Stories to Stay Awake: Buried, [REC] directors working on Spanish anthology

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Fifty-five years ago, Chicho Ibáñez Serrador created the Spanish horror anthology television series Historias Para No Dormir (a.k.a. Stories to Stay Awake), which aired from 1966 to 1968, then had a revival in 1982. In 2005, Ibáñez teamed with other Spanish genre filmmakers for a series of big screen shorts that were released under the banner of Peliculas Para No Dormir, or Movies to Stay Awake. Ibañez passed away in 2019, but his creation lives on. It has been announced that Amazon Prime Video, RTVE, and ViacomCBS International Studios are working with Prointel e Isla Audiovisual for a four-part mini-series revival of Historias Para No Dormir / Stories to Stay Awake.

Filming on the mini-series started in Madrid this week. The directors who will be contributing to the anthology show are Rodrigo Cortés (Buried), Rodrigo Sorogoyen (May God Save Us), Paco Plaza ([REC]), and Paula Ortiz (The Bride).

Cortés is at the helm of the first episode, which is titled La Broma, or The Joke. Written and directed by Cortés, it's an "interpretation" of a 1966 episode of Historias Para No Dormir / Stories to Stay Awake. The story of a love triangle, the episode stars Eduard Fernandez, Nathalie Poza, and Raúl Arévalo. 

Details on other episodes have not been revealed.

Laura Abril of ViacomCBS had this to say about the project: 

We are incredibly excited to develop and produce Historias Para No Dormir with Prointel e Isla Audiovisual, for Amazon Prime Video and RTVE. Partnering with major industry players is a key part of our studio's strategy, as well as betting on local content with a global appeal. Historias Para No Dormir will feature top local talents, rebooting an iconic series by one of the most relevant Spanish TV creators ever. The series will offer global audiences the best of the traditional horror genre with a modern twist."

I'm not familiar with the previous versions of Historias Para No Dormir, but I'm glad to hear a classic genre property is being revived.