Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment service, continues its investment in local productions and has announced today the start of production of its third Spanish original film, Isabel Coixet’s Elisa & Marcela.

After receiving international critical acclaim for her award-winning The Bookshop last year, Coixet embarks on a project in development for over 10 years that tells the story of the first homosexual marriage ever registered in Spain and stars two-time Goya award-winner Natalia de Molina (Kiki, Love to Love, Food and Shelter), Greta Fernández (Sunday’s Illness, Amar), Tamar Novas (The Sea Inside, Broken Embraces), Sara Casasnovas, María Pujalte (It’s for Your Own Good, Los misterios de Laura), Francesc Orella (Mirage, Merlí), Manolo Solo (The Fury of a Patient Man, The Plague) and Lluís Homar (Broken Embraces, Julia’s Eyes), amongst others.

Shot in black and white between Catalonia and Galicia, Netflix’s new Spanish original film is produced by Rodar y Rodar (The Orphanage, Julia’s Eyes) in association with Film Factory, and the film will simultaneously debut in the 190 countries Netflix is present in.

In Isabel Coixet’s own words: “Elisa & Marcela is a project that I have dreamt about, imagined and had the desire to develop for a very long time. When I discovered the story of these two women that challenged not only society but the Church and conventionalism with such bravery and incredible passion at the time, I knew it was a story I wanted and needed to tell.”

In 1885 Elisa and Marcela meet at the school where they both work. What begins as a close friendship ends in a romantic relationship that they must keep secret. Marcela’s parents are suspicious and send her abroad for a couple of years. When she returns, the reunion with Elisa is magical and they decide to share a life together. Now the focus of social pressure and gossip, they decide to map out a plan. Elisa will leave town for a time in order to come back disguised as Mario and be able to marry Marcela. But nothing will be that easy for this forbidden love.

Elisa y Marcela will be released globally only on Netflix in 2019.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with 125 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 140 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About Rodar y Rodar

Rodar y Rodar is a film and TV production company located in Barcelona and created by Joaquín Padró and Mar Targarona in 1991. Amongst their produced titles are J. A. Bayona’s The Orphanage (2007), Guillem Morales’ Julia’s Eyes (2010) or Oriol Paulo’s The Body (2012).