Chiquititas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chiquititas
Genre	Soap opera
Created by	Cris Morena
Written by	Gustavo Barrios Patricia Maldonado Delia Maunas María José Campoamor María Teresa Forero Inmaculada Ruiz Santana
Directed by	Claudio Ferrari Martín Mariani Hernan Abrahamsohn Carlos Olivieri
Opening theme	"Rechufas" (season 1) "Chufa Cha" (season 2) "Chufachon" (season 3) "Dame Una Ch" (season 4) "Siempre Chiquititas" (season 5) "Chiquititas 2000" (season 6) "Chiquititas Baila Así" (season 7)
Country of origin	Argentina
Original language(s)	Spanish
No. of seasons	8 (total) 4 (Original series) 3 (New series) 1 (Reboot series)
No. of episodes	1186 (total) 155 (seasons 1) 206 (seasons 2) 175 (seasons 3) 153 (seasons 4) 173 (seasons 5) 144 (seasons 6) 10 (seasons 7) 170 (season 8)
Production
Running time	45 minutes
Release
Original network	Telefe
Original release	August 7, 1995 (1995-08-07) – December 8, 2006 (2006-12-08)
Chronology
Related shows	Chiquititas, la historia (2001) Chiquititas: Rincón de luz (2001 feature film) Rincón de luz (2003) Chiquititas Sin Fin Chiquititas Brasil Chiquititas (2013 Brazilian version)

Chiquititas (which means "Little Girls" or "Tiny Angels") is a fun Argentine musical TV show for children. It was created by Cris Morena. The show starred Cris Morena's daughter, Romina Yan, and Agustina Cherri.

The story is about a group of orphans who live in a special house called Rincón de Luz. Their lives change when Belén, a kind young woman, comes to live with them. The show explores their journey as they grow up. They learn about first love, friendship, sadness, and how to become a family together. In the fifth season, the show got a fresh start with new characters and a new story. Chiquititas is also famous for its many songs and music videos.

Chiquititas inspired two other TV shows. One was Rincón de Luz, which aired in 2003. The other was Chiquititas Sin Fin in 2006. Sin Fin was made to celebrate the show's 11th birthday. It even had versions in Portugal and Romania. A video game based on Sin Fin was released for PS2 and Wii in 2009.

Chiquititas was shown in 25 countries. It was also remade for Brazilian and Mexican audiences. The original show ran from 1995 to 2001. In 2001, a movie called Chiquititas: Rincón de Luz was also released.

The Story of Chiquititas

Chiquititas tells a big story over several seasons. It's all about friendship, family, and never giving up on your dreams.

Season One: The Start of Rincón de Luz (1995)

The story begins with a girl named Mili. Her grandfather, Ramiro Morán, took her away from her mother, Gabriela, when she was a baby. He told Gabriela that her baby had passed away. Mili was sent to an orphanage called "Rincón de Luz." Mili grew up there with eight other girls. They became like a family, led by Mili, who was the oldest.

The girls were looked after by Ernestina, the strict janitor, and Saverio, the kind cook. Their lives changed when a sweet young woman named Belén arrived. Belén met Ramiro's son, Martín, and they fell in love. Ramiro did not like this because Belén was from a different social class. Belén and Martín helped Mili try to find her real family.

Gabriela, Mili's mother, was very sad because she believed her baby was gone. Mili helped Gabriela feel better, not knowing they were mother and daughter. Ramiro's sister, Carmen, also wanted his money. She tried to take over the orphanage. Ramiro later passed away in an accident. Belén then met a new person, Doctor Facundo Brausen.

Season Two: New Friends and Challenges (1996)

Carmen became the orphanage administrator again. Belén and Facundo fell in love. Two boys, Roña and Corcho, joined the orphanage. Carmen did not want boys there, but the court allowed them to stay. More children, like Mosca and Guille, also arrived. Belén became the administrator and a mother to Sol after Sol's mother passed away.

Clarita became a dance teacher for the girls. Some children were adopted, and new kids like Tamara and Mecha joined the Rincón de Luz family.

Season Three: The Magic Mansion (1997)

Carmen managed to close the orphanage. But Belén and the kids got help from a man named Pedro Vega. He gave them his old mansion. This huge house was full of secret passages and even had a mysterious woman named Elena and her granddaughter Lucia living there. Belén showed the children the Magic Window, where they could see their dreams.

The kids made the mansion their own. Lucia became part of their family, even though Elena tried to stop it. They also met new neighbors and experienced first loves. Facundo moved closer to be with Belén and the orphans. More children, like Mora and Nico, joined the group.

However, Facundo's ex-wife, Andrea, and a man named Alejo Méndez Ayala, who wanted Sol back, caused problems. Meanwhile, Carmen tried to keep Gabriela and Mili from finding out they were mother and daughter.

