Marie De-La-Fuente: Celebs Rumors

Anna Marie de la Fuente Vying for the top Gold Shell at the 70th San Sebastian Film Festival, Basque native Mikel Gurrea’s debut feature “Suro” stems from Gurrea’s experience working in the cork forests north of Catalonia. He had just finished his studies and was at a loss when his then girlfriend’s parents suggested he work in the forests where they stripped cork from the trees. “I discovered a fascinating world that stayed with me; the work is tough but you’re in the middle of nature,” he said. “It was also a good workout!” he added. “Suro” revolves around a young couple, Helena and Ivan, who decide to leave Barcelona and start anew on the land that Helena has inherited. Ivan takes it upon himself to join the workers and learn how to strip the bark from the cork trees that now belong to them. But their contrasting viewpoints will jeopardize their future as a couple, the film broadening its sweep to examine modern-day capitalism and the rights to private property.

Anna Marie de la Fuente San Sebastian’s pix-in-post showcases, which have launched notable movies – Sebastian Lelio’s “Gloria” – and notable directors – Jayro Bustamante, introducing his debut “Ixcanul” – unspools in 2022, with the screenings of six WIP Latam titles taking place over Sept. 19 – 21. WIP Europe, with four titles, runs on Sept. 19 and 20.  In the mix is an awaited title from Chile, “Penal Cordillera,” directed by Felipe Carmona, produced by Dominga Sotomayor and Omar Zuñiga and sold by Luxbox, and “A Strange Path,” from Brazil’s Guto Parente, whose “The Cannibal Club,” acquired by Uncork’d Entertainment, made a stir by portraying a Brazil in which the rich literally eat the poor. 

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a bid to further extend its Shooting in Spain brand around the world, the Spain Film Commission (SFC) began in 2018 to name prominent figures in the international entertainment biz as honorary ambassadors. Among them are former HBO executive and U.S. ambassador to Spain James Costos; director Terry Gilliam; actors Emily Blunt and Aitana Sánchez- Gijón; NBCUniversal executive Veronica Sullivan; DP Javier Aguirresarobe and Indian location manager Ramji Natarajan. Variety approached three of them to give their take on helping to promote Spain as a key destination for film-TV shoots and assess the challenges that remain. As the U.S. ambassador to Spain from 2013-17, Costos was laser focused on supporting U.S. studios’ efforts to find growth opportunities. However, despite the country’s many advantages, other European destinations offered better incentives and it was often outbid. Notwithstanding, some major productions landed, led by “Game of Thrones” and “The Bourne Identity,” while some U.S. studios began opening outposts in Spain. “During my tenure in Spain I welcomed HBO and Netflix, and others soon followed,” Costos recalls.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Barcelona-based Film Factory Entertainment has picked up world sales rights to “El Otro Hijo,” the feature debut of Colombia’s Juan Sebastián Quebrada. The Evidencia Films production adds to the growing list of Colombian pickups by Film Factory, including last year’s sweeping Premios Platino winner, “Memories of My Father” (“El Olvido que Seremos”) by Fernando Trueba. and Laura Mora’s “Kings of the World,”which competes at the upcoming San Sebastian Film Festival and is part of Toronto’s Industry Select section. “Film Factory is excited to be on board; Colombian cinema is very strong and we are eager to discover new talents from the country. We believe we found one in Juan Sebastián Quebrada,” Film Factory’s Vicente Canales told Variety.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Miami-based international sales agent FiGa Films has swooped on worldwide rights to satirical comedy “Love & Mathematics” by Claudia Sainte-Luce ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival. In February, the busy Sainte-Luce debuted her previous film, “The Realm of God” (“El Reino de Dios”), at the Berlinale. Produced by Christian Kegel of Jaqueca Films, “Love & Mathematics” turns on the ambitions and aspirations of upper-middle-class Mexican society and stars Roberto Quijano, Diana Bovio and Daniela Salinas. Penned by playwright and screenwriter Adriana Pelusi, “Love & Mathematics” marks the first time Sainte-Luce has directed from someone else’s screenplay. This is her fifth feature. Set in the city of Monterrey, Mexico, the wry comedy follows Billy Lozano, who’s suffering from an existential crisis as his glory years in a hit boy band are now past him. In his late 30s and miserable in his marriage, his daily routine consists of taking care of his infant son and tolerating his wife’s annoying lap dog. His life takes a turn when he meets Monica, once an uber fan of the band, who moves in next door. She inspires him to pick up the guitar again and find meaning in life once more.