LaSexta offered a different flavor in last night’s prime time, turning a cinema-filled schedule into a documentary-style peek at lives few viewers usually glimpse. Patrolling at Christmas, led by captain Jalis de la Serna and featuring Italian journalist Zazza, showcased how one of the year’s most meaningful dates unfolds in places where cameras rarely venture. The program, produced as a nighttime special, aimed to reveal the quiet rituals, the whispered hopes, and the stubborn optimism that persists beyond the glare of national media. The result was a blend of street-level reportage, intimate meals, and the kind of on-the-ground honesty that sometimes vanishes behind glossy headlines. (Citation: LaSexta)
Jalis de la Serna marked New Year’s Eve in the Atunara neighborhood of La Línea de la Concepción, a border town with a reputation that invites both curiosity and critique. The face of Atresmedia entered a warmly hosted dinner, where a local family greeted him with open arms and a readiness to challenge common assumptions about their community. The moment carried a sense of responsibility: to listen, to observe, and to share not only the surface stories but the subtler undercurrents that shape daily life. The family members spoke with frankness, revealing how outsiders often arrive with preconceptions that do not match the lived experience in this corner of Spain. The tone suggested a desire to correct myths about danger and decay, offering instead a portrait of resilience and neighborliness that contrasts with the town’s tougher exterior. (Citation: LaSexta)
One family member reflected on the town’s image with quiet frustration, noting that it’s a pity the place has been so overly judged and that the narrative surrounding it has grown harsher than its reality. When asked whether certain parts of La Línea should be avoided, the group answered in unison that fear did not govern their daily routines. They insisted that while smuggling had long been part of the region’s history, the community maintained its own dignity and reputation through cooperation and mutual aid. The exchange underscored a central theme of the episode: misperceptions persist when voices from within marginalized communities are not heard clearly by outsiders. (Citation: LaSexta)
Yet the episode did not unfold without tension. As the crew prepared to depart the family’s home after sharing a substantial dinner, an unsettling discovery emerged—the vehicle carrying the team had been robbed. The moment underscored the inherent risks of documentary work that crosses uneasy frontiers, where ordinary life intersects with the pressures of on-camera storytelling. The reporter later described the incident as a disruption that added a real-world wrinkle to the production, turning what began as a routine night into a stark reminder of the volatility that can accompany field reporting. The crew’s response reflected professionalism: documenting the event, maintaining safety, and continuing with the story while acknowledging the setback as part of the unpredictable process of storytelling. (Citation: LaSexta)
This episode also chronicled further challenges encountered during filming in the Catalan region near the French border. In La Jonquera, Girona, several traders chose to close their doors to avoid being recorded, a decision that highlighted the tensions that can arise when commerce intersects with media presence. The team encountered a moment of friction when a passerby accidentally collided with a camera, prompting a cautious reassurance from the journalist about consent and privacy. The incident prompted some discomfort on camera, with the crew experiencing an abrupt disruption that required quick, calm handling and a renewed focus on the story’s purpose. The report captured a snapshot of the fragile balance between documenting reality and respecting the boundaries of ordinary people who may prefer discretion. Even so, the journalist’s effort to reassure the public and proceed with the interview reflected a steady commitment to transparency and accountability in vulnerable settings. (Citation: LaSexta)