Euro, Lat Am firms adapt Sepúlveda novel

London-based BlackBox Multimedia has partnered with companies in Europe and Latin America to adapt Luis Sepúlveda novel Diary of a Sentimental Killer.

Giuliano Papadia

The scripted producer will work with Italian prodco Leader Produzioni and Lat Am’s EO Media Distribution on the adaptation.

Diary of a Sentimental Killer is described as an atmospheric noir story packed with action and dark humour. The plot follows an unnamed assassin whose lover leaves him the day before he is set to embark on a crucial assignment.

Sepúlveda’s books have been translated into more than 40 languages, having sold over six million copies worldwide, with several film and theatre adaptations.

The series marks the first adaptation of Sepúlveda’s work since the bestselling author’s death from coronavirus in April earlier this year.

Giuliano Papadia, CEO of BlackBox Multimedia, said: “Sepúlveda’s Diary of Sentimental Killer is one of those rare books that blends humour with the darker side of the human psyche.

“The killer is a middle-aged man on the eve of his retirement… a man from another time, who observes the world around him changing [and is] striving and struggling to hold on to a reality that is slipping away from him.

“The book is an ironic ode to the noir genre, and with our partners we are keen to celebrate Sepúlveda’s unique voice and create a global, high-end television classic that will build a bridge between Europe and Latin America.”

Cristina Zucchiatti Monteverde, producer at Leader Produzioni, added: “Diary of a Sentimental Killer is a sophisticated and finely tuned noir, undercut by an ironic and cynical worldview for its genre.

“To find something comparable, we would have to turn to the world of graphic novels – in particular, Frank Miller’s Sin City. Both contain similar pop and pulp elements that lend themselves perfectly to an on-screen adaptation, as echoed by the success of Robert Rodriguez’s film adaption of Sin City.

“Taking a perfectly devised novel like Diary of a Sentimental Killer and sharing it with millions of viewers without betraying its original spirit is a great responsibility, but it is also an honour and a privilege.”