John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent BUENOS AIRES — In one of the first deals to close at this week’s Ventana Sur market, Spain’s Latido Films has boarded “Lo Que Quisimos Ser,” written-directed by Alejandro Agresti, produced by Fernando Sokolowicz at Aleph Media, and Gastón Duprat, who have teamed as producer and co-writer-director on “The Distinguished Citizen,” “The Man Next Door,” and “The Artist.” “Lo Que Quisimos Ser” marks the latest film from Agresti, one of Argentina’s most international talents best known for a Hollywood sojourn which saw him directing Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in “The Lake House” and writing Argentina-set, English-language “No somos animales,” with John Cusack. Of his Argentine film, “Valentín” weighs in as a big-hearted coming of age tale of a cross-eyed and very lonely young kid.
Cannes Head Thierry Fremaux to Deliver Masterclass at Ventana Sur
18.11.2023 - 13:21 / variety.com
John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Co-organized by the Cannes Film Festival and Market and Argentina’s INCAA film-TV agency, late November’s Ventana Sur market looks set to have at least one star: Cannes head Thierry Fremaux himself. Presenting the Cannes Film Week, a extraordinary showcase of 2023 winners led this year by Justine Triet’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall” and bowing on Nov.
27 with Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” Fremaux usually conducts or presents on-stage conversations with Cannes winners, which of course take in a significant part of the greatest filmmakers in the world. In Argentina, a country with a huge film tradition and one of the biggest market shares for national films until economic crisis and the pandemic decimated state funding, visiting auteurs have been treated like rock stars, even such unyielding social realist directors such as the Dardenne brothers.
This year round, however, the limelight will fall on Fremaux himself who will talk about “Cinema (of) Tomorrow.” “After the pandemic, it was said that cinema had died. From then, we’ve shown that cinema didn’t die and, better still, there are sufficient motives to maintain hope,” ran a brief explanation accompanying the announcement of the masterclass, made Friday by Argentina’s INCAA.
Fremaux’s masterclass follows just a few weeks after underwhelming markets at Toronto and the American Film Market where only a small clutch of higher profile movies – such as AGC Studies Toronto duo “Hit Man” and “Woman of the Hour” – managed any significant sales traction at all. That prompted senior sales agents to suggest that the traditional sales model, bulwarked on the strength of ancillary sales to TV in Europe, haS now broken.
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Colombia’s Doc:Co Ventures Into International Sales With ‘Otra Piel’ Pick Up at Ventana Sur (EXCLUSIVE)
Anna Marie de la Fuente Colombian sales and distribution company Doc:Co is venturing into the global sales arena with its first international pick up, Chilean-Colombian co-production “Otra Piel.” The debut feature documentary of Patricia Correa, “Otra Piel” is co-produced by Colombia’s Romeo, 235 Digital and Sonata Films alongside Chile’s Cine Matiz, founded by producer Gabriela Sandoval who co-runs another, more established label, Storyboard Media. The doc revolves around Miguel, who at 38, is not just a taxidermist but also an accomplished hunter.
‘Dying For Sex’: Michelle Williams To Star In FX’s Limited Series From ‘The Dropout’ Creator Liz Meriwether & Director Leslye Headland
Michelle Williams hasn’t been up to much since “The Fabelmans” last year, but that’s about to change. Deadline reports that the actress will star in and produce “Dying For Sex,” an upcoming limited series for FX.
Catch Up With Variety’s Ventana Sur Coverage!
John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent It’s proving a huge and busy Ventana Sur in terms of deal announcements, both sales deals and most especially co-pro pacts across the several hundreds of titles now platformed at Ventana Sur. If you haven’t been able as yet to read the first two Variety Dailies, or haven’t seen them in your inbox, just click on the photos to access Variety’s Ventana Sur Daily One and Two: Variety Ventana Sur Daily One, Monday Nov. 27, 2023 Variety Ventana Sur Daily Two, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 Enjoy!
