HBO Europe to Launch Original Spanish Nonfiction Series The Pioneer

HBO Europe is set to debut El Pionero (The Pioneer), a Spanish nonfiction series about the politician, football mogul and property tycoon Jesús Gil.

The Pioneer explores Gil’s storied life over four one-hour episodes, using archive images, never-before-seen personal material and exclusive interviews with people who had been close to him. Produced by JWP (Muerte en León), directed by Enric Bach and scripted by Bach and Justin Webster, the HBO Europe original production will air in 2019.

Bach said: “The Pioneer is a project I’ve been dreaming about for years and that, with lots of effort and the work of a great team, will become reality. The life of Jesús Gil has all the elements of a great story, starting with the most important: an unpredictable and multifaceted protagonist capable of undermining laws and institutions, and at the same time, seducing spectators and voters with his enormous magnetism.”

Miguel Salvat, commissioning editor of original programming at HBO España, added: “The Pioneer is a great opportunity to see our society today through a unique character that seduced an entire country for years and that still remains in everyone’s minds. We’re convinced that this series will bring great value to our service and brand. It’s a source of surprises and fascination, just as Jesús Gil was back in the day. Enric and the whole team of JWP are doing a great job in bringing his story to life.”