HomeNews‘One Hundred Years of...

‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’: How Netflix brought the imaginary town of Macondo to life

How do you bring to life one of the most beloved Latin American towns — one that has a century of history, but never existed at all?

That was the task facing the production team of “One Hundred Years of Solitude” (or “Cien Años de Soledad”), the long-awaited Netflix adaptation of a novel widely lauded as being among the 20th century’s greatest literary works. Written in 1967 by the Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, the book follows seven generations of the Buendía family, who follow cyclical paths of obsession, yearning, idealism and detachment, and are tied inextricably to the fate of their home, Macondo.

From one of the first scenes, as Colonel Aureliano Buendía faces down a firing squad against a bloodied, white stucco wall on a clear day, viewers are transported into Macondo, an isolated riverside settlement that flourishes into a prosperous town before confronting war and colonialist exploitation.

As one of the most famous works in the magical realism genre, the book’s setting teems with the supernatural and the dreamlike, though they are treated as everyday occurrences. Early on, an insomnia plague sinks residents into a haze of short-term memory loss; later, a single trickle of blood turns corners, crosses streets and climbs curbs to alert the family matriarch, Úrsula, of a shocking death.

Before his death in 2014, García Márquez credited his storytelling style to that of his grandmother, who talked of fantastic things “with complete naturalness.”

“What was most important was the expression she had on her face,” he told The Paris Review in 1981. “In previous attempts to write ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude,’ I tried to tell the story without believing in it. I discovered that what I had to do was believe in them myself and write them with the same expression with which my grandmother told them: with a brick face.”

The meticulous building of Macondo

Macondo has never been found on any map — though it might have, had an ill-fated 2006 proposal to change the name of Marquez’s birthplace, Aracataca, succeeded — but it has lived in the minds of readers for decades. It is also steeped in real Colombian history. Because of that, the Netflix show, which will span two seasons and premieres on December 11, was filmed exclusively in the country and is entirely in Spanish. The show also has the blessing of the author’s family, with García Márquez’s sons, Rodrigo Garcia and Gonzalo Garcia Barcha, serving as executive producers.

Production involved building meticulous town-sized sets and creating faithful costumes from the 1800s and 1900s. “‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ occurs during a specific time in Colombian history,” said production designer Bárbara Enríquez in a translated video call with CNN. “We treated it as a period piece.”

Enríquez took over production design in 2022, after Eugenio Caballero, best known for his Academy Award-winning “Pan’s Labyrinth” sets, stepped down from the project. (Caballero and Enríquez previously worked together on Alfonso Cuáron’s Academy Award-winning “Roma” in 2018). The production of “One Hundred Years of Solitude” is one of the largest in Latin American history, according to Netflix, and required the building of three different towns.

The first served as the unnamed village of mud huts and bamboo, where cousins José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán grow up and marry one another before leading part of their community on an exodus across mountain ranges and disorienting swamplands to establish Macondo. Then, there were two versions of Macondo itself: the simple thatched homes and dirt roads of its early years, followed by the verdant streets and elegant multi-story homes that develop as the town becomes increasingly connected with the outside world.

Magical realism is “actually just reality wherein magical things occur,” Enríquez said. “From the set design perspective, what we wanted to do was a very rigorous historical set, so that we could then insert the extraordinary parts within the ordinary.”

But that didn’t mean that individual props couldn’t evoke a sense of wonder. Take the first significant prop seen in the show — the parchment book in which gypsy character Melquíades writes, in Sanskrit, the entirety of Macondo’s history (which becomes the novel itself). To create it, the production team worked with a Sanskrit translator who adapted the the full text, as well as a calligrapher who worked on the giant tome, according to Enríquez.

Then there’s the first block of ice ever seen in Macondo, brought in by traveling gypsies, that stays in Aureliano’s memories for the rest of his life. Presented like an enormous, glittering diamond in a gold chest, which erupts into fog when opened and casts a soft light onto José Arcadio and his two sons, the indelible ice was real.

