By james art 
Oscar-winning production company Fabula (“Fantastic Woman”) and Venice Critics’ Week Grand Prize winner Tana Gilbert (“Malqueridas”) are developing Where’s Narumi?, a docu-series looking at the 2016 murder of Japanese student Narumi Kurosaki from her former partner Nicolas Cepeda.
The project marks a collaboration between Gilbert and the Chilean production house founded by Pablo and Juan de Dios Laraín, which recently earned two Oscar nominations in 2024 for “El Conde” (Best Cinematography) and “The Eternal Memory” (Best good documentary). .
Gilbert, whose connection to the case stems from having attended the same university as Zepeda, brings a personal perspective to the project. “As a woman and a storyteller, I feel a deep responsibility to help break down harmful narratives about women from within,” she explains. Based on her experience working with archival materials, Gilbert plans to explore the digital traces left by Zepeda and Kurosaki, analyzing how “misogyny manifests itself in digital spaces and often results in physical harm.”
Fabula, known for tackling pressing social issues, sees the project as an opportunity to explore the wider implications of gender-based violence. “‘Where’s Narumi?'” stands out as an urgent story, highlighting the media, legal and political phenomena it has sparked across three continents – the Americas, Europe and Asia,” the company said.
The series aims to move beyond true crime conventions to explore what Fabula describes as the “mandate of masculinity” – societal expectations that associate masculinity with controlling women. Gilbert intends to focus on uncovering early warning signs of aggressors, while questioning the media sensationalism that often makes society “complicit in its silence.”
Currently in development, with writing expected to be completed by April 2025, production is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025. As a Chilean-French co-production with significant ties to Japan, the team is presenting the project at the Creative Content Festival in Taiwan (TCCF), seeking funding and potential Japanese creative input.
The project brings together Fabula’s experienced production team, including Marian Hartard, who is executive director of production for film and television, head of creative development Sofia Liebkind, and Rocio Jadue, who leads the company’s Latin American film department and has previously produced Oscar-winning ” A fantastic woman.