Ventana Sur’s 2023 Punto Género Lineup: Bittersweet Homecomings Mingle With Unearthed Histories
Holly Jones “Lonely Hearts,” the highly-anticipated third feature from Brazil’s Berlinale-winner Caru Alves de Souza (“My Name Is Baghdad”), named among 10 Next Gen Talents to Track from the country by Variety in February, and a pair of additional homecoming narratives from burgeoning creatives, Uruguayan director Paula Botana’s“The Burned Women” and Dora Gomez’s “Blanca” out of Paraguay, are among the titles selected for Ventana Sur’s 2023 Punto Genero pitching sessions. Histories unearthed and intimate interpersonal relationships are dominant themes in the remaining selections with films like Argentina-Spain co-production “Brücher.
Brazil’s Abortion Dilemma Explored in Ventana Sur’s Pix-in-Post Debut ‘November’
Callum McLennan Milena Times’ debut feature “November” joins two further titles from Brazil as part of Primer Corte and Copia Final, Ventana Sur‘s pix-in-post industry showdown. It participated in various development guises including BrLab – Audiovisual Project Development Laboratory in 2017, and as a finalist for the Cabíria Screenplay Award, also participating in Cabiria Lab 2020. Fully funded at both state and national levels in Brazil, “November” is a testament to the burgeoning film industry in the country.
Spain’s Sideral Boards Ventana Sur-Blood Window Dark Comedy, ‘Capital Variable’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Anna Marie de la Fuente Madrid-based Sideral, a production-distribution-sales label launched by Spain’s Elamedia Estudios early this year, has boarded Uruguayan Ventana Sur-Blood Window project “Capital Variable,” the feature debut of Uruguayan helmer-scribe Marco Caltieri. Elamedia Studios CEO Roberto Butragueño will produce the thriller/dark comedy with Sideral’s Paola Botrán and Uruguay’s Clara Charlo of To Je To serving as executive producers. Sideral will be handling international sales on the project, which was pitched at genre forum Blood Window at Ventana Sur, the preeminent annual film-TV market in Buenos Aires, co-organized by Cannes Festival and Marché du Film and by Argentina’s INCAA film institute.
Cannes Head Thierry Fremaux Stands by Argentina’s Threatened INCAA Agency in Buenos Aires Masterclass
John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent BUENOS AIRES — Delivering a masterclass in Buenos Aires just days after the election victory of far-right libertarian Javier Milei on Nov. 18, Cannes Film Festival head Thierry Frémaux voiced his support for Argentina’s INCAA public sector film-TV agency, which Milei has promised to destroy. Frémaux’s one and brief direct reference to the INCAA – which oversees Argentina’s crucial federal film funding, without which much of Argentine filmmaking would wither – came towards the end of a 90-minute masterclass entitled Cinema (of) Tomorrow.
Former Bravo Reality TV Star And Surgeon Accused Of Rape Gets Plea Deal, Probation – Update
UPDATE, NOV. 28, 2023: Hand surgeon and reality TV star Grant Robicheaux today has taken a plea deal in a Fullerton, Calif. court on non-sex-related charges that leaves him free on probation.
Ventana Sur Leans into IP, launching a New Europe, Latin American Version of Shoot the Book
a few months back. “There’s just tremendous opportunities now as the market’s tightening to find source IP where, you know, there’s an installed audience,” he added.
Ventana Sur SoloSeries: Netflix, Some of Chile’s Finest Producers, & Web Series From Ultra New Talent
Ventana Sur has added this year a big spread from Chile’s TV agency Consejo National de Televisión, which could be a reaction to global platforms pulling out of Chile. In terms of original titles there’s good word on Colombia’s Laura Otálora (“Impermanence”) and Argentina’s Carlos Lascano (“Lina”).
Ventana Sur 2023: A Record Attendance, Brazil’s Surge as a Latam Super Power and Endless Speculation About Fallout From Milei’s Election Victory
John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Jointly organized by Cannes’ Marché du Film with a Thierry Fremaux Cannes Film Week adding star auteur glamor, Ventana Sur turns 15 this week unspooling Nov. 27-Dec.1 at its usual venue of the Universidad Católica Argentina in Buenos Aires’ Puerto Madero, its most modern and most chic of districts.