“It was so important to have the authentic look and feel, and so that when (young Aureliano) touched the ice, the actor’s reaction was authentic,” recalled Enríquez.

How a house became a character

At the figurative center of the town is the Buendía household, ever expanding to accommodate the needs of its revolving members. Its bedrooms are filled with lovelorn characters coming of age and finding intimacy beneath their mosquito nets; its alchemic laboratory hosts the obsessive scientific experiments of patriarch José Arcadio and Melquíades. Then there’s Aureliano’s metal workshop for his meticulous crafting of gold fish, which were custom-made for the show. And, when the young girls Amaranta and Rebeca grow up, the Buendías’ parlor is transformed by music, as the Italian Pietro Crespi brings in a pianola and a delicate music box (also custom-made) that enraptures the household.

Fittingly, Enríquez and her team treat the house as a character in and of itself. “The house is just another Buendia,” she remarked — one that changes its mood as well.

“When Úrsula is happy, the house is happy. When Úrsula is depressed, the house looks depressed. When the town goes to war, the house goes to war,” Enríquez said.

In decorating the light-filled, airy abode, Enríquez’s team sourced an enormous trove of antique furniture. The producers also worked with Indigenous communities across Colombia, including artisans from the Zenú people, in Córdoba, who created woven baskets for the show, and the Chimila people, in Magdalena, who created traditional hammocks called chinchorros.

“We were able to use objects and materials that were not only true to the time period, but also true to the Indigenous people,” Enríquez said. “We also went all over the country looking for craftspeople who knew how to use the techniques.”

Like Enriquez, costume designer Catherine Rodriguez had a diligent method for visualizing Macondo, including researching Colombia’s national records and referencing watercolors from the period.

“I read many books about the author, the period and the fashion of the time,” she said in a translated video call with CNN. “There are many registers; there is much documented about the era.”

But the painstaking research only took her and her team so far. “At some point you have to sit down and develop everything. That’s where the creative part comes in. You have to choose colors, applications and textures, because there is no (authority) that says what Macondo looked like in the 19th or 20th century,” she explained. “It’s actually a compilation of many different elements, and the directors wanted it all to look very natural, because the book already has lots of magical elements.”

Transforming with time

Over the course of the first few episodes, the earth-tone fabrics, practical leather boots and wide-brimmed straw hats worn by Macondo’s early settlers give way to a wider range of silhouettes, from delicate floral gowns to tailored men’s suiting. Visitors continually introduce new styles, such as the traveling gypsies’ colorful textiles, Crespi’s flamboyant embroidered silk from Italy, and the flower-adorned sun hats of the wealthy incoming magistrate’s family. (Speaking about one of Úrsula’s outfits, which has a direct connection to the styles of Civil War-era America, Rodriguez notes that fashion always arrives “a little bit later” due to the town’s isolation.)

Though Rodriguez said she doesn’t play favorites when it comes to the characters, she delighted in dressing Rebeca and Amaranta as they grew older — and became secret antagonists over their competing love interests. From the pale, girlish gowns of childhood, their wardrobes become elegant in color and pattern, contrasting with one another.

“They grew up in parallel, but actually they have very different personalities,” she said. “They have strong personalities, and so during their lives, their colors do change.”

Over the course of the two-season show, Macondo and the Buendía household also continue to transform with time, in both captivating and devastating ways. At first, Enríquez was nervous to take on such an ambitious project, but looking back, she’s “so proud, and really satisfied with all the work we put into it,” she said.

“We hope that it’s a way to lead people to the book (for) those who haven’t read it, or maybe reread it,” she added.

How many times has Enríquez read the novel? “Ten times,” she said, laughing.

CNN

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Most Popular

More from Author

I got an ebike – and discovered a secret side of France

Free to explore my hilly corner of the countryside, I found...

The one change that worked: I took up ballet – and learned to live in the moment

Working long days as a corporate lawyer, I needed an exercise...

A Complete Unknown: how charity shop and Etsy finds completed iconic Dylan look

Film’s costume designer explains how a scarf made from a blanket...