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a bid to support the fast-growing Latin American genre market, an inaugural residency for screenwriters, Residencia Fantástica, will take place in Jalisco, Mexico from Oct. 17 to 21. The first of its kind in Latin America, the genre residency is an initiative of Agavia Studios, Buenos Aires-based industry market Ventana Sur and its genre platform, Blood Window, Cannes’s Marché du Film as well as the Jalisco state film commission, Filma Jalisco. Program aims to help writers of fantasy/horror content to elevate their projects, providing training, advice and reviews. The objective is to generate a meeting space that motivates the exchange of creative, professional and strategic experiences.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In the opening scene of Episode 8, Season 4 of Netflix’s “The Crown,” a young Princess Elizabeth, played by Claire Foy, addresses the British Commonwealth from Capetown, South Africa, on the occasion of her 21st birthday. What follows is a montage of people listening to her radio broadcast speech in different member countries, from India to Australia, to Jamaica and a number of African nations. These scenes were all shot in Spain, encapsulating — in less than three minutes — the great diversity of the country’s locations. Several scenes in Seasons 3, 4 and the upcoming Season 5 of “The Crown” have all been shot in Spain while the sixth and final one, which starts shooting in late August, promises to be the show’s “largest investment in Spain in terms of time,” says independent producer Martin Harrison, one of the key producers behind the award-winning series for Sony backed London-based shingle Left Bank Pictures.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Vying for the Premio Kutxabank at the San Sebastian Film Festival’s New Directors sidebar, “Secaderos” (“Tobacco Barns”), the feature debut of Rocio Mesa, includes a beguiling creature of the woods that was designed and created by the Oscar-winning team behind Guillermo del Toro’s 2007 “Pan’s Labyrinth.” For make-up and special effects whizzes David Martí and Montse Ribé of DDT SFX, it was the script that convinced them to board this small-budgeted film by a novice filmmaker. “Only once in a very long time does a script like this land in your hands; it somewhat reminded us of ‘Pan’s Labyrinth,’” said Martí, who added that they also boarded it as associate producers.

Anna Marie de la Fuente It’s been a banner year for Chile’s audiovisual industry. According to statistics compiled by promotional org CinemaChile, the country’s cinema amassed 45 international awards during the first half of 2022.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In his feature debut, which has just proved the biggest winner at Sanfic Industria’s 2022 Work in Progress strand, Chilean writer-director Alberto Hayden explores what has been almost an obsession with him. Inspired by the musings of South Korean-born philosopher Byung-Chul Han and his French counterpart Deleuze, Hayden questions whether people continue to exist past their physical selves through people’s memories of them, their photos, the possessions they have left behind or in this digital age, their social media imprint. “Una Luz Negra” (“A Dark Light”) is among the 10 Work in Progress (WIP) titles participating at Chilean industry forum, Sanfic Industria.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Breaking Glass Pictures has snagged North American rights to “Blood-Red Ox,” the first genre pic by award-winning Bolivian director-producer Rodrigo Bellott, now playing at the 18th Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) sidebar Visions of the World.“A mind-bending trip into the depths of myth and madness, Bellott has crafted a haunting tale that pays homage to classic horror films while offering commentary on contemporary environmental and social issues,” said Scott Motisko, Breaking Glass VP of acquisitions, business development and sales, who together with Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff negotiated the pact with Ida Martins, CEO of Media Luna.“We have a longstanding business relationship with Breaking Glass Pictures and couldn’t think of a better outlet for “Blood-Red Ox,” said Martins, adding: “They have been doing an excellent job with all Media Luna previous titles, and we are honored to have one more title in their care.” Shot on location in Bolivia and upstate New York, “Blood-Red Ox” centers on Amir, a Lebanese American journalist, and his partner Amat. The two visit Amir’s environmentalist friend in the town of Tarija, which is being harassed by an oil company bent on exploiting the Bolivian rain forest.