Starz Greenlights Tanya Saracho's 'Vida'; Alonso Ruizpalacios to Direct First Episode

Tanya's Saracho's latest project has been greenlit to series with a slight name change, according to a press release from Starz. "Vida," previously "Pour Vida," has been officially approved, with director Alonso Ruizpalacios ("Gueros") set to direct the first episode. Saracho, a writer and producer for "How To Get Away With Murder," "Looking" and "Devious Maids" will serve as showrunner. Marc Turtletaub ("Safety Not Guaranteed"), Peter Saraf ("The Kings of Summer") and Robin Schwartz ("Whiskey Fist") producing with Big Beach TV.


Veronica Osorio.



Melissa Barrera.

"Vida" is a half-hour drama that follows the lives of Mexican-American sisters Emma and Lyn, who are two sides of different coins. When circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood in East LA, the pair are thrown by revelations about their past and a shocking revelation about their mother's true identity. Emma is played by Veronica Osorio ("Hail, Caesar!") and Lyn is portrayed by Melissa Barrera ("Club de Cuervos").

Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht threw his support behind Saracho, saying of her new project:
Tanya explores identity, culture, gender and sexuality through the lens of a Latinix family and their community. It’s a deeply personal and relatable series about coming back home and finally growing up. ‘Vida’ reflects the intersecting worlds of Latin and American descendants of all genders and sexualities and speaks to the heart of Starz’s programming commitment to present compelling stories for traditionally underserved audiences. We are very proud to work with Tanya and help bring her vision to life.

 


Director Alonso Ruizpalacios.

Ruizpalacios is currently in post production for his new film "Museo" starring Gael Garcia Bernal ("Mozart in the Jungle"). He's also currently working on his new series "Aqui en La Tierra" for For International, which also stars Bernal. The director swept the Ariels (aka, the Mexican Oscars) in 2015, winning Best Picture, Best First Feature, and Best Direction for his film "Gueros." He also snagged the 2015 Golden Tomato Award for Best Reviewed Film for "Gueros."

No further casting details or premiere date have been released.

What do you think of Saracho's new series "Vida"? Let us know in the comments below!

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