The Mafin Phenomenon

By: Gladys Luna

Through the years television networks have found themselves with the need to revitalize their contents in order to be up to the standards of an audience that is rapidly changing demanding more and more accurate representation, and it is here where the LGBTQ+ community has been beaten the most. Going from poorly written storylines to tragic and catastrophic endings, it appeared that every LGBTQ+ relationship was doomed to fail. That is why, just in” style, it started to seem that only “every twenty-three years” a new couple would arise from the ashes bringing new hope along with them. This year our screens were enlightened with a new couple that, beyond all odds, entered our homes and took a place in our couches demolishing every wall and trespassing the language barrier, building a whole new community of supportive fans around the world and creating what it might as well be known as “The Mafin Phenomenon.” Here we will review the elements that have turned these characters into one of the audience’s favorites while exploring their own history, inner battles and unconditional love for one another.

It’s Sunday, February 25^th, 2024, and prime time to turn on Spanish television network Antena 3. You hear the first chords of a song that now is stuck with all of us like a broken record leading to the premiere of their brand-new melodrama “Sueños de Libertad.” This historical series is based on the Turkish series “Sen Anlat Karadeniz” and takes place in Spain in 1958. This version follows the day-to-day life of De la Reina family, wealthy and powerful group owners of the prestigious factory Perfumería de la Reina. Beneath their sophisticated and impeccable reputation lies a fair number of secrets of all sorts and a life filled with rivalry, regrets, betrayals, family intrigues and ghosts from the past that will waste no time in coming back and haunting them.

From this historical drama a bigger and new sensation is born: “The Mafin Phenomenon,” a combination of the two characters’ names, Marta de la Reina (Marta Belmonte) and Fina Valero (Alba Brunet). Marta, a well-educated, elegant and ahead of her time woman and heiress of the De la Reina fortune along with her two brothers, spends her days between her job at the family business and a marriage that is far from being conventional given that she is wed to a man whose occupation as a Navy doctor keeps him away from home most of the time – a situation to which Marta has become accustomed. Her constant search for perfection is an attempt to find her place in a business – and a world – ruled by men in order to prove that she is up to the challenges and demands of the company has made her build herself an armor and play the part of a firm but fair woman. With that persona she has now gained the respect and admiration of every man and woman of the colony, but soon her shield and disguise in which she has wrapped herself in is put to test when she starts developing a close friendship with Fina, a long-time acquaintance, newcomer employee and the daughter of her family’s driver with whom she has grown up with side by side but not closely. Fina, a determined, bold, kind-hearted woman who is not afraid to speak her mind and fight for what is right, comes like a whirlwind into Marta’s life revolting everything around them.

The Mafin Phenomenon has managed to turn the audience world upside-down with their unexpected, forbidden and adoring love story for which they have to fight for in an era that condemns such a love of that nature, but what is it that makes this couple the huge success it is today? What makes the fans gravitate towards them like a moth drawn to a flame? Well, I would dare to say that what makes Marta and Fina’s relationship so appealing is their accurate depiction of finding your one true love, the kind that comes from a pure and selfless source. The type of love everyone is striving for or expects to find at least once in life. What makes them different from any other couple we have seen before is the undeniable and unusual level of chemistry between the protagonists that surpasses the screen and can be felt miles away. Their performances are flawlessly in place and their capacity to convey every emotion and feeling without the use of words absolutely captivated the audience’s attention. The beauty of these performances lies in the fact that Marta and Alba allow their characters to take over them to the point where they dissolve themselves into them, dragging us step by step through every scene and emotion.

Every Marta and Fina scenes are made with such a level of quality and intensity that there is no waste in them, often leaving us releasing a breath we didn’t realize we were holding it. One of the aspects that makes their encounters so brilliant is that they are able to take you through a wide span of emotions in just the blink of an eye. If I had to choose a moment that encloses what this couple represents it would be the one where they spent their first night together cuddling at an Illescas hotel. The organic manner with which the whole conversation was carried out and the respect and understanding of each other’s fears and doubts without questioning or judgments gave this scene a level of depth that is uncommon to find. I must highlight Alba Brunet’s way of portraying Fina’s thoughtfulness towards Marta and her patience in guiding her through this new experience step-by-step but respecting her partner’s own rhythm. On the other hand, Marta Belmonte manages to make you shudder with everything her character is feeling. The whole approach of the scene is a masterpiece delightfully portrayed, directed and written.

And although despite what everyone might think, this is not a solo journey as besides the actresses’ evident talent and commitment to bring these characters to life with utter respect and professionalism. It is required to also have a strong foundation that not only comes from the production team around them but from the mere and genuine intention to tell a great story. And it is here where the writers play a key part. The story of Marta and Fina is written from the gut with a delicacy and subtleness that most of the time tends to be atypical for this type of storyline and is able to warm anyone’s heart instantly. The rhythm of the storytelling and levels of dramatism make you feel as though you are a passenger on a rollercoaster – never having the chance to step on solid ground, which is just the way we like it.

Every scene of this series hits on such a deep and personal level and it’s so honestly represented that at times, it makes you feel as though you are spying from the other side of the window into somebody else’s life. Undoubtedly, this is a story that still has a lot to offer and will go down in history as one of a kind. Make yourself a favor and go watch it!

“Sueños de Libertad” is produced by Diagonal TV and Atresmedia and brought to you from Monday to Friday at 15h50 CET/CEST by Antena.