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In one of the first deals struck at Chilean industry forum Sanfic Industria, local indie producers Matias de Bourguignon and Equeco have boarded the Venezuelan drama “I Will Mutate Like a Jungle Animal” (“Mutaré como animal del monte”), the feature debut of rising Venezuelan talent Hector Silva.Lead produced by Berlin-based Venezuelan producer Rodolfo Cova whose credits include Venice Golden Lion winner “From Afar” and Michel Franco’s Cannes Un Certain Regard winner “Las Hijas de Abril,” “I Will Mutate Like a Jungle Animal” is among the 28 titles in the Sanfic Industria Santiago Lab which supports Ibero-American projects in development.De Bourguignon and Equeco join international co-producers Pomme Hurlante Films (France), Artrupe Films (Brazil) and Abismo Cine (Ecuador) who were also drawn to the feature debut of Silva whose award-winning short films have played in prominent film festivals, including Cannes, Toronto and Tribeca. “Hector’s shorts deeply moved me.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Netflix has reaffirmed its $300 million commitment to Mexican cinema and series, announcing a slew of new movie projects to celebrate the country’s National Day of Cinema on Aug. 15 and as part of its #QueMéxicoSeVea initiative.The year-old initiative, which can be roughly translated to “Let Mexico Be Seen” has the mission “to make visible the work of Mexican creators, screenwriters, writers, directors, actors and people who make national cinema possible,” as well as its wealth of original stories.Leading the pack is the widely anticipated directorial debut of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (“Brokeback Mountain,” “The Irishman”) who is helming an adaptation of Juan Rulfo’s seminal novel, “Pedro Paramo.” Produced by Redrum, the film’s crew includes Oscar-nominated production designer Eugenio Caballero (“Roma,” “Pan’s Labyrinth”) and costume designer Anna Terrazas, whose notable credits include “Roma,” “Spectre” and “Bardo.” “Our commitment to Mexican culture also includes adapting great Mexican works to the cinema, and ‘Pedro Páramo’ will be the first great example of this,” said Francisco Ramos, Netflix VP of Content for Latin America.“The impact of our productions has been very positive so far: We are hyper committed to Mexican cinema,” Ramos added.said Ramos, who asserted that there were no plans to reduce the $300 million-over-three-years pledge.“Mexicans love our content and there is a huge appetite for Mexican cinema in Latin America and in some parts of Europe as well,” he pointed out, adding that they have had the good fortune to be working with some of the biggest players in Mexico, including Redrum, Woo Films, Alebrije Prods.

Anna Marie de la Fuente TelevisaUnivision is adding to the roster of original titles offered on the ViX+ premium streaming service that bowed last month with the goal of serving up more than 70 new programs in its first year of operations.Production is underway on three scripted drama series, “Colapso,” “Isla Brava,” and “Senda Prohibida,” as well as the documentary “Absoluta” offering behind-the-scenes look at the transformation of Spain’s national soccer team known affectionately as La Furia Roja (the Red Fury).“From thrilling mysteries to heartwarming personal stories, these new original productions represent a sample of the breadth of incredible Spanish-language storytelling you can only find on ViX+,” said Rodrigo Mazon, executive VP and general manager of ViX+. Launched July 21 in the U.S.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Latin-focused content powerhouse Exile Content Studio has snagged a majority stake in the Lil’ Heroes NFT Franchise which will soon spawn a toon series with NBA star Carmelo Anthony.He will voice and exec produce the show through his company, Creative7 Productions.The news comes in the wake of Exile’s acquisition in late May by Candle Media, the next generation media company founded by Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs. Said Mayer and Staggs, who serve as co-CEOs: “We are excited to expand Exile’s partnership with Lil’ Heroes, a dynamic new franchise with a deeply engaged community, and a great example of how digitally-native IP can engage audiences through various platforms, products and experiences.” Created by Spanish contemporary artist Edgar Plans, Lil’ Heroes was launched through an NFT collaboration with Exile and NFT studio, Curatible.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Underscoring the Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest’s commitment to fostering young, upcoming talent, its five-year-old Talent Lab (AMTL) for projects in development will be complemented by a new Works in Progress (WIP) section for projects in post.The new WIP aims to give young creators the tools and opportunity to bolster the promotion of their audiovisual projects and secure local and international distribution.On July 27 and July 28 in Mallorca, six projects in post-production will compete for €15,000 ($15,300) at the new WIP. Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest’s industry component is backed by Media Europa Creativa Catalunya and organized in collaboration with the Seville European Film Festival, the Gijón International Film Festival and the Albacete Film Festival (Abycine).

