ZEE Content Sales and VIP 2000 TV announced the commencement of filming for their groundbreaking co-production, Valentina, Mi Amor Especial, a modern Latin-American telenovela championing autism acceptance.
Filming began in July in the picturesque region of Jalisco, Mexico, with key scenes being shot in the charming town of Chiquilistlán.
Mexican actress Cynthia Klitbo
The series features the renowned Mexican actress Cynthia Klitbo, starring as the lead character’s mother, Valentina. Valentina is portrayed by Rebeca Herrera, known for her role in Netflix’s Donde Hubo Fuego.
In Valentina, Mi Amor Especial, Herrera plays a young woman with autism who is also a genius in the tech world. The male leading role is played by Mauricio Novoa, a rising Mexican actor known for his performances in the latest telenovelas filmed in Miami.
Valentina has grown up shielded from society by her adoptive mother in the small village of Chiquilistlán, where she excelled academically. Moving to the big city of Guadalajara after her mother passes away in an accident will be difficult as she encounters the worst and the best of humanity; the blossoming of an unknown emotion called love, new friends, but also the envy and jealousy of those who choose not to accept her.
The telenovela brings talent from both Mexico City and Guadalajara. The cast includes Macarena Oz, Katie Barberi, Ana Karen Coy, and Daniel Medrero from Mexico City. From Guadalajara, Eduardo Villalpando, Michelle Santane, Azucena Evans, Marco Orozco, and Edgar Ruvalcaba, among others.
The general director is the experienced Lilo Vilaplana, whose many successes include El Capo; the showrunner is Mayu Muci, producer of the hit Netflix series Go Vive a tu Manera; while the local production is overseen by general producer Sofía Garrido, who has a successful track record of collaborating with VIP 2000 TV on numerous IPs in recent years.
Valentina, Mi Amor Especial is being filmed entirely on location, throughout more than ten unique settings across Guadalajara, including a stunning ranch that plays a pivotal role in the series.
“We believe Valentina has the potential to become a powerful global IP. It offers drama, romance, comedy, and a compelling message of acceptance. The story is universal, we will be presenting Valentina to Europe in MIPCOM, and to Latin America in MIP Cancun. By those markets, the shooting of the 60 episodes will have been completed. This telenovela can perform very well in Free TV, Cable TV, and Streaming,” said Roxana Rotundo, CEO of VIP 2000 TV.
Manjyot Sandhu, SVP and Head of Global Syndication at ZEE, highlighted his excitement at presenting a globally appealing series with a message of diversity and inclusion to World audiences at MIPCOM.
Rebeca Herrera plays the role of Valentina