Created by Curro Novellas, “Lies and Deceit” or “Mentiras”, adapted by the British series “Liar”, is a Spanish thriller drama series that follows the same narrative as that of its original series. The thriller series is set on the island of Majorca and kicks off when Laura Munar, a respected high school literature teacher, decides to go to dinner with Xavier Vera, a well-known surgeon. Upon waking the next morning, Laura feels unwell and her intuition tells her that she was drugged and taken advantage of the previous night by Xavier. Complementing the dark and mysterious theme of the narrative, the visuals and backgrounds use a rather dark tone to emphasize the suspense and mystery the series possesses. If you’re curious about the filming sites used, we’ve covered everything you need to know about them!
Lies and deceits Filming locations
The first and only season of “Lies and Deceit” was mainly shot in two Spanish locations, the capital Madrid and the largest island of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca, where the story takes place. Principal photography for this Spanish adaptation of “Liar” began in November 2019 and wrapped on December 20, 2019. If you can’t wait to find out the specific locations, you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got you covered. !
Majorca, Spain
Majorca, as mentioned above, is the largest of all the Spanish Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean, and its diverse landscape was used to the maximum for the production of “Lies and Deceit”. The production team of “Lies and Deceit” spent many days filming in Palma de Mallorca, which is the capital and resort town of Mallorca, located in the western Mediterranean. Demarcacion de Costas de Les Illes Balears was another important location in which some shots were shot for the show.
Another place where the production team sat behind the cameras is Porto Colom, located in Mallorca. Several pivotal scenes were filmed here for the thriller series. Over the years, this beautiful and picturesque island has served as the backdrop for several films such as “Me Before You” and “Cloud Atlas”.
Madrid, Spain
Being the capital and most populous city of Spain, Madrid played its part in producing ‘Lies and Deceit’. The cast and crew were seen at multiple locations across the city to get more shots for the fast-paced drama series. Torrejon Hospital, located at Calle Mateo Inurria, 28850 Torrejon de Ardoz in Madrid, served as the filming location for several sequences. Crew members were also spotted at an event hosting property, Espacio Negrales at Calle San Pedro Poveda, 2, 28430 Alpedrete in the capital, filming some scenes. Hospital de El Escorial, located at M-600, Km. 6,255, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, as well as the HLA Universitario Moncloa Hospital on Avenida de Valladolid in Madrid were some other hospitals that were used for production of some episodes.
Zubi Design IMDEA Software Institute, which is located at Campus Montegancedo s/n 28223 Pozuelo de Alacron was used as the backdrop for lense some additional scenes. For the purpose of filming, the crew also traveled to Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, which is a public university in the city of Madrid. Additionally, some scenes from “Lies and Deceit” were also shot at Hotel Ciudad de Mostoles, located on Carretera De Mostoles in Villaviciosa. In addition to these specific locations, the production team visited several town halls, including the Ayuntamiento de Madrid, the Ayuntamiento de Boadilla (Calle Juan Carlos I, 42, 28660 Boadille del Monte), the Ayuntamiento de Mostoles (Plaza de Espana 1, 28934 Mostoles) and the Ayuntamiento de Torrelodones (Placa De la Constitucion, 1, 28250 Torrelodones), and got some more shots for the thriller series.
Is lying and deception a true story?
No, “Lies and Deceit” is not based on a true story. However, it is an adaptation of the British series ‘Liar’ as mentioned above, created by Jack and Harry Williams. Although the creators of the original series denied any plausible claim that the series was based on a real incident, they admitted that the growing number of rape cases and allegations at the time of writing had inspired them with a one way or another to come up with the narrative they invented.
Although “Lies and Deceit” follows the footprint of the original series and is a fictionalized narrative, it would be incorrect and ignorant to say that cases such as the one depicted in the suspenseful series do not occur in real life. For example, when Laura makes the accusations about Vera in the series, she is taken directly to court for trial. Such situations are also parallel to reality, especially in a country like Spain, where the law states that for the act to be considered rape, an act of violence or intimidation must be there as evidence. Several women’s rights activists have spoken out about this law and demanded that it be changed.
The series does a fair job of depicting the shortcomings and flaws of the current legal system in several countries. Victims of sexual abuse and rape like Laura have been interrogated and ignored for decades, in defiance of their accusations and their suffering. So, even though “Lies and Deceit” follows a fictionalized narrative, the situations portrayed in the series happen quite frequently in real life and make viewers more aware of harsh reality.
Read more: Best thriller TV series on Netflix