Anna Marie de la Fuente Opening the 26th Fantasia Int’l Film Festival in Montreal on July 14, writer-director KC Carthew’s “Polaris” is her sophomore pic after her multi-award-winning debut feature, “The Sun at Midnight” (2017). A teaser, bowing exclusively in Variety, reveals a dystopian thriller set in a frigid, snow-blanketed wasteland.An expansion of her award-winning short film “Fish out of Water,” which also bowed at Fantasia in 2015, “Polaris” turns on Sumi, a young girl who has been raised by a polar bear.

Anna Marie de la Fuente After 13 years on the road with Spain’s iconic singer-songwriter-poet Joaquin Sabina, “The Good Boss” director Fernando León de Aranoa has finally wrapped his documentary, “Sintiendolo Mucho” (roughly translated to “Deeply Felt”).“This film is a rare privilege that, as a filmmaker, I would like to share with the public: to spend some time alone with Joaquín when he is not Sabina,” said León de Aranoa. “13 years ago, I began to shoot with him, to accompany him on his day-to-day activities, on rehearsals, tours, immersed in his own environment… to portray the artist, his best and worst moments, and his personality, so linked to his work, his creativity,” he remarked, adding: “Most importantly, it has been a lot of fun.” León de Aranoa, who also produced the doc, established a deep rapport with Sabina through the years.The Reposado, BTF Media and Sony Music Spain co-production is the first of its kind on Sabina, who is known to be a very private person.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Underscoring a push into more ambitious productions in Latin America, Star Plus, The Walt Disney Company’s year-old general entertainment and sports streaming service in the region, presented an early banner production, “Santa Evita,” at Conecta Fiction & Entertainment in a gala screening on June 22.Attendees of the Toledo, Spain-based forum got an exclusive preview of the pilot episode to the seven-part limited series, which is set to bow July 26 on Star Plus Latin America, Hulu in the U.S. and Disney’s Star label in the rest of the world.“Santa Evita” anticipates more “true life fiction” shows that Star Plus is developing, based on larger-than-life figures in Latin America’s culture and history.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Ask Jose Velasco, 60, what he thinks about the Conecta Fiction Honorary award he’s receiving on Thursday June 23 and his first response is, “Why?”The self-effacing founder and president of powerhouse content producer iZen Group says he is grateful to those who decided to give it to him, “rightly or not.” “I guess it’s because I’ve been in this business for 35 years and have done everything from fiction to reality to game shows,” he muses, adding: “But if they think this will make me retire, they’re mistaken.”“I guess I am of the generation of people in Spain who were trying the shape the country’s television landscape,” he notes. Indeed, Velasco founded and ran one of the pioneering entertainment giants of Spain, Globomedia.

Anna Marie de la Fuente A survivor of the Baja California accident that claimed the lives of actors Raymundo Garduño Cruz and Juan Francisco González from the Netflix series “The Chosen One” says he doesn’t blame the van driver or the production company. But actor Yeray Albelda says it’s the norm that “people are exhausted” in many productions.The Mexican actors union ANDA also held a remote press conference Tuesday to weigh in on the fatal crash.In an interview with Variety, Albelda, one of the six survivors of the crash, said he was told that a mechanical failure might have caused it. Others, he was told, have speculated that the driver was trying to avoid a pothole or even a deer.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Netflix and Redrum, producers of series “The Chosen One,” have issued statements on the Baja California road accident that killed two of their actors on Thursday. Two other cast members and four crew members were injured, but remain stable and have gone home to recover.Said Netflix: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took the lives of Ray Garduño and Juan Francisco González.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a bid to further expand job opportunities in the animation industry, France’s first free animation school ÉCAS (Ecole Cartoucherie Animation Solidaire) has partnered with French animation producer Frog Box and post-production service provider Titrafilm to create a new course that will train professional actors in the art of dubbing animation projects.News was announced Thursday at the MIFA market at this week’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival where the issues of inclusion, diversity and labor shortages in the sector were discussed in some forums at the festival, particularly at the Women in Animation summit.Founded in 2018 by TeamTO in response to the under-representation and lack of diversity in the animation sector, ÉCAS has trained a new generation of underprivileged talent in 3D character animation and storyboarding (in partnership with Canada’s House of Cool) for the past four years. Said Guillaume Hellouin, president of ÉCAS and TeamTO: “Over the past few years, there has been a general awareness and desire among producers, major platforms and traditional broadcasters to integrate a greater representation of society.