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The man behind the hit series, El Capo


Lilo Vilaplana (r) with cast members from El Capo
Lilo Vilaplana (r) with cast members from El Capo

A man from Camagüey, Cuba is the director of one of the world's most viewed soap operas in Latin America and United States.

When the public health inspector saw the picture of the star of the series, El Capo in the living room, he curiously asked who was the person next to him. The woman who'd let him in, pleased by the young man's indiscretion, replied that it was her son, Lilo Vilaplana, the director of the TV series. At the excitement of this Cuban fan, she had no choice but to sign an autograph on behalf of her son.

Vilaplana laughingly shared the anecdote on Radio Marti's program 1800 Online, while recalling his sister's enthusiasm when she gets the movie packages every week of El Capo's new episodes.
Vilaplana discovered theater quite by accident. In a country home in Nuevitas, where no one in his family had artistic inclinations, he found a book where the story was told through the dialogue of the characters. Without knowing the genre, he enjoyed the story and began to create others the same way. Later on he discovered he was writing for the theater.
While attending art school in Havana in the 80's, he began directing plays, until he decided to focus on television in '88. "It paid better," he said flatly. He credits his knowledge of the medium to filmmakers Roberto Villar and Eduardo Macias.
Like many Cubans in search of prosperity, he moved to Colombia in 1997. Before the opportunity of the super-production that has been El Capo, Vilaplana faced ups and downs in his career, but in the end, good fortune smiled on him.
When he was fired because of disagreements with the programming of Siguiendo el rastor (Following the Trail), a series he wrote and directed, he decided to open his own busines: Otestis, an acting academy. While he helped mold the actors, he began producing with them and selling material to production houses.

In addition to having directed a variety of series, such as La Mariposa, Mentes en Shock, Tiempo Final (End Time) and La dama de Troya (The Queen of Troy), among others, he published the book Un cubano cuenta. As if that weren't enough, between one television project and another, he returned to the theater.
Now, after almost 13 years with TeleColombia, currently FoxTelecolombia, one of his works, El Capo, has become one of the world's most viewed soap operas in Latin America and the United States. It is also a success in Cuba. The soap opera has been the costliest ever produced in Colombia, estimated at 8 million dollars.
Regarding the societal effect that a series focusing on the life of a drug kingpin could have on the public, Vilaplana believes that "it is good to remember, so that it does not happen again. In Colombia it is good that they know what a life of trafficking drugs leads to and then to see the kingpin's regret for what he's done. It's good for new generations to know."

"The more the people know their history, the less likely they will follow bad examples," said Vilaplana. With respect to Cuba, he dreams of "doing a series dedicated to the Cuban balseros, so that hopefully no one has to flee their country on a raft. "
Lilo Vilaplana has decided not to return to Cuba, unless it establishes a democracy. His hope for his country: "That everyone thinks as they want to think, but to respect those who think differently." Despite the disappointments and assaults on the Cuban embassy in Colombia, Lilo still has his eye on the island.
"Many people leave Cuba and forget the motherland, forget the suffering of Cubans inside and that to me, is painful. Just because I may be in a privileged position now, doesn't mean that what happens on the island doesn't matter to me. Yes, I care and I care a lot. "

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    Lizandra Diaz Blanco

    Lizandra Díaz Blanco is a journalist and radio host. At The Marti's, she alternates between hosting two radio shows: Periodismo.com and 1800 Online, with reports for the martinoticias.com website. She studied journalism at the University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas in Cuba. Follow Lizandra on Twitter: @lizandraonmarti
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