Firebreak Cast & Characters: Mara, Lide, Santi + Full Guide
Inside Firebreak: Meet Mara, Lide & Santi (Cast + Character Guide)
Netflix’s high-tension thriller Firebreak (Spanish title: Cortafuego) drops you into a nightmare scenario: a missing child, a fast-moving wildfire, and a family that can’t agree on what’s true—right when time is running out. This guide breaks down the main cast and characters (especially Mara, Lide, and Santi), explains the family dynamics, and collects the most useful official details in one place.
Watch the official trailer
The trailer frames Firebreak as both a survival thriller and a pressure-cooker mystery—where the flames aren’t the only danger.
If you prefer a shorter preview version, Netflix España also released an additional promo-style clip.
Firebreak quick facts (no spoilers)
- Streaming date: February 20, 2026 (Netflix)
- Director: David Victori
- Main setup: After an argument, Mara’s daughter Lide disappears into the woods. A wildfire forces evacuation, but the family searches anyway.
- Key pressure point: Their last hope is Santi, the local forest ranger—while mistrust grows inside the group.
- Language/title note: The Spanish title used by Netflix is Cortafuego; the English-facing title is Firebreak.
Full cast & characters (at a glance)
| Character | Actor | How they fit into the story |
|---|---|---|
| Mara | Belén Cuesta | A recently widowed mother who refuses to leave without her daughter. |
| Lide | Candela Martínez | Mara’s daughter, who vanishes into the forest after a fight. |
| Santi | Enric Auquer | The local forest ranger—crucial guide, possible suspect, and the story’s biggest question mark. |
| Luis | Joaquín Furriel | Mara’s brother-in-law; part of the family group trapped by the fire and the search. |
| Elena | Diana Gómez | Luis’s wife; another pressure valve in a family already fraying at the edges. |
| Elena & Luis’s son | Mika Arias | Travels with the group; the character name has not been consistently published in Netflix’s public materials. |
One detail worth highlighting: some listings focus on the immediate triangle of tension—Mara (desperate), Lide (missing), and Santi (the only “help” left)—but the family unit (Luis and Elena included) is what turns the search into a moral dilemma instead of a straightforward rescue mission.
Mara (Belén Cuesta): the engine of the story
Mara is the emotional center of Firebreak. She arrives at the forest summer house still raw from her husband’s death—trying to “close” something that can’t be neatly closed. When Lide disappears, Mara’s grief flips into refusal: she will not evacuate, even as authorities suspend the search and the wildfire spreads.
In thrillers like this, the protagonist’s worst fear becomes a decision point. Mara’s choice is simple to understand and impossible to live with: leave and possibly survive, or stay and maybe find Lide—while putting everyone else at risk.
Lide (Candela Martínez): the disappearance that changes the rules
Lide is not just “missing”; she’s the story’s ticking clock. Once she vanishes into the woods after an argument, every scene becomes about narrowing possibilities: Where could she go? Who saw what? What is being hidden? The wildfire turns the forest into a moving trap, cutting off routes and forcing split-second calls.
That’s why Lide matters even when she’s off-screen: the film’s tension comes from how each adult reacts to her absence—especially when those reactions contradict each other.
Santi (Enric Auquer): rescuer, guide… or something else?
Santi is the local forest ranger and the family’s last remaining option once they’re cut off and official help is no longer available. The story leans hard on the unsettling question: if you’re trapped, who do you trust—the people you came with, or the stranger who knows the terrain?
Several film descriptions also hint that suspicion may shift onto Santi as the night escalates, making him the most volatile character in the cast lineup: the one person who can save them could also be the one controlling what they see and where they go.
Firebreak character relationships (simple map)
- Mara = mother of Lide; grieving widow; refuses evacuation.
- Lide = Mara’s daughter; disappears after a conflict, triggering the search.
- Luis = Mara’s brother-in-law; part of the search party.
- Elena = Luis’s wife; part of the search party.
- Elena & Luis’s son = travels with the family into an increasingly dangerous situation.
- Santi = local forest ranger; the family’s “only hope” as trust collapses.
The wildfire forces a classic thriller squeeze: the group has to move together to survive, but emotionally they’re splitting apart—because everyone has a different theory about what happened to Lide.
What Reddit Recommends If You Like This (Spanish Thriller Edition)
If you finish Firebreak and want more Spain-produced crime/suspense stories, Reddit threads are a surprisingly good way to build a next-watch list fast.
[Request] Spanish shows like La Casa de Papel and Vivir sin Permiso
What Reddit Lists About Wildfire Movies (For the “fire” side of Firebreak)
Part of what makes Firebreak hit harder is how wildfire changes the logic of every decision. If you want more films that use wildfire as a central threat, this Reddit compilation is a solid rabbit hole.
I created a collection list of all Movies about Wildfire
Why the title “Firebreak” fits the story
A firebreak is a gap in vegetation meant to slow or stop a wildfire. As a title, it works on two levels: the literal wildfire threat, and the emotional “breaks” the family tries to build to stop panic, blame, and secrets from spreading.
The premise turns that idea inside out: the family tries to create safety by taking control of the search—but every choice they make can also remove another “firebreak” between them and disaster.
FAQ
When does Firebreak release on Netflix?
Firebreak premieres on Netflix on February 20, 2026.
Is Cortafuego the same movie as Firebreak?
Yes. Cortafuego is the Spanish title used by Netflix for the same film released internationally as Firebreak.
Who plays Mara, Lide, and Santi?
Mara is played by Belén Cuesta, Lide is played by Candela Martínez, and Santi is played by Enric Auquer.
Is Firebreak a series or a movie?
Firebreak / Cortafuego is a feature film.