Las Azules: Women in Blue

The upcoming crime drama series 'Las Azules' delves into the true story of Mexico's first female police officers in 1971. The show portrays their challenges in a patriarchal society and connects past events to current issues. Featuring a fictional serial killer, it highlights ongoing gender-based violence in Mexico.

Upcoming crime drama series 'Las Azules' ('Women in Blue') is rooted in the past but echoes current events, according to its creators.

Set in 1971, the Spanish-language show is inspired by the true story of Mexico's first female police officers. It follows four women who join the force after a public campaign and a demanding bootcamp. Unbeknownst to the women, their hiring is a publicity stunt to improve the police's tainted image and divert attention from a serial killer targeting women in the capital. Actors Bárbara Mori, Ximena Sariñana, Natalia Téllez, and Amorita Rasgado, who portray the foursome, view the story as both an opportunity and a responsibility to highlight the persisting gender-based challenges.

'It's bittersweet because the story takes place in the 1970s, but the obstacles remain the same for women today in Mexico and many other parts of the world,' said Téllez, who plays rebellious Valentina. 'It's wonderful to pay tribute to these women. The only press coverage they received was about their legs and uniforms. Now, the true story of what they achieved and fought for is finally being told. However, it's saddening to realize that we haven't moved far from that reality 50 years later.'

The 10-episode series is co-created, co-written, and co-directed by Fernando Rovzar, who discovered the story in a newspaper article and tracked down one of the original women in blue. 'I wanted to tell the story of overcoming adversity,' Rovzar, 44, explained. 'As Mexico is about to celebrate its first female president, there is a direct line from the first female police department to this milestone.'

Claudia Sheinbaum is set to become Mexico's first female president in October, following a landslide election victory last month. She faces the daunting task of addressing organized crime violence. While homicides under the outgoing president's term have decreased, the overall number remains grim. Rovzar stated that the inclusion of the fictional serial killer element aims to bridge the past with present issues.

'While having a female president is a significant advancement, ten women are still murdered daily in Mexico due to gender-based violence. It's crucial to reflect on how far we've come and where we need to focus our attention,' Rovzar added. 'Las Azules' premieres on Apple TV+ on July 31.

(With inputs from agencies.)