Oscar-Nominated Doc ‘La Corona’ to Be Adapted as Scripted Feature (EXCLUSIVE)

The 2008 Oscar-nominated documentary “La Corona” will soon be adapted for the big screen as a narrative feature film. A collaboration between an accomplished international team of producers and filmmakers, the adaptation seeks to bring new life to the gripping story of a beauty pageant held inside El Buen Pastor, a women’s maximum-security prison in Bogotá, Colombia.

Originally directed by Isabel Vega and Amanda Micheli, “La Corona” garnered critical acclaim upon its release on HBO, earning a Special Jury Mention at the Sundance Film Festival and praise for its raw, emotional storytelling. The co-directors expressed their enthusiasm about the upcoming adaptation: “We are thrilled that this unique story continues to resonate and are excited to collaborate with this talented team to bring it to a whole new audience.”

The film will delve into the human side of incarceration, following women with complex pasts who discover resilience, hope and camaraderie through an unlikely source, a prison beauty pageant. It promises to highlight their strength and vulnerability while tackling issues of identity, empowerment, and social reintegration.

Heading the production is Secuoya Studios (“Zorro”), in partnership with Black Sheep Productions, led by Mónica Aguirre. Also joining the effort are Vince Gerardis (“Game of Thrones,” “House of the Dragon”) and Hope Rieser Farley from Startling; Infinity Hill, led by Axel Kuschevatzky, Cindy Teperman, and Phin Glynn (“Argentina, 1985”); and Runaway Films, the original producers of the documentary.

The script is currently under development by award-winning writer María Renée Prudencio (“Dive,” “Señorita 89”), recipient of the Ariel Award. Acclaimed screenwriter María Camila Arias (“One Hundred Years of Solitude,” “Birds of Passage”) is serving as script consultant. Colombian actress Natalia Reyes (“Birds of Passage,” “Terminator: Dark Fate”) will not only star in the film but also produce.

Prudencio shared her excitement about the project: “I’m thrilled to be working alongside a talented team of women who are committed to telling stories that explore empowerment and freedom in these troubled times.”

Filming is set to take place entirely in Bogotá with a female-led creative team. The production is also working closely with Fundación Acción Interna, founded by Johana Bahamón, along with former inmates and social reintegration experts, to ensure authenticity and sensitivity in portraying the lives of incarcerated women.

At the heart of the story are four women vying for the crown in the annual prison beauty pageant, a symbol of dignity and transformation inside the bleak walls of confinement.

With a stellar team and a mission to spotlight untold stories, this adaptation of “La Corona” aims to amplify the voices of women often forgotten and to spark conversations about justice, humanity, and hope behind bars.