Actor Luis Tosar portrays Pepe Durá, the captain who steered the fishing boat and helped rescue 51 people at sea in the Mediterranean. Sea Law is a three-episode miniseries that premieres on Valencian public television. The first two episodes air Monday January 15 at 22:00, with the finale following the next day at the same time.
The great difficulty of translating the adventure of the fishing boat Francisco and Catalina into fiction
The hero of films like Cell 211 and All Names of Allah is tied to Alicante as the backdrop for the launch of Punt’s new miniseries, co-produced with RTVE. Tosar recalls the moment the story landed in his lap and recognizes a strong narrative spark that deserved to be told on screen. The project is built around a single, powerful event that many people remember clearly, and its potential as a compelling drama became evident from the start.
Regarding production, Tosar notes that filming was surprisingly manageable. What seemed risky at first turned out to be feasible: a small boat, a crowded deck, and the challenge of capturing the essence of the rescue operation without turning the experience claustrophobic. Filming lasted 18 days, mirroring the nine days the rescued migrants spent aboard the vessel with its crew. The result remains intensely human rather than stifling.
The cast, with shoots taking place in Alicante, Santa Pola, and the City of Light, enjoyed the presence of Pepe Durá and his wife Pepi, who provided direct, firsthand insight into the events. Tosar admires their willingness to share the story generously, and he quips that Pepe, the true hero of the tale, speaks of his actions with remarkable modesty even after years have passed. The actor adds that society often elevates such deeds as extraordinary, when in fact they occur within reach of everyday people.
host country
The central message of the miniseries remains clear to the ensemble of performers. Tosar believes the project will help audiences bring emotion and humanity back to a topic often reduced to statistics. The news continues to report the loss of lives in the Mediterranean, along with hopeful landings at port under harrowing conditions. This story carries a message that resonates far beyond the screen and invites viewers to connect with the human side of migration.
Ciudad de la Luz wraps up filming with a series about the Francisco and Catalina ship case
The production aims to raise awareness about an immigration phenomenon that may intensify as years pass, given the growing hardships in origin countries. The miniseries emphasizes that the receiving country bears responsibility and highlights the need for policies that address these events with practical compassion. Tosar envisions Spain taking a leading role in responding to this regional crisis, thanks to its geographic position. The three episodes of Sea Law thus illuminate one of the most striking migration cases and underscore the importance of thoughtful, humane policy responses that protect human lives.