El Manantial

Plot

In the town of San Andrés, the rivalry between two families —the Valdés and the Ramírez— finds its most obvious channel in "The Spring"

A beautiful spring of water that bathes the small Valdés property and not the neighboring ranch, the rich and prosperous "Piedras Grandes" hacienda, where the best wild cattle in the country are raised, which belongs to the Ramírez family.

However, the real reason for such an intense hatred is hidden in privacy. Justo Ramírez (Alejandro Tommasi), married to Margarita Insunza (Daniela Romo), maintains an adulterous relationship with Francisca Rivero (Azela Robinson), the wife of his rival and neighbor, Rigoberto Valdés (César Évora). This relationship, founded on deceit and promiscuity, will generate the bitterest resentment and will cause the gradual destruction of the two families.

The Valdés have a beautiful daughter named Alfonsina (Adela Noriega), who was born at the same time as Alejandro (Mauricio Islas), the Ramírez's only son and natural heir. Despite having been raised apart from each other and with their souls filled with prejudices against their respective families, they cannot help but feel attracted.

Alfonsina and Alejandro's first meeting is not exactly the best. Accustomed as they are to hating each other's last names, they are convinced of what they have always known: that the Valdés and the Ramírez can only be enemies.

The hatred of Alfonsina's family increases when Justo Ramírez, through a bad move, gets what he has always wanted: To own "The Spring". The loss of the property forces Alfonsina's family to leave San Andrés; hurt, she swears that she will do everything in her power to get back the land that belonged to her grandparents.

Thus, thinking that they have finally got rid of their eternal enemies, the Ramírez decide that the best candidate to be Alejandro's wife is Bárbara Luna (Karyme Lozano), a pretty but calculating and somewhat frivolous young girl. Bárbara's family, interested in the advantages that said link will bring them, is delighted with the idea and they formalize the engagement. This coincides with Alfonsina's return to San Andrés.

Bárbara mistrusts the newcomer and tries by all means to get her away from her future husband. However, the force of love is stronger than any intrigue and Alfonsina and Alejandro finally confess their love for each other.

But the resentment and ill will that has marked the relationship between their families condemns them to be victims of bitterness. To survive, their love will have to overcome the barriers that fate presents them and thus turn "The Spring" into a true source of hope.

Cast

Main cast

• Adela Noriega as Alfonsina Valdés Rivero
• Daniela Romo as Margarita Insunza de Ramírez
• Mauricio Islas as Alejandro Ramírez Insunza
• Alejandro Tommasi as Justo Ramírez

Supporting cast

• Manuel Ojeda as Father Salvador Valdés
• Sylvia Pasquel as Pilar de Luna
• Patricia Navidad as María Magdalena "Malena" Osuna
• Olivia Bucio as Gertrudis Rivero
• Angelina Peláez as Altagracia de Osuna
• Raymundo Capetillo as Dr. Álvaro Luna
• Socorro Bonilla as Norma de Morales
• Sergio Reynoso as Fermín Aguirre
• Justo Martínez as Melesio Osuna
• Rafael Mercadante as Gilberto Morales
• Gilberto de Anda as Joel Morales
• Lorena Enríquez as María Eugenia "Maru" Morales
• Julio Monterde as Father Juan Rosario
• Alejandro Aragón as Hugo Portillo
• Leonor Bonilla as Mirna de Aguirre
• Luis Couturier as Dr. Carlos Portillo
• Teo Tapia as Bishop
• Jorge Poza as Héctor Luna
• Karyme Lozano as Bárbara Luna

Guest stars

• César Évora as Rigoberto Valdés
• Azela Robinson as Francisca Rivero de Valdés
• Nuria Bages as Eloísa Castañeda / Martha Castañeda
• Marga López as Chief Nun

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. "El Manantial". alma-latina.net.
2. (27 September 2001). "Prometen innovar con El manantial".
3. (11 February 2002). "El manantial finalizó con 42,4 de rating en México".
4. Univision.com. (2002). "Un Manantial de éxitos en el 2002".
5. Orizabaenred.com.mx. (2002-10-17). "Premio Bravo".
6. Orizabaenred.com.mx. (February 15, 2002). "Preparan 'Los Heraldos'".
7. esmas.com. (2003-04-07). "¡Arrasa Televisa!".
8. (2003). "Premios INTE 2003". Premios INTE.
9. latinaceawards.org. (2004). "36a ENTREGA ANUAL DE PREMIOS ACE / 2004".