Disney’s Onyx Collective Orders Limited Docuseries "Gigante"

Disney’s Onyx Collective announced today that it has picked up the docuseries Gigante, chronicling the political and cultural impact of Sabado Gigante with never-before-seen footage from Don Francisco’s personal archives.

What’s Happening:

Spanning through four distinct eras in U.S. Latino history, Gigante tells the story of how immigrants from different Latin American countries created a tenuous alliance that would come to harness the social capital, economic prowess and political influence that forever changed the United States.
With the unfettered participation of Don Francisco, access to 53 years of Sabado Gigante archives and a cavalcade of A-list celebrities, Gigante explores how the longest-running variety show in the history of television helped shape a new demographic and became a political force.
Mario Kreutzberger, also known as Don Francisco, was born in Talca, Chile. He is the creator and star of Sabado Gigante, which holds the Guinness World Record as the longest-running variety program. Kreutzberger is widely recognized for his extensive travels around the world and his use of humor and wit to unify cultures through his entertainment platform. Throughout his career, Kreutzberger has been honored with many awards, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Papal Benemerenti Medal given by Pope Juan Pablo II and an Emmy Award. In 2011, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
From the team behind Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, this four-part limited series is produced by Foton Pictures and Trojan Horse and will be streamed exclusively on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ in all other territories.
Kareem Tabsch serves as executive producer and director alongside Alex Fumero, who serves as executive producer and showrunner under their Trojan Horse banner. The series is a Foton.Pictures production with Ilan Numhauser, Ari Taboada and Carlos Enrique Cuscó serving as executive producers. Concept conceived by Fumero and Tabsch.

What They’re Saying:

Jihan Robinson, vice president of Nonfiction, Onyx and Freeform said: “To say we are enthusiastic about this project would be an understatement. Don Francisco and this series played such a huge role in the lives of the Latinx community and have left a lasting impact on this country. We are thrilled it has found a home with Onyx and to continue the Sabado Gigante legacy.”
Mario Kreutzberger said: “I’m at a time in my life where it is more interesting looking backward. Where I have the full perspective of not only my 60 years as a professional but also where I’m able to fully analyze Don Francisco and Sabado Gigante’s record-breaking run and what it meant to so many people. I’m beyond happy to have the opportunity to tell the story with this amazing team and thankful to Onyx for helping us bring our show to a brand new audience.”
Executive producer Kareem Tabsch said: “Hispanics. Latinos. Latinx. Whatever you may call us or whatever we may call ourselves, so few people understand who we are and where we came from — including us. Gigante is the definitive Latino origin story told through the lens of Sabado Gigante, one of the most beloved programs in the Spanish-speaking world and a staple in all our homes. The series will tell how a Chilean Jewish immigrant in Miami managed to shape the way that millions of other immigrants from dozens of nationalities across the Western Hemisphere identified themselves, bringing us all closer together and forever changing the face of the United States and Latin America in the process.”
Carlos Enrique Cuscó, CEO of Foton.Pictures said: “This is an extremely personal project for us and is very much part of our DNA as a company. Bringing impactful and relevant stories to the foreground with such hugely talented creative partners like Kareem and Alex is the reason we got into this business. To now partner with Onyx Collective and get the opportunity to share our story as Latinos, with the participation of Don Francisco (Mario Kreutzberger), is a dream come true. We could not be more honored to be producing this ambitious project with Onyx Collective and Trojan Horse.”