The Secret of the River
HAVANA TIMES – I want to tell you about a Mexican series titled “El secreto del río” (The Secret of the River). It was released in October 2024, and I watched it in November 2024. Yes, series and movies arrive very quickly in Cuba.
This series impacted me a lot because of its main theme, which is the sincere friendship between two children and a secret that binds them together. This makes their friendship even stronger. The story takes place in a town in the state of Oaxaca called Ciudad Heroica de Juchitán de Zaragoza, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, amidst the lush nature of that region of Mexico.
Manuel arrives in the town to live with his grandmother, and from the moment he arrives, he is rejected by almost all the adults and children at school because he is a sensitive and solitary child. However, luck knocks on his door when he meets Eric, a local boy who defends him, and a sincere and innocent friendship is born. He also makes a friend named Paulina, who is a very sweet and important character in the series.
This friendship grows stronger as the episodes progress, thanks to the secret these children share. I won’t reveal it so you can discover it for yourselves. What I can say is that many interesting things happen, which will undoubtedly provide you with unforgettable moments, and you will not be the same after watching it, or at least you’ll be better people after seeing the adventures these 12-year-old children go through. Many interesting, sad, and happy things happen.
The series has a strong and dramatic plot with many conflicts and contradictions between the characters of this town and its inhabitants.
This theme reminded me of a story that happened in a village in Cuba, where a child, as sensitive yet strong as the character in the series El secreto del río, faces discrimination and mistreatment from his family and town, but he overcomes it all thanks to his sister’s love.
Nonetheless, he had to leave his village to live in Havana, at his aunt’s house. In 1980, one early morning, a bus sent by the government took him to the port of Mariel. It turns out he was never accepted due to his sexual preference.
I relate so much to this series because of the beautiful and intense friendship between the protagonists, which prevails despite the years and the different paths they choose as adults. It is a song to human freedom and the power of decision about who they want to be in life.
The theme song is a display of the talents of its composers and is performed by young Maya Jaime Burns, 24 years old, born in Monterey, California, to US parents. She is a singer-songwriter who combines folk and rock influences, is a multi-instrumentalist, and resides in Mexico. The song evokes the great Mexican singers and is a beautiful piece with a well-blended folk influence. It’s very intense.
For me, it is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in many years, and it makes you want to live intensely and fly through the images of freedom and love it evokes.
I’ll leave the link so you can listen to it, and if you’re intrigued, search for the series.