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Underscoring the further expansion of its animation division, leading VFX and animation studio DNEG has tapped Erika Burton, its president of VFX Production since October last year, to lead DNEG Animation with Tom Jacomb as co-president.The former DreamWorks Animation and Disney Animation exec will focus on production, resource management, training, and operations while Jacomb will oversee creative, client management and outreach as well as the development of IP and original content.Expressing his delight at welcoming Burton to the DNEG Animation fold, Jacomb said: “We have more exciting projects, more growth and expansion, and more original content and co-productions on the horizon, and Erika will be absolutely instrumental in helping to ensure that we have a rock-solid foundation upon which to continue building.” “I’m also delighted that she will be contributing her compassion, warmth, and experience to the amazing work that our teams are already doing in putting equality, diversity and inclusivity at the heart of everything that we do here at DNEG Animation,” he continued.Said Burton: “I have been fortunate enough to work with some immensely talented VFX and animation teams during the course of my career, and I love both disciplines equally.”“There is something really compelling and challenging about animated filmmaking that keeps drawing me back and this is just a tremendous new opportunity,” she added. “Working with DNEG’s VFX teams over the last year has been a career highlight for me, but when the invitation came to join Tom, David [Prescott, SVP Creative], Crosby [Clyse, Head of Production] and all of the other talented folks on the animation side of our business, it was one that I could

Anna Marie de la Fuente HBO Max Latin America has unveiled a new take on the Dark Knight in the upcoming animation feature “Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios” (“Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires”) in the first ever collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation, Particular Crowd, Mexico’s Anima and “Book of Life” producer Chatrone.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” described by Variety as “a fizzy, delirious, impishly energized, compulsively watchable 2-hour-and-39-minute fever dream,” is set to open the 37th Guadalajara Int’l Film Festival (FICG) on June 10.The biopic starring Austin Butler as Elvis opposite Tom Hanks as his controversial manager, received a rousing 12-minute standing ovation at Cannes, the longest at this year’s edition.The Festival closes June 18 with Mexico’s own musical icons, Los Tigres del Norte, in the documentary “Los Tigres del Norte: Historias que contar,” by Carlos Pérez Osorio (“Las Cronicas del Taco”), with its band members descending on Guadalajara to present it. The documentary debuts on Prime Video the day before but it’s all about bringing back the in-person theatrical experience, said festival director Estrella Araiza.FICG has managed to push through the pandemic and the current government’s indifference to culture and subsequent budget cuts.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Ran Tal’s moving documentary “1341 Frames of Love and War” has won three key awards at DocAviv and been sold to seven territories by sales company Reservoir Docs.Tal took home the best director prize while Nilli Feller snagged the editor award. In addition, the doc won the Kedar Foundation Award for a film inspired by Israel’s history and society, which includes a $15,000 cash prize.Since its world premiere at the Berlinale Special sidebar of the Berlin Film Festival, Reservoir Docs, which handles world sales excluding North America, Israel, Greece and Portugal, has sold the doc to several territories, including Non Stop (Nordic), Tanweer Films (Greece) and Nos Lusomundo Audiovisuais (Portugal).

Anna Marie de la Fuente Miami-based BTF Media and Loz Dos Studios, a Latinx production studio, are jumping on the Marilyn Monroe bandwagon, with a still untitled biopic in the works that promises an untold look at the iconic movie star’s Latina heritage and one of her final trips to Mexico. Details of the script are drawn from released FBI documents, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.The upcoming project will be another addition to the pantheon of film and TV projects that have proliferated through the years since Monroe’s untimely death in 1962, with the latest being Netflix docu “The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes” and the upcoming NC-17-rated drama “Blonde,” starring Ana de Armas, that is slated for release this year on the giant streamer.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Chef Mauro Colagreco of the three-Michelin star restaurant Mirazur will be attending the June 13 North American premiere of the documentary “Reinventing Mirazur” at the Tribeca Film Festival.  In a clip released ahead of its premiere in Variety, Colagreco explains the new philosophy behind the restaurant’s menus, borne out of the pandemic.As described, the doc takes “a deep dive into the life of Chef Mauro, who finds himself changing everything about his flagship restaurant after the COVID-19 pandemic halted his worldwide rise to prominence.”Forced to go into hiatus not long after his Menton, France-based restaurant was awarded the coveted three Michelin stars and the No.1 spot in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2019, Colagreco spent more time in his estate’s vast vegetable and flower garden and came up with the idea to introduce menus pegged to the cycles of the moon. Since he sourced all the restaurant’s fresh produce from his garden, where planting and harvesting were timed according to the moon’s cycles, the menus would undergo a radical change.