Eccho Rights will distribute worldwide the drama thriller set in Chile during General Pinochet’s military coup in 1973.

Invisible Heroes will be presented by its creators as a work in progress at Göteborg’s TV Drama Vision (January 30-31) after its launch at Miami’s NATPE (January 22-24). Yle will launch the show in the spring. 

The six-part series is based on the true story of the young Finnish diplomat Tapani Brotherus (Pelle Heikkilä) who secretly secured asylum in Europe for more than 2,000 left-wing Chilean citizens, persecuted by Pinochet’s military junta, with the help of his wife Lysa Brotherus (Sophia Heikkilä) and fellow diplomat Ilkka Jaamala (Ilkka Villi). Mikael Persbrandt plays the celebrated Swedish ambassador and human rights activist Harald Edelstam, who also took a stand against the military dictatorship and saved more than 1,300 Chilean political dissidents. 

Nicola Söderlund, Eccho Rights’ managing partner said: “This is an incredible story that will appeal to a wide international audience given its extraordinary subject matter that many will not have heard of before."

The series is co-produced by Finland’s Kaiho Republic and Chile’s Parox for Yle and Chilevision TV, in association with Nordic pubcasters SVT, DR, NRK, RÚV, with support among others from Nordisk Film & TV Fond. 

Stockholm-based Eccho Rights recently sold a majority stake to South Korean media giant CJ ENM.