New Jeans เดินหน้าต่อ ประกาศเปลี่ยนชื่อวงเป็น NJZ เตรียมเปิดโชว์แรกที่ฮ่องกง

ก่อนหน้านี้ได้เป็นมหากาพย์ดราม่าสั่นสะเทือนวงการ K-POP ระหว่างค่าย HYBE กับ "มินฮีจิน (Min Hee Jin)" อดีต CEO...

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Read Now

I got an ebike – and discovered a secret side of France

Free to explore my hilly corner of the countryside, I found hidden paths to sacred springs, prehistoric monoliths, empty swimming holes … When I moved from London to a hilly area of rural France in 2017, I brought my bike with me. A faithful secondhand racer, it had served me...

The one change that worked: I took up ballet – and learned to live in the moment

Working long days as a corporate lawyer, I needed an exercise regime to get me out of my head. Reviving a childhood passion helped me reconnect with my body My earliest memories of ballet will be familiar to many childhood dancers: ribbons, shoe fittings, hairspray (lots of it)....

A Complete Unknown: how charity shop and Etsy finds completed iconic Dylan look

Film’s costume designer explains how a scarf made from a blanket and some custom-made Levi’s formed key part of Timothée Chalamet’s wardrobe It’s as central to Bob Dylan as a harmonica – it is, of course, a scarf, Dylan’s preferred accessory, and one that has become a go-to...

New Jeans เดินหน้าต่อ ประกาศเปลี่ยนชื่อวงเป็น NJZ เตรียมเปิดโชว์แรกที่ฮ่องกง

ก่อนหน้านี้ได้เป็นมหากาพย์ดราม่าสั่นสะเทือนวงการ K-POP ระหว่างค่าย HYBE กับ "มินฮีจิน (Min Hee Jin)" อดีต CEO ของ "ADOR" ซึ่งเป็นบริษัทในเครือของ HYBE ที่เป็นผู้สร้างวงเกิร์ลกรุ๊ปคลื่นลูกใหม่ "NewJeans (นิวจีนส์)" ที่ได้มีปัญหาดราม่าต่างๆ เกิดขึ้นมากมาย ซึ่ง 5 สาว NewJeans ได้ออกมาตั้งโต๊ะแถลงข่าวว่า NewJeans จะทำการยุติสัญญากับ ADOR ภายในเที่ยงคืนของวันที่ 29 พ.ย. 2024 พร้อมกับบอกว่า แม้ว่าอาจจะไม่สามารถใช้ชื่อ NewJeans ได้อีก แต่พวกเธอจะพยายามต่อสู้เพื่อรักษาสิทธิในชื่อวงต่อไป อีกทั้งบอกอีกว่า NewJeans มีแผนที่จะปล่อยเพลงใหม่และออกทัวร์รอบโลกในปีหน้า และถ้าเป็นไปได้ อยากร่วมงานกับ มินฮีจิน อดีต CEO ต่อไป และหลังจากที่แฟนๆ รอคอยกันมายาวนาน ล่าสุด (7 ก.พ....

Attention federal employees: It may be hard to get a private sector job right now

In an effort to shrink the size of the federal workforce, the Trump administration is prodding government employees to shift to the private sector for the next stage of their careers. But it may not be that simple. Eligible federal workers initially had until Thursday to accept the administration’s deferred...

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wants to bypass the Fed to lower interest rates

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has a new plan in the fight to bring down historically high interest rates, and it’s got nothing to do with the Federal Reserve. Bessent, in two interviews this week, said the Trump administration wants to focus on lowering long-term interest rates, which are...

Mr Nguyen Thang Long – The dream of elevating young designers at Global Student Fashion Week

In the Vietnamese fashion industry, Mr. Nguyen Thang Long is not only known as a passionate founder but also as a strong source of inspiration for the younger generation of designers. With firm belief in the talent and creative potential of young people, he has tirelessly worked...