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Iberseries & Platino Industria, a key international Ibero-American film-TV event which kicked off last year in Madrid, has announced new collaborations with Ventana Sur and the San Sebastian Film Festival for its second edition, slated for September 27-30.The announcement was staged at the Marché stand of Argentine film-TV agency INCAA, a co-organizer of Ventana Sur along with Cannes Marché du Film-Cannes Festival. It detailed new plans for the annual event to include hosting the Co-Production Forum-Platino Industria with San Sebastian and the Series Co-Production Forum with Ventana Sur, Latin America’s largest film and TV market.The Ibero-American event will once again present an extensive program of conferences and keynotes with experts, pitching sessions for platforms, and a market and networking area.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a historical first, the Cannes Festival and its market, the Marché, hosted the inaugural Venezuela Film Hub (VFH), surprising many international participants by its presence, given the mostly abysmal news coming from the South American country, crippled by the government’s economic mismanagement and U.S. sanctions.Spearheaded and fully financed by The Visionist Advisers, a New York and Paris-based creative agency founded by strategic advisor Valeska Hernandez, VFH brought close to a 100 Venezuelan projects to the Marché in a booth that offered a networking platform for Venezuelan filmmakers as well as a chance to promote the country as a filming location and the sampling of Venezuelan products.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In keeping with a tradition that began in 2005, the Morelia Int’l Film Festival will showcase a selection of shorts at Cannes’ Critics Week.As festival director Daniela Michel explained: “The selection is made by the Critics’ Week team directly. Every year, a member of that team is invited to participate in our Mexican Short Film jury; they make a shortlist of films for the program in Cannes and the programming team narrows it down to four shorts.”The shorts chosen from Morelia’s prior edition underscore the diversity of themes and genres that are currently explored in Mexican cinema, from family ties that bind to black and white animation.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Miami-based sales and distribution company FiGa Films has snagged world sales rights to Bolivian filmmaker Martin Boulocq’s fourth pic, “The Visitor.”Described as a “somber meditation on family relations, class, and the increasing power of evangelism in Latin America,” “The Visitor” world premieres in June at the 2022 Tribeca Festival where it competes in the festival’s international narrative section.One of the prominent talents in Bolivia’s burgeoning filmmaking industry, Martín Boulocq is best known for his feature debut “The Most Beautiful and My Best Years,” hailed by Bolivian critics as one of the twelve most notable films in Bolivian film history.Set in the city of Cochabamba in central Bolivia, “The Visitor” follows Humberto (newcomer Enrique Aráoz), an ex-convict who earns a decent living by singing at wakes. He’s anxious to repair his relationship with his estranged daughter but his in-laws, powerful Evangelical pastors, refuse to give up custody of their sole granddaughter.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Long established as a venue for festivals devoted to music and the performing arts, Brazil’s alpine city of Campos do Jordão has also hosted audiovisual industry events, led by the annual showcase of upcoming releases, the Winter Show. Now on its 13th year, it was paused for two years because of the pandemic.With the launch of FestCampos, new screening venues are being constructed, says Sergio Sá Leitão, São Paulo State Secretary of Culture.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Despite the cuts to federal tax incentives in recent years, Brazil remains a good source of production mechanisms. “The major platforms led by Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video have production service agreements with Brazilian production companies to take advantage of these funding possibilities,” says FestCampos Talks producer-curator Fernanda Martins.Jose Mauricio Fittipaldi, a partner at law firm CQSFV, adds: “It is true that investment has been severely cut in the last couple of years, but the causes are a bit more complex than just [President Jair] Bolsonaro.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Taking place over May 13-22 in Brazil’s highest city, the verdant mountain resort town of Campos do Jordão, more akin to a northern European city thanks to its architecture and pine tree forests, the maiden FestCampos Cultural has launched this year in tandem with the 13th Winter Show, an annual Brazilian audiovisual industry event not unlike CinemaCon where exhibitors and distributors tout the latest releases.The free activities include screenings of current releases, video projections and panels.A key component of FestCampos is a series of 18 online interviews, FestCampos Talks, kicking off on May 21, comprising conversations with prominent international film and TV industry players who will expound on the practices and trends in content production and distribution.