Reality in Fiction

     I have to say that I absolutely loved the telenovela conversations that we got to have with people who are so accomplished in the industry. I told so many of my friends about the people we would get to speak to as a class and I'd consider those two classes as one of the highlights of my academic experience at UGA. One of the specific things I enjoyed that intrigued me was noticing connections between our speakers — there were common themes. 

    Today, Leonardo Padrón spoke about how he incorporates reality into fiction extensively. Other than his very first telenovela, Padrón did lots of originals until he was asked to reinterpret the telenovela that was the foundation for Amar a Muerte. He said the tricky thing about reinterpretations is that it can be difficult to connect to the work. So, he used reality as a tool that opened doors in the creative process resulting in him feeling more connected, invested, and passionate. (Side note: I found this point very interesting to hear since so many telenovelas get remade over and over again, like Ugly Betty.)  

    Ultimately, one of his ties to reality he chose in Amar a Muerte was the most successful aspect of the show: the relationship between Juliana and Valentina. Getting to ask him to expand on his decision to include this couple was definitely a highlight of the semester since I wrote extensively about my thoughts on this decision in my consumption paper. He knew making the decision to include a lesbian couple was complicated territory, but we wanted to tell the story of two people falling in love regardless of gender. He chose two women since that representation wasn't really around yet, thus Juliantina was born. As we know, Juliantina blew up and was so successful that there was an online spin-off show, and most of what's on social media about Amar a Muerte relates to their relationship. That connection to reality ended up being the component of the show that clearly resonated with people the most. 

    When Leonardo Padrón was talking about connecting his writing to reality, I couldn't help but think about our conversation with El Chascas. He spoke of his disdain for the idea of inspiration and instead suggested that writers should write about what bothers them, what they hate, and what makes them indignant. Whatever the little rock is in your shoe is what you should take out, examine, and explore. This motto has led him to focus on incorporating reality in his work, tying in current topics that are relevant to the respective cultures his stories take place in. For example, he looks for common Google searches and uses that as a basis for his writing.

    But beyond that, El Chascas also uses fiction to process reality. In ¿Quién mató a Sara? he included a plotline about a gay couple going through the process of adopting a kid as a way to process how difficult it was for him and his partner to become parents. Using fiction, he created a world and circumstances for his characters that he wished he could experience himself to survive reality. Even the general topic of femicide was personal as he is now the father of a little girl. In his words, in some way, all writing is autobiographical. 

    Our conversations with Leonardo Padrón and El Chascas really highlighted the power that exists in the relationship between fiction and reality. Telenovelas are a tool that can be used to process reality or to highlight the reality of others. These plotlines aren't just opportunities for the writers to connect with their own work but they also open doorways for viewers to connect too.