Mili, who was blind, went to live with Gabriela. Carmen tried to trick Gabriela into believing another girl was her daughter. But Belén found out the truth. On Mothers Day, Belén told everyone that Mili was the reason the orphanage started. Mili was so happy to find her family, but Carmen tried to take her away. In the end, Gabriela found Mili, and Carmen was arrested. Mili said goodbye to her friends and left with her mother. Belén and the orphans then went on a trip to Walt Disney World.

Season Four: New Beginnings and Difficult Choices (1998)

Belén and the orphans had a party, but it was ruined by someone unknown. Six new orphans joined the group. Patricio was a difficult boy, but Belén helped him. Martina was ambitious and caused some jealousy. Belén met Manuel, who seemed to be Alejo's kind twin brother. Manuel helped Belén and the orphans.

Jimena found her mother, but sadly, her mother passed away during an adventure. Jimena got lost in the jungle but used her memories and Belén's messages of hope to survive. She befriended a monkey and met Yago, a boy who knew the jungle well. Jimena brought Yago back to the manor. Elena returned, now rich, wanting revenge.

Manuel asked Belén to marry him, and she said yes. At the wedding, Belén told the orphans she and Manuel planned to adopt them all. But that night, Belén found out Manuel and Alejo were the same person. Heartbroken, she ran away. Alejo was hit by a car and badly hurt. Belén still cared for him.

Belén lost her job as administrator. A new, strict administrator named Martirio took over. Martirio was cruel to the children. Belén and Alejo fought in court to get the children back. They won, and Belén adopted all the orphans. Belén gave them the Book of Life, where she wrote about their futures.

Season Five: A Fresh Start (1999)

This season was a fresh start for the show. Maria, a little girl living on the streets, found the Book of Life. She believed it would lead her and her friends to a new home. They found a big barn with an old man named Joaquín. He welcomed them, and they eased his loneliness.

Nearby was a mansion where Joaquín's son, Juan Maza, lived with his seven children. They were sad after losing their mother. A distant cousin, Candela, and her brothers came to live with them. Juan was engaged to Pía Pacheco, an ambitious woman. But at their wedding, Ana, a sweet woman, arrived by balloon. Juan fell in love with Ana.

Ana, who could see an angel named Anita, noticed Juan's children were sad. She began to change their lives. The barn became a legal orphanage. The orphans and Maza children became friends. Pía tried to separate Ana and Juan and sent some orphans to a harsh child prison. Ana and Juan got married. Pía then hired people to get rid of the children. Mariano and Candela tried to escape with the kids in Ana's balloon, but only they managed to fly away. The other children were sent to the child prison. Maria used the Book of Life to help them. Pía sadly passed away in a fire she started. Maria had a vision and realized it was time to find the original Rincón de Luz.

Season Six: Back to the Manor (2000)

Ana and Juan had passed away, and the granary was gone. The children escaped the child prison. They were sad and homeless. Juanita was so traumatized she couldn't speak. Maria decided it was time to find the Rincón de Luz manor from her Book of Life. Following a magic shooting star, they found the old, scary-looking house. Inside, it was full of toys and dolls.

The Magic Window in the attic showed them a spiritual Belén, who welcomed them home. She told them to keep dreaming and have faith. The kids learned the house was sold to a mysterious man named Rafael Sander. He had been in an accident and lived hidden in the manor. His only friend was Enzo, the valet. Sander slowly allowed the children to stay. He hoped one of them might be his lost son. Juanita became his friend. Paula, Sander's deceased wife's twin sister, arrived, wanting the manor and still loving Sander.

A brave young woman named Luz arrived. Maria immediately felt Luz was like a mother to them. Sander secretly fell in love with Luz. Luz wanted to help Sander heal. The younger girls found a library where fairytales came alive. The manor also had a magical world with elves, where Maria befriended a tiny elf named Tok.

Season Seven: The Manor's Magic Lives On (2001)

Luz, Sander, and Juanita went to find Sander's lost son. The orphans were left with Enzo. But the court hired a strict woman named Lidia to run the house. She made their lives difficult. Camila and Luisana worried because Felipe and Bautista hadn't returned from a trip. They had been kidnapped but escaped, and Bautista lost his memory. A kind girl named Miki rescued them.

A young woman moved to the neighborhood. It was Mili, the original chiquitita! She came back to help the orphans, remembering Belén's lessons. Mili pretended to be a strict janitor named Greta to trick Lidia. She got help from Enzo, his brother Renzo, and Ramiro, the bar owner. Mili revealed herself to the kids, and Maria believed her. Lidia tried to send the kids back to the child prison. She tied up Ramiro and Mili. Ramiro escaped and freed Mili. Bautista got his memory back while saving Luisana.

Lidia was arrested, but she had planted explosives in the manor. Ramiro rushed to evacuate everyone. Tali realized Agustín was missing, and Mili went back to save him. As they ran out, the manor exploded. Lidia was happy, but Mili told her that their home would always exist if the chiquititas stayed together. A bright light appeared, revealing Belén. She said Rincón de Luz would always exist as long as children kept their dreams and love existed. The manor magically rebuilt itself. The original orphans, like Jime, Corcho, and Georgi, reappeared.

