Josefina Fernández on ‘Vencer o Morir’ – Exclusive Interview

Vencer o Morir tells the story of the FPMR, which was established in defiance of all oppression during Pinochet’s dictatorship, along with its historical actions and commanders. What inspired you to tell this story and explore this particular period of history?

Josefina Fernández: The Pinochet dictatorship is more recent than many might think. I was born in 1973 and spent my entire childhood and youth under his regime, so I have firsthand experience of what it was like. This period in our history is filled with remarkable stories, such as that of Tamara, a woman who couldn’t simply sit by and watch what was happening in her country.

In Vencer o Morir, we follow Cecilia’s journey from a wealthy, pro-Pinochet family to becoming a communist academic and Commander Tamara. Cecilia is an unforgettable figure for the Chilean people, and she is portrayed in a profoundly impactful way for those discovering her through this series. What were your main sources when researching her story? I understand that her family also supported your work, could you tell us more about that process?

Josefina Fernández: The process was incredibly beautiful and deeply sensitive. We collaborated with Cecilia’s sister, who shared her story, personal items, letters, and photos, allowing us to know Cecilia very profoundly. Mariana, the actress portraying Cecilia, was also part of this process, and I believe her performance in the series reflects that involvement. It was fascinating to compare the information we gathered with the testimonies of her comrades in the guerrilla. Everyone praised her kindness and strength of spirit.

Vencer o Morir tells the story of a group of revolutionaries from different backgrounds who fought against the dictatorship and were brutally killed, most in their 30s. After World War II, the struggle for equality and freedom spread worldwide, but, as in both your country and ours, military coups aimed to suppress these movements. Looking back today, how would you describe that era and the struggle that took place?

Josefina Fernández: You’re addressing a very sensitive issue; it’s heartbreaking to recognize that the dreams of equality and freedom held by that generation were crushed so brutally through acts of violence. However, if we reflect on this further, we see that those dreams’ energy, dedication, and ideals continue to live on in every new generation. Let’s learn from the past and maintain hope for creating a better, more just world.

The acting, set design, period locations, and costumes in Vencer o Morir were all highly impressive. What were the most challenging aspects for you throughout the process, from casting to costume design?

Josefina Fernández: Vencer o Morir was a challenging project for everyone involved, particularly in terms of set design, and we were fortunate to have some incredible talent on our team. Sebastián Muñoz Costa del Rio, our production designer, recreated the story’s time period with remarkable sensitivity and beauty. His work on the headquarters of the CNI (Pinochet’s political police) was especially impressive and significantly contributed to the cast’s outstanding performances.

We also had an exceptional team of directors: Rodrigo Sepúlveda, Gabriel Díaz, and Ernesto Díaz. Their collaboration helped bring everything together beautifully. Alongside our production company, Parox, we formed a great team. We are also incredibly grateful to Prime Video for believing in this project and for all their support throughout the process.

The series is packed with action scenes, bombings, shootouts, car chases, and they have all been executed successfully…

Josefina Fernández: The action sequences in the series were essential to us. We aimed to highlight the guerrilla’s actions’ boldness and amateurism while also appealing to a younger audience with well-executed action scenes. We were fortunate to have the best director for this: Ernesto Díaz, a renowned Chilean director known for his natural talent for action and his brilliant ideas. Ernesto was responsible for directing every action scene in all the episodes, and as you noted, they were all executed successfully.

I was truly impressed by the use of music in the series. It features modern interpretations of folk songs from Inti-Illimani’s era, as well as more contemporary genres like punk and rock. What was your goal when selecting the music for the series?

Josefina Fernández: We have always thought of music as a key to expressing our vision of our guerrilla. They were young, brave, and a little crazy, just like a rock band. We wanted to express that feeling of youth and rebellion, and Mauricio Dupuis (my co-showrunner in the series) worked with our music supervisor, Herminio Gutierrez, choosing every song carefully. From Chilean punk to modern interpretations of Silvio Rodriguez, to folk classics and more contemporary rock, we allowed ourselves to choose anything, without thinking of the representation of an exact time, but the spirit of our characters.

One of the biggest challenges in historical dramas is portraying real people who have made a mark on history and honoring their legacy. Telling the story of revolutionaries, in particular, can spark a lot of debate in many different ways. How has the series been received by audiences in Chile and across Latin America?

Josefina Fernández: We were concerned about how the Chilean audiences would react, as the Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez is still a sensitive topic. People have strong opinions about them, viewing them either as terrorists or heroes. Some group members are also still alive and could be watching the series. However, we needed to set those concerns aside and focus on the characters and the story, which ultimately proved successful. We received an excellent reception from audiences across Chile and Latin America. Viewers were captivated by the story and seemed to put aside their political opinions.

This exclusive interview with Josefina Fernández was published in Episode Magazine’s MIPLONDON 2025 issue.