The icon. The woman. The story.
Adored for her charisma and her free, explicit and fun way of expressing herself, La Veneno gained popularity thanks to her television appearances in the 90s. However, her life and especially her death remain an enigma.
Valencia, Spain, 2006. Journalism student Valeria sets out to meet her idol, Cristina “La Veneno,” who’s eager to connect and share her story. Alongside her best friend Paca, Cristina begins to unravel her glamorous, complicated past, changing Valeria’s life overnight - and becoming the subject of a homework assignment that begins to take the shape of a book.
Thrilled to be the star of Valeria’s book, Cristina dives into a dynamic retelling of her life story - but as Valeria digs into Cristina’s childhood in Adra, where she lived as “Joselito,” painful memories resurface. As Cristina recounts relentless abuse from her mother and neighborhood, she inspires Valeria to open up to her own family about her transition.
Cristina details her life in Marbella after fleeing Adra - from the new family she built, to her first love, and her first heartbreak. As Cristina takes Valeria on Joselito’s wild ride through Marbella, the club scene in Torremolinos, and the Madrid dating show appearance that changed her life, Valeria navigates the highs and lows of her transition - and begins to explore her sexuality.
In the ‘90s, Joselito struggles to survive in Madrid - until she meets Cristina Onassis, who encourages her to start taking hormones and to join her as a sex worker in West Park. As Cristina recounts how her namesake brought her to life, a tumultuous TV show appearance awaits in present-day Madrid.
Back in the ‘90s, Cristina’s splash debut on Mississippi takes her off the streets of West Park and into the spotlight. But as ratings soar, she faces a traumatic series of reunions with her mother - and storms Adra to show herself off to the village. While the show struggles to stay on air, Cristina alienates herself from friends, leaning on substances - and her abusive boyfriend, Angelo - for relief.
When the curtains close on her TV career, Cristina - under Angelo’s increasingly toxic influence - resorts to whatever means necessary to get by. In present-day, Valeria’s career is taking off in Seville when she gets an urgent call from Paca: Cristina’s health is rapidly declining, and finishing their book may be her only hope for recovery.
In 2003, Cristina is sentenced to a men’s prison, where the threat of violence lurks in every corner, and survival comes at a steep price. Thirteen years later, Cristina becomes obsessed with reviving her TV stardom - and acts out against Paca as result. Meanwhile, Valeria puts her life in Madrid on hold as she struggles to publish their book.
Following a traumatic accident, Cristina falls into a coma. As her family rushes to her side demanding answers, Valeria fights to fulfill Cristina’s last wish.
