Natalia Oreiro, Mercedes Morán Head Daniel Burman Amazon Original

Natalia Oreiro (“I’m Gilda”), Gustavo Bassani (“Separados”) and Mercedes Moran (“Spider) head the cast of Argentine Amazon Original “Iosi, El Espía Arrepentido,” one of Amazon Prime Original’s biggest bets to date in Latin America.

The series, an espionage thriller, will be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Showrun by Daniel Burman, a leading light of the New Argentine Cinema and recent Cannes Un Certain Regard jury member, “Iosi, El Espía Arrepentido” is produced by Oficina Burman, part of The Mediapro Studio, whose credits include “Pequeña Victoria” and “Pequeñas victorias, perdidxs en la Tierra,” both produced with VIS, with the latter acquired for Latin America by Amazon Prime Video.

Burman serves a series creator and showrunner on a banner project for the writer-director which was one of the two he presented in person at Berlin Festival in 2017 when Mediapro confirmed it had taken a substantial stake in Oficina Burman.

“Iosi El Espía Arrepentido” adapts the non-fiction book of the same title by Miriam Lewin and Horacio Lutzky about a young intelligence agent who infiltrated the Jewish community in Argentina, helping to pave the terrorist attacks on the Israeli embassy and the building of the Israelite Argentine Mutual Association which killed 85 people in 1994.

Guilt-ridden, he sets out on a mission of redemption, in a desperate search for the perpetrators of two of the deadliest terrorist attacks on Latin American soil.

Structured as an eight-hour thriller, the series also stars a large cast who size hunts at the scale of the series: Alejandro Awada (“Nine Queens”), Carla Quevedo (“The Secret in Their Eyes”), Minerva Casero (“Argentina, tierra de amor y venganza”), Marco Antonio Caponi (“Pasaje de Vida”) and Daniel Kuzniecka (“Herederos de una venganza”).

Other key cast members announced on Monday are Matías Mayer, Juan Leyrado, Damian Dreizik, Carlos Belloso, Roly Serrano and César Troncoso.

Sebastián Borensztein, director of Ricardo Darín smash hit “Chinese Take-Out,” will share directing duties with Burman and serve as the series lead writer. The writing team takes in Andrés Gelós, Natacha Caravia, Sergio Dubcovsky Borensztein and Burman.

“We are extremely excited to bring together a line-up of talented actors, directors, writers and producers to bring this amazing show to life that will explore one of the darkest moments in Argentina’s history,” said Javiera Balmaceda Amazon head of local originals, Spanish-speaking Latin America.

“We are storytellers with a universal purpose. “Iosi,” a fast-paced thriller with an excellent narrative pulse, has all the makings of an international hit,” said Laura Fernández Espeso, CEO of The Mediapro Studio. “We are very satisfied with our new collaboration with Amazon Prime Video, a key strategic partner for The Mediapro Studio in many territories,” she added.

“Iosi is not only the most extraordinary story I have ever had in my hands, but when I read it, I felt that it should be told,” Burman said.

Assembling the best talents and with total creative freedom, we have made a fascinating journey through the secrets surrounding the world of espionage. Together with Amazon Prime Video, we have created a spy thriller that will have an impact on global audiences.”

“Iosi, El Espía Arrepentido” adds to a growing slate of Amazon local original series from Latin America. This includes the pan-Latin American talent-powered “El Presidente,” showrun by Oscar-winning writer Armando Bo, and “La Jauria,” a big breakout for Lucia Puenzo and producers Fabula and Fremantle, “Dignity,” produced by Germany’s Story House Pictures and  Chile’s Invercine & Wood and the Spanish-language adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez book “News of a Kidnapping,” produced by AGC Television.

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