Supremely diabolical Star Original series “El Encargado,” directed by innovating Argentine creative duo Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat (“The Man Next Door”), teased a first episode as part of the Capítulo Uno strand of soon-to-bow series at the 2nd Iberseries & Platino Industria, which unspooled Sept. 27-30 in Madrid.
The series opens with protagonist Eliseo preparing dinner in a spotless kitchen, calling out to his family to set the table as he sips from a glass of wine. Every detail in his succulent pasta dish is fine-tuned. As he sits at the head of the table, the camera pans back revealing he’s alone. Thoroughly enjoying his own company, he finishes his exquisite meal, straightens up and leaves the borrowed space. Scenes of him feeding his Venus Flytrap, a carnivorous plant that mimics some of his darker inclinations, are laid into the title sequence, alluding to his reality as a sly inner predator, disguised as an everyman.
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The series takes place in present day Buenos Aires, where all the modern trappings of apartment living are catching up to an ever-more antiquated stalwart, the Encargado, or building manager. Dutifully going about his job assisting tenants and maintaining the grounds, Eliseo, played by the enigmatic Guillermo Francella (“Animal”), is made aware of building gossip surrounding a renovation plan that threatens his livelihood.
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Building managers in Argentina live on the grounds, with families trusting them with their keys, secrets, to uphold their privacy. As Cohn related, it’s one of the most esteemed jobs in the country but comes with a glaring con: You can’t pick your building manager, they come pre-tethered to the property.
“I love the character of ‘El Encargado.’ The role of Eliseo is the neurological center of a large nervous system through which absolutely everything passes,” Cohn stated. “He has control of the building, access to privacy, 24-hour monitoring, and he has a lot of families living in that consortium at his disposal. It’s like an anthropological laboratory experiment. I’m fascinated by the observation of a character with those qualities,” Cohn added.
With a taught smile, Eliseo slowly dips down a consuming rabbit hole, hatching a convoluted counter-strike against a handful of highly-strung tenants causing him grief. An integral cog in a much grander machine, he takes advantage of his proximity to his adversaries and, with each mischievous advance, the suspense exposes depths of character that those on the surface will learn not to scratch.
“Guillermo Francella’s work is fundamental. It is a millimetric construction that we arranged in the script, in each scene, in each take,” Cohn relayed. “It’s a very complex role, a great showcase for an actor, because it has an acting range that allows the same character to perform an infinite number of tones, going from drama to comedy in the same series as if nothing happened. Guillermo’s done it masterfully,” Cohn added.
Cohn and Duprat began their creative partnership in the 90s, creating a national experimental television program, “Televisión Abierta” that Duprat explained, “was an emblematic program, which was similar to YouTube, televised on an over-the-air channel in Argentina six or seven years before YouTube existed. That program was replicated in many parts of the world.”
The jump from experimental to mainstream was also a natural occurrence as the most important aspect for the pair is ensuring an amusing and original production regardless of its structure.
“Although they’re very different forms of production, our way of thinking about projects remains the same,” Duprat assured. “It has to do with feeling that we can contribute a new point of view in terms of content, style, aesthetics and concept. That’s the real engine that propels the projects, being convinced that the point of view that we propose hasn’t been covered yet, that it’s fresh,” he added.
The duo’s lasting bond has ensured their ability to dive into a variety of projects, “Apart from being creative partners, more than anything else, we’ve been friends for a long time and we feel that the other’s gaze always enriches the project, the scripts, the direction and adds to the productions in general,” Duprat remarked.
“El Encargado” feels similar to an elaborate whodunnit, the viewer coaxed into becoming an additional voyeur, along for the ride. An eclectic cast make up the tenants who unknowingly fall victim to Eliseo’s scheming. Led by Francella, the series also calls on veteran Argentine talents Mariana Anghileri (Paola), Gabriel Goity (Matías Zambrano) and Pochi Ducasse (Beba), curating a grand ensemble that plays off one another.
The series, which bows on Star+ Oct. 26, comprises 11 half-hour episodes. It is produced by Star Original Productions and presented by The Walt Disney Company Latam. It promises a darkly comedic dive into the underpinnings of a widely-respected figure, questioning the notion of blind trust and loyalty when it comes to the seemingly innocuous and kind Eliseo, who embodies the grandest saboteur.
“I see the figure of Eliseo as bridging the gap, like a shark, not like the sharks in a movie but a shark that you know is swimming along the coast when there are people bathing and at some point it’s going to eat someone,” says Cohn.
“A lot of times you don’t see him, you see only the fin, and very rarely do you see when he eats, but you’re expecting it. I think that’s where the potential lies, what fascinates me most about the series, which is that quality of Eliseo, an urban predator.”
