when it comes to writing a television series. So, every stage was a huge learning experience.”
Like Allende’s novel, the series is set in an unnamed South American country so Chile is never mentioned. However, they wanted to portray a different Latin America – Chile’s distinct identity, its southern sensibility, its particular flavor. “It was also important to showcase the country’s diverse landscapes and history: from the capital at the center of the story, to the northern desert, and the southern countryside where a key part unfolds. Highlighting that geographic and cultural diversity was fundamental to us,” said Urrejola, who plays Blanca, the daughter of the clairvoyant Clara del Valle.
Casting was their greatest challenge, as they had to find actors who could convincingly portray the same characters at different stages of their lives, ensuring continuity across the years. “We had to decide what ages to portray, when to transition between actors and how many performers each character would need,” Alegria recalled.
“We focused on finding physical and emotional continuity so the families felt cohesive across generations. That required constant collaboration – not just between us as showrunners, but also with Amazon Studios, since many decisions had to be made by consensus,” she added.
“One of the true highlights for me was collaborating with Manuel Alberto Claro as director of photography. It was especially meaningful because, to my knowledge, this was the first time he had come to Chile to shoot a series or feature film,” said Alegria. A Chilean based in Denmark, he has frequently worked with Lars von Trier, including on the acclaimed “Melancholia.”
Working with production designer Rodrigo Bazaes whose credits include “A Fantastic Woman” and Pablo Larráin’s “Spencer” and “The Count,” was also a major treat.
For Allende, who serves as an executive producer, the series represents not just an adaptation, but a homecoming – bringing her most beloved work back to its Chilean roots while honoring both its cultural specificity and its universal themes of love, memory and resilience. “When I saw the miniseries, I saw what it always should have been.”
The series is produced by FilmNation Entertainment, the multi–Oscar-winning company behind “Anora” and “Conclave.” Pablo and Juan de Dios Larráin’s Fabula provided production services. Eva Longoria (CNN Series “Searching for France”), via her Hyphenate Media Group company, and Courtney Saladino (“Jessica Jones”) serve as executive producers.
The House of the Spirits, Courtesy of Prime Video
