Peru TV drama “Los Principiantes” begins filming on ambitious eight-part series set in 1980s Lima

Filming has begun in Peru on Los Principiantes, an ambitious Spanish-language film and television project described as one of the most large-scale efforts in the country’s screen industry. Deadline reports that production is currently underway ahead of the series’ planned release in eight episodes, with first-look images tied to the shoot circulating as the program enters its next production phase.

The project is set in Lima during the 1980s and is described as a drama built around real-world events. According to the production team, the narrative follows the rise of an elite law school cabal whose members use institutional connections to move from campus life into wider arenas of public power.

Deadline reports that the series traces how ambition and influence can reshape systems over time, describing the group’s infiltration of academia, then its expansion into politics and organized crime. The story framework, as characterized by producers, centers on how a small, networked circle can leverage education and status to gain access and control beyond the classroom.

Los Principiantes is presented as a drama that blends period setting with institutional themes, including the ability of education-linked networks to create pathways into government and illicit activity. The production’s Lima locations and 1980s time period are positioned as key elements of the series’ visual and storytelling design, with the reported first-look imagery reflecting an emphasis on period authenticity.

Deadline’s reporting also ties the project to the broader push for higher-budget, long-form storytelling in Peru, describing it as among the country’s most ambitious film and TV efforts. The eight-part format indicates the production is planning a multi-episode arc rather than a contained single-film story, which can affect schedules, post-production timelines, and downstream distribution planning.

As filming progresses, additional casting, production credits, and release plans may be clarified through official announcements from the creators and production companies. For audiences, the early release of imagery and the confirmation of production start dates offer the first concrete view of what is likely to be a major scripted entry from Peru’s current television and film pipeline.

For regulators and local communities near production sites, large-scale shoots can require coordination around traffic planning, public access to streets, and on-set safety protocols, particularly when filming recreates period environments. Those practical matters are typically handled through permitting and municipal coordination, though specific permits or logistics are not detailed in the available report.