Fremantle announced plans to adapt the best-selling autobiography of David Jiménez, a former war reporter who became the embattled editor-in-chief of one of Europe’s leading newspapers.
El Director, a tell-all book about Jiménez’s year at the helm of El Mundo, shocked the political, business, and media establishment in Spain when it was released last April.
“In a time when journalism is under siege in so many places, I am glad that the story of resistance of El Director has resonated with so many readers. When journalists seek truth, they often find foes. It’s our job to stand against them and take the side of the public. Fremantle is the perfect partner to carry that message to new audiences around the world,” mentioned Jiménez.
“We’re incredibly privileged to be working with David and to bring El Director to screens. The book brings to light what’s behind the newspaper’s headlines and the influence and hold that the elite can have over a country. It also allows us to better know the life of the Editor-in-Chief through his challenges and struggles. We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work on such an exciting and meaningful project,” said Nathalie Garcia and Manuel Tera, the CEO and the Executive Producer of Fremantle in Spain.
David Jiménez was appointed editor-in-chief of El Mundo in 2015 after two decades covering conflicts, revolutions and natural disasters around the world, especially in Asia. What seemed like an exciting challenge soon became a battle to defend the newspaper’s independence against a political and economic establishments determined to bring it down.