Okupas
Uppercase text reading OKUPAS in white with the letter K in red and white lines above and under the text
Title card
GenreDrama
Written byBruno Stagnaro

Alberto Muñoz

Esther Feldman
Directed byBruno Stagnaro
StarringRodrigo de la Serna

Diego Alonso

Ariel Staltari

Franco Tirri
Theme music composerAxel Krygier
Country of originArgentina
Original languageSpanish
No. of episodes11
Production
Running time40–45 minutes
Production companyIdeas del Sur
Original release
ReleaseOctober 18 –
December 27, 2000

Okupas (from Spanish, "squatters") is an Argentine drama miniseries produced by Ideas del Sur and written and Directed by Bruno Stagnaro. It aired on Argentina's Canal 7 (known as Televisión Pública since 2006) for eleven episodes between October and December 2000. Set in Buenos Aires at the end of the 1990s and beginning of the 2000s, the series tells the story of a group of men who squat an abandoned house while dealing with an increasingly violent city.

Okupas was highly successful in its original run, receiving positive reviews and winning three Martín Fierro awards (including Best Miniseries and Best Director for Stagnaro). It garnered a notable cult following despite a lack of reruns in subsequent years. A fully remastered version of Okupas was released on Netflix on July 20, 2021 featuring high-definition sound and image and original songs by Santiago Motorizado.

Cast and characters

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Main cast

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  • Rodrigo de la Serna as Ricardo, a young man from a middle-class family who dropped out of college. He is initially asked to take care of the house by his cousin Clara.
  • Diego Alonso Gómez as Pollo, a lifelong friend of Ricardo who has spent most of his life in the streets and tries to protect Ricardo whenever he is in danger.
  • Ariel Staltari as Walter, a Rolling Stones fan who takes dogs for walks for a living. Walter is first seen as Ricardo asks him for help to stop his troubling neighbors, but soon moves in along with his dog Severino.
  • Franco Tirri as Chiqui, a friend of Pollo who is invited by the latter into the house. He is the most introspective member of the group, often delving into philosophical thoughts out loud, and quickly grows close to Walter and Severino.

Recurring cast

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  • Ana Celentano as Clara Alvarado, Ricardo's cousin and real estate worker. She maintains a brief romantic relationship with Pollo.
  • Dante Mastropierro as Negro Pablo, Pollo's former roommate and partner in crime who becomes enemies with the protagonists and grows a particular resentment towards Ricardo.
  • Sergio Podeley as Mulo, Negro Pablo's hot-headed roommate and henchman.
  • Augusto Britez as Peralta, Ricardo's cunning but kindhearted neighbor who takes up lowly jobs every day to earn a living. His relationship with the protagonists is initially sour, but they later become friends.
  • Rosina Soto as Sofía, Peralta's daughter and a teen mother. Ricardo and her begin a romantic relationship, but later fall out over their class differences and clashing worldviews.
  • Jorge Sesán as Miguel, a former inhabitant of the house who returns after having been evicted. He is manipulative, aggressive and highly experienced with firearms.

Episodes

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No.TitleOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"The Five Commandments"
(Spanish: Los Cinco Mandamientos)
Bruno StagnaroBruno StagnaroOctober 18, 2000
2"Welcome on the Train"
(Spanish: Bienvenidos al Tren)
Bruno StagnaroBruno StagnaroOctober 25, 2000