Banijay America is positioning this as a major talent acquisition, with exec VP Santiago Zapata praising Zunino's 'exceptional narrative sensibility' and 'dual perspective.' The company frames the hire as proof of their ambition to partner with top regional creators and build globally appealing content.
A Fábrica Mexico & U.S. Hispanic is still in its infancy—founded January 2025—so putting Zunino in charge of development signals serious intent. Sources close to Endemol Shine Boomdog say this venture is a key part of Banijay's Latin American expansion strategy, and landing an established auteur like Zunino adds credibility to a company most audiences have never heard of.
Zunino's credits include Netflix political drama 'Tijuana' and Prime Video dark comedy 'Freddy Larios.' His debut feature 'Open Cage' won the FIPRESCI Prize at Montreal's Festival du Nouveau Cinéma. A Fábrica Mexico & U.S. Hispanic was founded January 2025 by Endemol Shine Boomdog and Brazil's A Fábrica, led by Luiz Noronha.
Zunino brings serious indie cred to a corporate venture—this could be the real deal or just another streaming play dressed up in creative credentials. Either way, his track record with boundary-pushing content suggests A Fábrica isn't playing it safe.
Banijay America's A Fábrica Mexico & U.S. Hispanic has made its most significant move yet since launching in January 2025, tapping director-writer Max Zunino for the newly created position of executive director of development. The Uruguayan-born, Mexico City-based filmmaker brings serious credentials to the role—his coming-of-age punk rock feature 'This Is Not Berlin' earned critical acclaim, and he's behind streaming hits like Netflix's political drama series 'Tijuana' and Prime Video's dark comedy 'Freddy Larios.' Zunino will work closely alongside Santiago Zapata, executive VP of content who joined the fledgling company last August.
In a statement, Zapata praised Zunino's 'exceptional narrative sensibility, combined with his dual perspective as both director and screenwriter,' calling it 'exactly the kind of creative strength we're looking for.' The exec framed the hire as proof of their mission to 'join forces with the region's top creative talent and build a portfolio of stories for global audiences.' Before diving into television, Zunino built his reputation in independent film. His debut feature 'Open Cage' ('Los Bañistas'), which he wrote, directed, and produced, snagged the coveted FIPRESCI Prize at Montreal's Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, along with the Guerrero Press Award at the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
His second feature, 'Mist' ('Bruma')—shot in Berlin and Mexico City—premiered in the Visions section of the 2017 Berlinale EFM and later at the Raindance Film Festival. The guy's festival credentials are legit. Beyond his own projects, Zunino co-founded Room Service, a production company that's cranked out fiction content for Amazon, Netflix, Story House, Sony, Fox, Argos, and Televisa.
He's also a founding member and board member of Tinta, the Mexican Association of Audiovisual and Cinematographic Writers—a signal that he's deeply embedded in the region's creative community. A Fábrica Mexico & U.S. Hispanic was founded just over a year ago through a partnership between Endemol Shine Boomdog and Brazil's A Fábrica, led by Luiz Noronha.
The company has projects in the pipeline, including work with noted Venezuelan screenwriter Leonardo Padrón announced last year. Zunino said he's 'focused on shaping the development strategy and creating original projects to connect with audiences around the world.' Whether that promise translates to compelling content or just corporate synergy remains to be seen—but given his track record of pushing boundaries, this is one appointment worth watching.