Maria passed the Book of Life to other orphans. With her new family, Mili and Ramiro, she ended the story. She told everyone to never give up on their dreams. If they ever felt lost, they should look into their hearts, where their inner chiquitita would always be, giving them care.

How Chiquititas Was Made

The show first aired on August 7, 1995. It took over the time slot of another show called Jugate Conmigo. Some actors from Jugate Conmigo, like Luciano Castro and Romina Yan, were in the first season of Chiquititas. At first, the show was like a traditional soap opera, with adults and kids sharing the screen. But over time, the young characters became more important. Fantasy elements were also added to the story.

Agustina Cherri was chosen to play Mili, one of the main orphans. Romina Yan auditioned and got the role of Belén Fraga. Chiquititas was one of the first shows to use a "serialized" format. This means each season told a complete story, which was new for soap operas.

Romina Yan left the show in 1998. The story then had a fresh start in 1999 with new characters and a new setting. Some young actors from earlier seasons, like Guillermo Santa Cruz and Camila Bordonaba, stayed but played different roles. This sometimes confused viewers. In 2000, the show returned to the Rincón de Luz manor and ended in 2001.

Each season of Chiquititas had its own soundtrack album. There were also three extra albums. All the songs were written by Carlos Nilson and Cris Morena. Many actors from Chiquititas, like Felipe Colombo, Luisana Lopilato, Camila Bordonaba, and Benjamín Rojas, later starred in another popular Argentine show called Rebelde Way.

Live Stage Shows

From the second year onwards, Chiquititas also had amazing live stage shows. These were held every year at the Teatro Gran Rex theatre. Cris Morena wrote and directed them. The show in its fourth year sold the most tickets ever at that theatre! Between 1996 and 2000, over a million people in Argentina watched the Chiquititas live shows.

Why the Show Ended

Chiquititas ended because of disagreements between Cris Morena and the new head of Telefe, the TV channel. In the last season, the show aired only once a week on Sundays. A show called Chiquititas: la historia, which looked back at past seasons, took its place during the weekdays. Cris Morena then moved to another channel and created Rincón de Luz, a new show with a similar idea. She had to use a different name because Telefe owned the Chiquititas title.

Chiquititas Sin Fin

Chiquititas Sin Fin, also known as Chiquititas 2006, is an Argentine TV show from 2006. Cris Morena created it to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the original Chiquititas. This show was aired on Disney Channel in some South American countries, Mexico, Greece, and Spain. It was also shown in Brazil. Sin Fin was adapted in Portugal and Romania. It was also the basis for the Wii game Chiquititas: The Magical Journey. There were also live stage shows for Sin Fin.

The story is about a young woman looking for her lost son. She believes he is in an orphanage. She goes there pretending to be a funny and magical nanny named Lili. She becomes like a mother to the orphans and changes their lives.

The Story of Chiquititas Sin Fin

Magali Garcia is a businesswoman who had a baby in the past. Her father sent the baby to an orphanage and told Magali the baby had passed away. Later, Magali learned the truth and started looking for her son. She believed he was at an orphanage called Modelo Dumont. She went there as Lili, a kind and funny woman.

Lili became a mother figure to the orphans. She met Terezinha, a housekeeper the kids called an "evil witch." She also met the orphanage owners, Julieta and Pierre Dummont, who were greedy. Kili, the handsome chef, and Lili fell in love. The orphans in this show included teenagers Miki, Guta, and Mosquito, and younger kids like Luana and Anita.

Chiquititas: The Magical Journey Game

Chiquititas: The Magical Journey is a fantasy-action game from 2009. It is based on Chiquititas Sin Fin. You can play as Lily or Kili from the 2006 show. You explore different levels and fight enemies. It was made for PS2 and Wii.

Rincón de Luz

Rincón de Luz is a TV show from 2003. Cris Morena created it for an Argentine channel called Canal 9. This show had a similar idea and some of the same actors as Chiquititas. However, Cris Morena could not use the original title because of legal reasons.

The show starred singer Soledad Pastorutti and Guido Kaczka (who played Piojo in the first Chiquititas seasons). It was not as popular in Argentina as the first Chiquititas. But it was very successful in Israel. The cast even visited Tel Aviv for concerts.

Cris Morena said that even without the Chiquititas title, she would keep making shows with its spirit. This was because Telefe owned the rights to the name, not her.

Images for kids

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  Season One cast, in 1995: Natalia Lobo, Gabriel Corrado, Romina Yan and the chiquititas.

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  Romina Yan and the young cast of Chiquititas, in Season Four.

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  The granary orphans in the fifth season, where the storyline was rebooted. Camila Bordonaba, Benjamin Rojas, Nadia Di Cello, Sebastián Francini and Santiago Stieben, remained in the cast, portraying new roles.

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  The Chiquititas 2000 (Season Six) main cast. This season was aired in Brazil seven years later as a single story, by SBT.

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  Poster for Chiquititas Sin Fin starring Jorgelina Aruzzi.

See also

In Spanish: Chiquititas (telenovela argentina) para niños