Full Throttle for São Paulo Film-TV Body Spcine at Ventana Sur
Anna Marie de la Fuente With Brazil under focus at Ventana Sur’s this year, highlighting the work of Spcine, Cinema do Brazil and Projeto Paradiso, São Paulo film-TV commission Spcine has organized a series of panels and other events to signal Brazil’s return to normal after the devastating tenure of Jair Bolsonaro. With President Lula da Silva back in the saddle since his stunning re-election in October 2022, confidence in Brazil as a partner in film and TV investments is awakening large expectation.
Ventana Sur’s Proyecta: César Díaz, Theo Court and Urgent Social Tales Set in Latin America’s Overlooked Regions
“Hyperballad,” Sophia Mocorrea’s “Marriage by Abduction” and Theo Court’s “Three Dark Nights” feature in a 15-title lineup of Ventana Sur’s Proyecta project lineup which is emerging as Ventana’s industry centerpiece as international co-production becomes vital to more ambitious arthouse filmmaking. Organised by Cannes Marché du Film and the San Sebastian Film Festival, Proyecta received 200 submissions this year, up from 170 in 2022.
Baz Luhrman’s ‘Elvis’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ head to Cannes 2022
News has reached us that two big studio movies are on their way to this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Deadline reports that Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis with Tom Hanks and Austin Butler, and Tom Cruise-led Top Gun: Maverick are heading to the Croisette this May.This year’s festival in the south of France will be 100% in-person and runs from 17th-28th May.Elvis explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks).
‘After Lucia’s’ Tessa Ia to Star in ‘Hyperballad,’ A Potential Standout at Ventana Sur’s Proyecta Showcase (EXCLUSIVE)
John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Tessa Ía, who broke out heading “After Lucía,” Michel Franco’s Cannes winning first feature, is set to star in “Hyperballad,” which offers what is proving one of the most potent mixtures in cutting-edge Latin American film: Genre, ambition, and a first-feature young woman director. Directed by Alejandra Villalba García, “Hyperballad” (“Hiperbalada”) is lead produced by Hiperbalada, a production house lead by Villalba Garcñia and pic producer Carlos Paz.
Ventana Sur Highlight ‘Elena,’ Written by Cannes Camera d’Or Winner César Díaz, Boarded by Joachim Lafosse Producer Stenola (EXCLUSIVE)
John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Belgium’s Stenola Productions, behind Joachim Lafosse’s 2022 Cannes Competition player “The Restless” and this year’s San Sebastian’s Golden Shell contender “A Silence,” has boarded “Elena,” written by Cannes Camera d’Or winner César Díaz (“Our Mothers”) and a potential highlight at this month’s Ventana Sur Proyecta forum. Stenola, which looks set to handle part of post-production, joins Norwegian lead producer Staer, founded by Elisa Fernanda Pirir, and Lithuania’s Just a Moment on a film which marks the anticipated feature debut of Dalia Huerta Cano, whose “Flesh That Remembers” won best doc short at Mexico’s Morelia Film Festival and DF Docs.
Ventana Sur: Primer Corte, Copia Final Take in New Titles From Rigoberto Perezcano, José María Cabral, Antonella Sudasassi
Anna Marie de la Fuente Backed by the Cannes Film Market and Argentina’s INCAA film agency, the 15th Ventana Sur and its much anticipated works in progress sections, Primer Corte and Copia Final, unspool over Nov. 27-Dec.
Patrick Mahomes & Lindsey Vonn Join ESPN’s ‘Manningcast’ As Don Cheadle Postpones Appearance
Denver Broncos fan Don Cheadle has to give up his seat on tonight’s Manningcast, but Peyton and Eli have found a couple of high-profile replacements.
Lena Headey Set to Star in Short Film ‘Long Pork’ About Revenge and Abortion (EXCLUSIVE)
K.J. Yossman “Game of Thrones” star Lena Headey has taken the lead in “Long Pork,” a short thriller from Madhouse Films set in a post-Roe v Wade America. Marking the directorial feature debut of Iris Dukatt, “Long Pork” sees Headey play Lily Williams, a chef at a renowned steakhouse whose daughter has died under forced birth laws.