On Netflix, “La Niña” has become one of the series based on true events that scored a hit in 2022, although the Colombian production premiered in 2016, its story continues to move viewers until now.
The Netflix series “La Niña” tells the story of Belky Rocío Bustamante Pinzón, a little girl who takes her brother’s place to be recruited by the Colombian guerrilla when she is only 8 years old and who, when she escapes as an adult, faces difficulties reintegration into society.
Now named Sara (Ana María Estupiñán), the young woman is looking for a better life in the city and to overcome the memories of her traumatic period in the guerrilla, while trying to realize her dream of studying medicine.
The production with 86 chapters available on Netflix depicts what it is like for children to be forced into a war conflict and its story is based on the true case of a little girl from Colombia.
- Ana María Estupiñán also stars in the series “La ronca de oro”, which you can watch for free on ViX.
‘The girl’, Netflix series: true story of little girl recruited by rebel in Colombia
According to what Alejandro Ender, former director of the Colombian Agency for Reintegration (ACR), told BLU Radio in May 2022, the idea for the series came when he contacted screenwriter Juana Uribe.
Alejandro Ender told her about his work at ACR and that in 2010 he learned about the case of a girl who wanted to rejoin civilian life after being captured by Colombian guerrillas at the age of 8.
The girl was forced to learn how to use a rifle, make improvised explosives and terrorize the civilian population. He lived through years of horror wearing a green uniform and obeying the orders of rebel leaders.
At the age of 16, the little girl was rescued by the army and placed under the care of the Family Welfare Institute of Colombia, where they helped her finish elementary and high school.
But the girl wanted to leave behind her war past and achieve her dream of studying medicine and becoming a cardiologist and neurologist. So at the age of 20 he started working to pay for his studies at a private university.
The young woman who inspired the Netflix series ‘La Niña’ became a doctor
2011 was when Alejandro Eder approached Gonzalo Córdoba and Juana Uribe, who were working at the Caracol channel, and began to develop the plot of the series “La Niña”.
Ender’s condition for the real girl to tell her story to the channel was that she be treated with respect and show that Belky and the other young recruits were not rebels or paramilitaries, but children.
In addition, the money earned by the series was also to be used to support the education of minors in Colombia. Thus, the series premiered in 2016 and became a success.
And on May 30, 2022, Ender shared on his social networks that the real girl contacted him to inform him that she had graduated from the university as a doctor and will receive her degree on July 26.