Maledictions

Netflix’s Maledictions: The Political Thriller That’s Shaking Up Argentina’s Lithium Wars

Netflix’s upcoming political thriller Maledictions (2025) is already generating buzz—not just for its high-stakes plot, but for the real-world tensions simmering behind the scenes. Set against the backdrop of Argentina’s lithium mining boom, the series follows a governor whose daughter is kidnapped during a pivotal vote, unraveling a 13-year-old conspiracy . But the drama isn’t confined to the screen: from extreme filming conditions to a cast navigating power, ambition, and moral ambiguity, latestnetflix.com contends, Maledictions is as much about its off-camera battles as its on-screen ones.

A Kidnapping That Exposes a Nation’s Divide

At the heart of Maledictions is a governor’s nightmare: Fernando Rovira (Leonardo Sbaraglia), a provincial leader in northern Argentina, faces a crisis when his daughter is abducted by a trusted aide (Gustavo Bassani) amid a high-stakes lithium mining vote . The series, based on Claudia Piñeiro’s novel, blends political thriller with family drama, but its real hook is the setting—Argentina’s lithium-rich northern provinces, where global demand for the "white gold" has turned local politics into a pressure cooker .

The kidnapping isn’t just a plot device; it’s a mirror. As one source notes, the story forces characters to confront how "everyone ends up a victim of their own ambition" . That theme resonates in a country where lithium extraction has sparked protests over environmental damage and indigenous land rights. While Maledictions doesn’t claim to be a documentary, its timing—premiering amid Argentina’s economic crisis and lithium rush—gives it an unavoidable edge.

Filming in the Frying Pan: Jujuy’s Extreme Shoot

The series’ production wasn’t for the faint of heart. Maledictions was shot in Jujuy, a province in Argentina’s northwest known for its rugged landscapes—and its scorching temperatures. Sources describe the shoot as "extreme," with the cast and crew battling the elements while filming a story that’s already emotionally charged .

The location wasn’t just a backdrop; it was a character. Jujuy’s lithium mines and arid terrain provided the perfect visual metaphor for the series’ themes of exploitation and desperation. But the conditions took a toll. Gustavo Bassani, who plays the governor’s aide-turned-kidnapper, hinted at the physical and mental demands of the role, telling an Argentine outlet that the shoot pushed everyone to their limits . Leonardo Sbaraglia, a veteran of intense dramas, likely didn’t have it easier—though specifics on his experience remain scarce.

A Cast of Victims—On and Off Screen

The ensemble cast reads like a who’s who of Argentine cinema, but their roles in Maledictions are far from glamorous. Sbaraglia, a heavyweight of Latin American film, plays a governor whose power crumbles under pressure. Bassani, his co-star, portrays a man whose loyalty fractures into violence. Then there’s Francesca Varela, a young Jujuy native cast as the governor’s kidnapped daughter—a role that reportedly required her to navigate the emotional weight of the story while filming in her home province .

The series’ title, Las Maldiciones (Spanish for "The Curses"), hints at its bleak worldview. As one review notes, the story is "a thriller about political and family betrayal," where no one escapes unscathed . That extends to the audience: the series’ trailer teases a narrative where even the "good guys" are complicit in the system’s corruption.

Why This Series Matters Now

Maledictions arrives at a fraught moment for Argentina. The country is the world’s fourth-largest lithium producer, and its northern provinces—like Jujuy—are ground zero for a mining boom that’s reshaping local economies and ecosystems. The series doesn’t shy away from that reality. While it’s a work of fiction, its plot—a governor’s daughter kidnapped over a lithium vote—feels ripped from headlines about resource conflicts and political corruption .

Netflix’s decision to drop the series globally on September 12 suggests confidence in its appeal beyond Latin America. But its real test will be whether it can balance its thriller pacing with the weight of its themes. Early buzz suggests it’s leaning into the latter: one source calls it a "drama about ambition and its consequences," where the real villain might be the system itself .

The Unanswered Questions

For all its intrigue, Maledictions leaves some details frustratingly vague. How many episodes will the series have? The evidence only confirms it’s a "mini-series" or "3-episode" format , but Netflix hasn’t released a full episode count. And while the cast’s performances are generating early praise, the series’ reception remains a mystery—no reviews have dropped yet.

There’s also the question of how closely the show hews to Claudia Piñeiro’s novel. Burman, the series’ creator, is known for adapting literary works (like his 2018 film The Invisible Eye), but whether Maledictions takes creative liberties—or doubles down on the book’s bleakness—is unclear .

One thing’s certain: this isn’t just another kidnapping thriller. Between its real-world parallels and its punishing shoot, Maledictions feels like a project that demanded everything from its cast and crew. Whether that translates into must-watch TV remains to be seen.