Miss &Mister Celebrity Vietnam 2024 – Truong Thuy Trang & Doan Bao An – Image Representatives of GSFW

Truong Thuy Trang and Doan Bao An, winners of Miss & Mister Celebrity Vietnam 2024, have been appointed as Image Representatives for Global Student Fashion Week (GSFW) 2025. This marks a significant step in their careers while promoting Vietnamese fashion on the international stage. Truong Thuy Trang -...

นักวิจัยด้านความปลอดภัยพบช่องโหว่ในฐานข้อมูลของ DeepSeek

DeepSeek บริษัทสตาร์ทอัพด้านปัญญาประดิษฐ์ของจีน ถูกนักวิจัยด้านความปลอดภัยค้นพบช่องโหว่ ซึ่งเป็นข้อมูลการสนทนาและคีย์ลับ หรือ Secret Keys กว่า 1 ล้านรายการ สร้างความกังวลเกี่ยวกับความเป็นส่วนตัวและความปลอดภัยของข้อมูลผู้ใช้ นักวิจัยด้านความปลอดภัยจาก Wiz เปิดเผยว่าพวกเขาได้ค้นพบฐานข้อมูลสำคัญของ DeepSeek ที่เปิดเผยสู่สาธารณะโดยไม่มีการป้องกัน โดยข้อมูลที่พบประกอบไปด้วยประวัติการสนทนาของผู้ใช้งาน คีย์สำหรับยืนยันตัวตน API บันทึกระบบ และข้อมูลสำคัญอื่นๆ ซึ่งสามารถเข้าถึงได้โดยไม่มีข้อจำกัดใดๆ ทีมวิจัยของ Wiz ระบุว่าพวกเขาสามารถค้นพบฐานข้อมูลนี้ได้ภายในไม่กี่นาที โดยไม่ต้องผ่านกระบวนการยืนยันตัวตน ข้อมูลดังกล่าวถูกเก็บอยู่ในระบบจัดการข้อมูลโอเพ่นซอร์สที่เรียกว่า ClickHouse และมีบันทึกมากกว่า 1 ล้านรายการ Wiz ระบุว่าช่องโหว่นี้อาจทำให้แฮกเกอร์สามารถควบคุมฐานข้อมูลได้ทั้งหมด รวมถึงอาจเพิ่มสิทธิ์การเข้าถึงในระบบของ DeepSeek ได้ ซึ่งอาจนำไปสู่การโจมตีระบบภายในของบริษัท หลังจาก Wiz แจ้งเตือนเรื่องช่องโหว่ DeepSeek ได้ดำเนินการปิดฐานข้อมูลทันที อย่างไรก็ตาม ยังไม่มีข้อมูลแน่ชัดว่ามีใครเข้าถึงข้อมูลนี้ไปก่อนหน้าหรือไม่ นักวิจัยของ Wiz ให้สัมภาษณ์กับ Wired ว่าไม่แปลกใจเลยหากมีคนอื่นพบฐานข้อมูลนี้ก่อนพวกเขา เพราะมันถูกเปิดกว้างและค้นพบได้ง่ายมาก นอกจากนี้ พวกเขายังตั้งข้อสังเกตว่าระบบของ...

Painting found at garage sale is a Van Gogh, experts say

A painting bought at a garage sale in Minnesota is a previously unknown portrait by Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, according to a newly published expert analysis. It was made by Van Gogh during his stay at a psychiatric hospital in the south of France in 1889, experts commissioned...

Best red carpet looks at the 2025 Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are renowned for outlandish fashion. But on a night of tributes to first responders and victims of LA’s recent wildfires, many guests struck a comparatively restrained note at the Crypto.com arena on Sunday. The all-black trend seen at recent award ceremonies was embraced by everyone from Miley...

Meet the designer redefining lace for the 21st century

When British comedian and presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg stepped onto the red carpet to interview Sydney Sweeney in 2022, it only took a second for Dimoldenberg’s dress to reverse their roles. “This is amazing,” Sweeney said, reaching out to touch the presenters’ sleeveless black floor-length gown. The fabric —...