‘Elite,’ Spain’s Biggest Current TV Show, Sets the Star Bar High at Málaga
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 4 finale of “Elite.”
Save Cannes, most film festivals have a TV strand. So the biggest event at a now super-sized Malaga Film Festival has also happened on just day two of proceedings; the presentation of the soon-to-drop Season 5 of “Elite,” the second most-viewed Spanish-language series-franchise on the streaming giant, after “Money Heist,” which is still saying something.
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Málaga focuses on Spanish and Latin American film and TV. So the biggest global stars at this year’s event may well be found among the ranks of the cast of Season 5 who made it to Málaga.
A cast photo by the bay captures much of this season’s ensemble including newcomers Valentina Zenere, who plays Isadora, the young heiress of a huge nightlife business empire, and André Lamoglia as Iván, son of the world’s biggest soccer star.
MATÍAS URIS/NETFLIX
Omar Ayuso (Omar), with Itzan Escamilla (Samuel) the only actor to survive the whole of the series, also made the photo call.
Also on hand were series mainstays Claudia Salas (Rebeca) and Georgina Amorós (Cayetana), as well as Carla Díaz (Ari), Martina Cariddi (Mencía), Manu Ríos (Patrick), and Pol Granch (Phillipe).
Netflix used the event to drop new photos of the show and sneak peek five minutes of Episode 1, which bows like the rest of Season 5 on April 8.
Released June 2021, Season 4 ended – dramatically as ever for “Elite” – with Guzmán killing a man called Armando who attacked girlfriend Ari. Guzmán, Samuel and Rebeka dump his body in water at the end of a pier. Guzmán then visits Ari in hospital and breaks off the relationship, so that she can be with Samuel.
The streaming giant also used the event to reiterate first plot details, unveiled a few days ago but which made more of a splash in Spanish than English-speaking media:
MATÍAS URIS/NETFLIX
“A new season is coming ahead at Las Encinas with so many businesses to attend. After Phillipe’s fateful New Year’s party and Guzman’s runaway, the secret about Armando’s death could destroy the love story between Samuel and Ari. Meanwhile, Rebeca is going through a process of self-discovery, while Omar is recovering from his separation from Ander; in addition, the appearance of Adam Nourou, winner of the Goya for best new actor for the film “Adú,” who will play Bilal, will complicate his relationship with Samuel.
Season 5 also takes in “Phillipe’s confession of abuse, Patrick’s anger issues, Benjamin’s revenge desires, a present from Armando to Mencia that could destroy “the benjamins” [Ari, Mencia and Patrick], a pact of silence between Samuel and Rebeca that doesn’t last long, bringing the worst consequences… ”
That description confirms pundits who suggested before plot details were revealed that Season 5 has to logically to explore the huge collateral damage from Guzmán’s murder of Armando.
Several other deductions: Having taken flight, Miguel Benardeau, who plays Guzmán, looks unlikely to appear in Season 5, having spent much of last year shooting for Netflix “1899,” from “Dark’s” Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar.
Carlos Montero, the show’s original co-creator, returns for Season 5, along with Jaime Vaca, for what promises as ever to be an unabashed mix of stylish and structured high school crime thriller and Latin American melodrama, sexed up for modern times.
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