Audible Names ‘Bistec’ Podcast Series about Betrayal and Redemption in Revolutionary Cuba a 2024 ‘Lo Mejor del Año’ Best Series for Fiction

MIAMI, FL — December 3, 2024 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — Global audio leader Audible has named the duo-language podcast series ‘Bistec’, the eight-part audio series about betrayal and redemption in Revolutionary Cuba, one of its 2024 “Lo Mejor del Año” Podcast Winners for Fiction. 

Audible’s inaugural award is being widely promoted across its platform and as part of a media campaign that also highlights other best of 2024 audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals. The full list of winners can be found at https://www.audible.com/es_US.

“This is an awesome honor for me and the entire team of producers, actors, editors, and musicians who joined to tell this story,” said Manuel Ruiz-Barrera, who wrote and directed the historical drama and is co-founder of Nuestro Studios, a division of Nuestro Stories and Brilla Media that produced ‘Bistec.’ “This prestigious recognition, and the massive views and listens we’ve generated across digital platforms underscore why the timeless and timely story of ‘Bistec’ must come to the big screen, which is our ultimate goal.”

Following its sizzling summer debut, Bistec has generated more than 1.5 million views and listens across multiple digital platforms in Spanish and English, including YouTube in Spanish, and English, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Instagram, and more. (The visual trailer for the audio series, which represents the next stage of what producers believe will become a feature film, can be viewed here).

As part of the next stage of the ‘Bistec’ film project, the producers are about to launch pre-orders for the related photobook called ‘Surreal Cuba’ that will launch in early 2025.  

The Story Behind ‘Bistec’

Produced by Nuestro Studios, a division of Brilla Media Ventures, ‘Bistec’ is the riveting story of a longtime Cuban Revolutionary and what happens when one of the nation’s prominent dissidents moves into his neighborhood, exposing secrets, upending lives, and testing loyalties. Set during the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution in 2009, ‘Bistec’ unveils the contemporary world of Cuba’s enigmatic surveillance and snitches system, all within the framework of a compelling, emotional narrative filled with unexpected twists.

This is the first story to ever delve deeply into the secret world of Cuba’s widely despised but little known Comités de Defensa de la Revolución (CDR), the neighborhood government apparatus Fidel Castro cherished so much he branded “the vanguard of the Revolution.”

Bistec leans on events from the life of Micaela Ruiz, the late poet grandmother of writer Ruiz-Barrera, as well as the strange adventures he experienced during four documentary photography trips he made to Cuba in the early ‘90s. Prominent dissidents Amaury Pacheco del Monte, and his wife Iris Hernandez, co-founders of El Movimiento San Isidro, served as key story consultants and also play characters in the series.

To learn more about Bistec or support the production for the film, follow @Bistec.Film on Instagram or visit our website at www.BistecFilm.com. Bistec is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BistecFilm.

Producers and cast

Adapted from a screenplay written 15 years ago by Ruiz-Barrera, and masterfully sound engineered and edited by Jaime Almiral, Jr, the series took 15 months to produce. In addition to Pacheco and Hernandez, the production was also anchored by Ernesto Fundora, who was an assistant director, associate producer, and story consultant, as well as Efrain Gonzalez, and Felix Montelara, who executive produced the series, and Elena Ruiz, who served as an associate producer.

Bistec features a Who's Who of actors, musicians, and producers with more than 60 novelas and 12 feature film credits between them. The production team leads includes Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Peruvians, Mexicans, and Colombians.

Bistec talent represents every single generation of Cubans, including children of dissidents, TikTok influencer and hip-hop artist Jawndarko, and Venezuelan influencer and actress Laura Termini. The musical score of ‘Bistec', ‘Canción de un Disidente', was composed by nine-time EMMY-winning Maestro Alberto Bade, and features a beautiful performance by the University of Miami Orchestra.

The Spanish and English-language cast of ‘Bistec' includes Albertico Pujol and Roberto Escobar as Echauri Suarez, Adrian Mas and Rene Granado as Orlando Contreras, Vivian Ruiz and Mayte Vilan as Micaela Martinez, Mauricio Renteria and Rene Lavan as Colonel Ramiro Roca, Laura Termini as Hortensia, Amaury Pacheco Del Monte and Robert Ramos as Vizcaino "El Bizco", Andy Barbosa as Vladimir Suarez, Omar Gonzalez and Michael Ferreiro as Orlandito Contreras, Iris Hernandez and Maggie Zafra as Cecilia, and Alejandra Cossio and Melissa Ann Hubiscsak as Marlene Presley.

Bistec's narrators were Ray Guiu, Gregg Weiner, and Scott Fortney. Additional voice actors include Frank Egusquiza, Teresa Rodriguez, Ramonín Veloz, Efrain Gonzalez, Cecilia "Ceci" Diaz Arguelle, Rick Najera, Julian Najera, Jeffrey Batista, Juan Camilo Jurado, Tanya Cecilia Diaz, Alex Hernandez, Naomi Ruiz, Briani Ruiz, Katherine Costa, Rameh Ali Echeverri, and Manuel Ruiz-Barrera.

Additional music was produced and/or performed by Federico Colloca, Elimir Colloca, Leandro Tresero y Luthier, Bernardo Izaguirre, Alfredo Chacon, Odalys Salina, Humberto Casanova, Juan A. Diaz, Lianet Ulloa, Lazaro Fundora, Pavel de la Noval, and Bernardo Izaguirre.

Additional executive producers include Armando Azarloza, Santiago Eljaiek, III, Lourdes Castillo and Angela Sustaita-Ruiz.

The poster for Bistec was designed by Hiram Henriquez. Casting was led by Ana Braga Morfi. Media and marketing distribution are being handled by Brilla Media Ventures, and Audio Dice Network.

The producers are grateful for the collaboration of the University of Miami School of Music, Ochenta Studio, Ralph Rivera, Celines Toribio, Katherine Costa, Robert Armband, and Piera Garibaldi. They are also grateful for the contributions of Iris Fraga, Pedro Fraga, Ravi Baichwal, Yolanda, and Jose Garcia, Michael Ortega, Sonia Diaz, and Cristy Clavijo-Kish.

Bistec was recorded at South Point Productions, and Panoramik Audio.

To learn more about Bistec or support the production for the film, follow @Bistec.Film on Instagram or visit our website at www.BistecFilm.com. Bistec is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BistecFilm.

About Brilla Media Ventures

Brilla Media Ventures provides engaging cultural content for multicultural marketers through its owned and operated platforms, Nuestro Stories, Minivela, Nuestro Studios, and Brilla Latina. Offerings also include programmatic advertising technology services for scalable media delivery, digital shorts, influencer marketing, creative studio services, and brand activations.

Brilla Media is a certified women-owned Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The company is led by Angela Sustaita-Ruiz, its chairwoman, and Manny Ruiz, creators of Hispanicize, and trailblazers in the Hispanic media, social and influencer marketing industries, the Latino press release wire industry, and the first network of Hispanic print media companies online.