Diksha Sundriyal
Spanish language dramas have gained a lot of popularity on Netflix. The streaming service has considerably increased its investment in Spanish television, which has given gems like ‘Money Heist’ to the international audience. However, the first-ever Spanish drama to come out of Netflix was ‘Cable Girls’. The historical fiction has established its own fanbase over the course of five seasons and is one of the most popular series in the language.
Set in the 1920s, it follows the story of four women who witness a change in their lives as well as the world around them when a telephone company comes to the city offering employment. The company is the first of its kind in Spain and brings with itself a wave of progress and development. Each of the women needs this job for their own reasons, but through their lives, the show focuses on the problems faced by working women in the society that was still new to the idea.
The mystery begins with Alba, who has been wrongfully accused of a murder. To clear her name, she makes a deal with a corrupt police officer. He gets her the job at the telephone company through which she has to help him pull off a heist. As the years pass by, the focus shifts from one woman to another and all of their lives get tangled. We see them laughing and crying with each other and fighting for lives on the streets of Madrid.
Bringing such a turmoil on camera requires great filming locations. If you’ve been wondering where the show has been filmed, we have the answer. Here are ‘Cable Girls’ filming locations
Where Was Cable Girls Filmed?
The cable girls find themselves embroiled in conspiracy, romance, heartbreak and intrigue in the capital of Spain. Their journey ebbs and flows with the changes that the city, and the rest of the country, face in a volatile political situation. This makes the city the fifth protagonist of the story, and Madrid plays the role very well. The filming of ‘Cable Girls’ took place extensively on various locations of Madrid. This not only allowed the crew to get beautiful locations on camera, but also adds to the direction of the story.
Madrid, Spain
With a setting that takes the audience almost a century in the past, the crew of ‘Cable Girls’ used contemporary locations in Madrid and gave them a complete makeover. Still, if you come across these places in the city, you’ll easily identify them due to their prominence in the series, as well as their grandiose. La Plaza del Alamillo serves as the neighbourhood where the protagonists live. The Pensión Dolores serves as their home. The route that they take to work is filmed in Lope de Vega and its surroundings.
The women work as telephone operators in the National Telephone Company, which is a prominent location in the show. This is the place where Lidia, Carlota, Ángeles and Marga first meet, and their journey full of twists and turns begins. The filming for such an important part of the story requires authenticity. ‘Cable Girls’ got it by filming at the Fundación Telefónica building on Gran Via. The building has its own historical importance as it is the first skyscraper of Madrid. It is also one of the largest telephone operators and mobile network providers in the world, providing service throughout most of Europe.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7iarlJoEqp/?igshid=uvvqwhoe16xk
After a tiring day at work, the gang hangs out at El Café, where they share their problems with each other, while also creating some happy memories. The bar has been designed as a replica of a real place, El Espejo restaurant, which is located in the city centre.
One of the important parts of the story takes place at the train station where Alba and Francisco had been separated as kids. The location harbours a lot of emotional moments for the pair, from the separation to the reunion, and bidding goodbyes to each other and the city. These scenes have been filmed at the Atocha train station.
Additionally, the crew was also seen filming at places like Banco de España, Restaurante Asia Gallery, La Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and Casino de Madrid.
