Veneno 2020

Everyone in Spain (and many Latin American countries) knows who Cristina "La Veneno" (Poison) was, to a greater or lesser extent. Many will remember her for her famous intervention in the long-gone "DEC" hosted by Jaime Cantizano on Antena 3 and the iconic phone prank she was played there, in which a woman posing as her neighbor insulted her to piss her off. I certainly recall the times in which she faced Nova, another trans woman who criticized Cristina for not standing up for Trans rights. Others may remember her for her appearances on "Esta Noche Cruzamos el Mississippi" (Tonight we cross the Mississippi), Pepe Navarro's well-known program thanks to which she came out of her anonymity.

From her first appearance on television until her death in 2016 under strange circumstances, many things have been said and published about the life of Cristina Ortiz, but the truth is that they have never been told with such sensitivity and respect for her figure. Cristina worked as a streetwalker, one of the few outlets that hundreds of trans women in Spain were forced to go to in order to make a living.

Inspired by the book of her memoirs: "¡Digo! Ni puta ni Santa: Memorias de la Veneno" (I Say! Neither a whore nor a saint. The memoirs of La Veneno), "Veneno" is much more than an autobiographical show about the life of Spain's most famous trans woman. The mini-series, of 8 one-hour episodes, paints a faithful portrait of the skeevy, homophobic, and ultra catholic Spain of the late Francoism that mistreated and humiliated anyone who did not meet or fit certain standards. The series is a work of great maturity that mixes comedy, tragedy, and kindness in just the right doses to create a cocktail that, as a whole, is balanced and satisfactory.

One of the highlights of "Veneno" is in the successful cast of actresses who give life to Cristina throughout her life (from younger to older; Jedet, Daniela Santiago and Isabel Torres), as well as Paca la Piraña (played by herself), a mythical friend of Cristina's, who provides the comic relief of the series. Special mention should be made of the young Guille Márquez and Marcos Sotkovski who bring to life the Cristina of childhood when she was still known as Joselito; and of course Lola Rodríguez and Mariona Terés, two actors who grow up and shine even more with the course of each episode.

This new series by "The Two Javis" (Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo) is certainly the most original and groundbreaking work they have done to date, both in terms of script and production. The fact that a series like "Veneno" has managed to see the light (and even reach the big screen) is a milestone in the Spanish audiovisual scene. Because although it is true that we see more and more gays or lesbians or bisexuals in series and films, we finally find a series that features transgendered people as the main event. Equally or more important is the openness with which the series shows and raises awareness about this reality that is so important and so mistreated: transgender issues.

"Veneno" is an unprecedented revolution in the Spanish audiovisual industry. It gives us sex, violence, and insecurities without any concealment, with all the rawness with which it is sometimes associated, without leaving room for imagination. Probably, this series has also achieved more than any public awareness campaign promoted by many NGOs.

But the important thing is that "Veneno" exists and is necessary. You should see it, regardless of whether you like the character of La Veneno or not. Cristina Ortiz is just one more example of how much trans people suffer throughout their lives, of how difficult it is for them, physically and emotionally, and of the challenges they face every day. And so I would like to end by congratulating Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo for making this series that brings to light a reality that, unfortunately, many still see as taboo.