Netflix's 'Las Muertas' Graded with DaVinci Resolve

The Mexican novel adaptation brings suspense and thrills with a dark and rich aesthetic.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:07am

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Based on the 1977 novel by Mexican writer and playwright Jorge Ibargüengoitia, 'Las Muertas' tells the true story of the Baladro sisters, based on the González Valenzuela sisters who built a brothel empire and became merciless killers in 1960s Mexico. Adapted into a six episode limited series, Netflix's critically acclaimed 'Las Muertas' was directed by Luis Estrada, with Alberto Anaya Adalid serving as DP and Sandra Klass as colorist.

Why it matters

The series brings a dark and rich aesthetic to the true crime story, with a focus on amber and monochromatic tones that evoke classic films. The collaboration between the director, cinematographer, and colorist was crucial in defining the visual style and achieving Estrada's specific vision.

The details

Estrada and Anaya Adalid worked closely with Klass to develop a custom LUT that combined Tiffen filters like tobacco, antique, green and yellow to create the desired amber tone. They also referenced classic films like 'No Country for Old Men' and 'The Grapes of Wrath' to inform the overall look. Klass used Resolve's tools to adjust skin tones, add blueish tones in the shadows, and create an organic film-like quality.

  • The six-episode limited series 'Las Muertas' premiered on Netflix in January 2026.

The players

Luis Estrada

The director of 'Las Muertas' who had a very specific vision for the visual style of the series, with a focus on amber and monochromatic tones.

Alberto Anaya Adalid

The director of photography who worked closely with Estrada and colorist Sandra Klass to achieve the desired aesthetic for 'Las Muertas'.

Sandra Klass

The colorist who used DaVinci Resolve Studio to grade 'Las Muertas' and collaborate with Estrada and Anaya Adalid on the series' dark and rich visual style.

Mike Aguilar

The DIT who worked with Anaya Adalid and Klass to develop the custom LUT for 'Las Muertas'.

Jorge Ibargüengoitia

The Mexican writer and playwright whose 1977 novel 'Las Muertas' was adapted into the Netflix limited series.

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What they’re saying

“Estrada loves the color amber in his projects, so we tried to emulate that tone to create a LUT, along with DIT Mike Aguilar, for 'Las Muertas' by combining several optical Tiffen Filters, like tobacco, antique, green and yellow, to find the most suitable combination and then replicate that on DaVinci Resolve Studio from a clean image.”

— Alberto Anaya Adalid, Cinematographer

“Anaya Adalid was very clear about the aesthetic Estrada wanted from the beginning. He showed me countless references, including his previous films, and we had lengthy discussions about what worked lookwise under these references.”

— Sandra Klass, Colorist

“Adding blueish tones in the blacks creates a look emulating film and makes a frame look and feel more organic. I used a telecine technique to get colors like the blues and greens popping out in a frame that has a tobacco color wash over everything.”

— Sandra Klass, Colorist

What’s next

The six-episode limited series 'Las Muertas' is now streaming on Netflix.

The takeaway

The collaboration between the director, cinematographer, and colorist on 'Las Muertas' resulted in a visually striking adaptation that blends classic film aesthetics with a modern true crime narrative, showcasing the power of DaVinci Resolve in achieving a director's specific creative vision.