International Disruptors: Enrique Costa & Maria Zamora Talk First Year Of Their Spanish Indie Elastica Films & Why “Cinema Is Here To Stay”

EXCLUSIVE: Cannes Directors’ Fortnight documentary De Humani Corporis Fabrica has sold to U.S. (Grasshopper Film and Gratitude), Australia & New Zealand (Madman) and Spain (Vitrine Filmes) for Paris-based sales firm Les Films Du Losange.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentPablo and Juan de Dios Larrain’s Chile-headquartered Fabula (“Spencer,” “A Fantastic Woman”) and Fremantle have tapped Argentina’s Eduardo Sacheri, co-writer of the Oscar-winning “The Secret in Their Eyes,” to write “Santa María,” an eight-part high-end series.Part of global producer-distributor Fremantle’s multi-year first look deal with Fabula, Fremantle will co-produce “Santa María” and handle its international distribution.Now in development, “Santa María” is set to be presented at this month’s Conecta Fiction & Entertainment in its highly select High-End section of five projects, weighing in as one of Conecta Fiction’s 31 titles which is sure to fire up most interest at the TV forum. An expansion of narrative reach for Fabula in line with its Prime Video series “El Presidente,” “Santa Maria” will be produced out of Fabula’s Mexico production beachhead.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Jurassic World: Dominion” kicked off at the international box office with a mighty $55.4 million.The sixth installment in Universal’s dinosaur-centric franchise opened in 15 major overseas markets over the weekend, playing on roughly 10,000 screens across Mexico, Korea, Brazil, Italy and more.“Jurassic World: Dominion” had the biggest start in Mexico with $18 million, followed by Korea with $15 million, Brazil with $4.3 million and Italy with $3.4 million. The film will continue its international rollout throughout June in France, Germany, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, China and Japan.“Dominion” is widely expected to be one of the biggest films of the summer when it opens in U.S.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Jurassic World Dominion” kicked off at the international box office with a mighty $55.4 million.The sixth installment in Universal’s dinosaur-centric franchise opened in 15 major overseas markets over the weekend, including Mexico, Korea, Brazil and Italy.“Jurassic World: Dominion” had the biggest start in Mexico with $18 million, followed by Korea with $15 million, Brazil with $4.3 million and Italy with $3.4 million. The film will continue its international rollout throughout June in France, Germany, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, China and Japan.“Dominion” is widely expected to be one of the biggest films of the summer when it opens in U.S.

Manori Ravindran International EditorCannes sensation “EO,” which tells the story of a donkey’s life, has been acquired for North America by Sideshow and Janus Films. The film is the latest collaboration for the U.S.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAs genre makes much of the running in sales at this year’s Cannes Film Market, Filmax, traditionally one of its biggest vendors, has swooped on “32 Gats,” the next feature from Hèctor Hernandez Vicens who broke out with the 2015 SXSW premiere, “The Corpse of Anna Fritz.”Filmax will handle distribution in Spain as well as sell international rights.Produced by Carles Torras at Zabriskie Films, ”32 Gats,” writer-director Hernández Vicens’ fourth feature, turns on a couple, Ana, 36, and Salva, 49, who move into a house in the country where there’s space for the 32 cats that Ana has adopted in the last years.Ana is two-months pregnant. The couple begins to rehabilitate the house for the baby’s birth, but Ana begins to sense a presence in the house, and she isn’t the only one, it seems.

Emilio Mayorga Pedro Almodóvar has put his considerable weight behind Spaniard Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s first feature,”Lullaby” (“Cinco Lobitos”) as it has initiated a spirited run at Spain’s box office.“It is undoubtedly the best debut in Spanish cinema for years,” Almodóvar announced in a statement, describing the mother-daughter relationship drama as “a portrait of the role of women within the family, which is truthful, devoid of sentimentality and that does not exclude humor.”“Life could offer another destiny for women other than caring for the whole family. [The film offers] very accurate interpretations, where Laia Costa stands out and I suppose will sweep all this year’s awards.

Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick is soaring in its overseas debuts, clocking $33M from 47 markets at the international box office through Thursday. The Tom Cruise-starrer officially launched on Wednesday offshore, following paid previews in some hubs, and adds another 15 markets today, bringing the total to 62 in what is the studio’s widest release ever internationally on nearly 24,000 screens.

Emiliano De Pablos Spanish thesp Luis Tosar (“Miami Vice,” “Way Down”) has joined the cast of sci-fi comedy “Golem,” produced by Spain’s top indie house Aquí y Allí Films.Directed by Juan González and Fernando Martínez (a.k.a. Burnin’ Percebes), the project toplines Brays Efe, star of Netflix hit series “Paquita Salas,” Goya Award winner Bruna Cusí (“Summer 1993”) and Javier Botet (“It,” “Amigo”).Aquí y Allí Films’ Pedro Hernández and Elamedia’s Roberto Butragueño produce the film, scheduled to roll in Madrid from August.Elamedia will distribute in Spain.Aquí y Allí is one of the five Spanish companies selected by Spain’s trade promotion board ICEX and the ICAA film institute to pitch their production slates at Cannes’ Producers Network.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent“The Three Musketeers,” Pathé Films’s $75-million two-part adventure epic saga based on Alexandre Dumas’s masterpiece, has been bought in major international territories rolling off a busy Cannes market. Pathé unveiled a sprawling 15-minute promoreel for both “The Three Musketeers” – D’Artagnan” and “The Three Musketeers – Milady” at Cannes Marché du Film. Both movies are directed by Martin Bourboulon and boast a star-studded cast, including Vincent Cassel, Eva Green, Vicky Krieps, Romain Duris, Pio Marmaï, François Civil, Lyna Khoudri and Louis Garrel.

Mura Masa has released a brand new track, ‘blessing me’, featuring Pa Salieu and Skilliben – check it out below.The song comes alongside news of the musician/producer’s third album, ‘demon time’, which is set to be released on September 16 via Polydor Records and follows 2020’s ‘R.Y.C.’. The LP will also feature previously released tracks ‘2gether’ and ‘bbycakes’ (with Lil Uzi Vert, PinkPantheress and Shygirl).Originally titled ‘Fun’, ‘demon time’ signals a deeper period of reflection for Masa (real name Alexander Crossan), who penned the album during lockdown, after his European tour was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.Identifying the pain and anguish caused by the pandemic, the musician predicted people would need “vicarious, escapist music now.

Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media has acquired its latest company, Spanish-language content powerhouse Exile Content Studio.

Tom Hollander Starring In Billie August Post-WWII Drama ‘Me, You’

During his lengthy career as an agent, David Unger saw there was a future in representing actors from the growing international marketplace. That’s what led to the creation of the Artist International Group in 2019.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentLola Arabia and Dubai’s Charisma Group are readying Agustí Villaronga’s “Arabian Aroma” and Pau Miró’s “Lost Symphony,” the first two titles in a 12-pic production alliance unveiled during the Berlin. FestivalBoth movies are in pre-production, budgeted around $6 million and feature women “who passionately set themselves on a mission,” the partners announced.

Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP) is set to remake Ariel Winograd’s Argentinian comedy Mama Se Fue De Viaje (Ten Days Without Mom) in Turkey and South Korea.

Emilio Mayorga 10 exciting Spanish directors to track in 2022:GABRIEL AZORÍN“I’m interested in films that move from intimacy to mystery exploring language without being solemn,” says shorts director Azorín (“Greyhounds”). Backed by Spain’s Dvein Films and Filmika Galaika, “Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes,” his long-awaited first feature and a friendship tale straddling Roman and modern times, proved  a buzz title at Locarno’s 2021 Match Me forum.VERÓNICA ECHEGUILaunched as an actor by Bigas Luna in “My Name is La Juani,” the “Trust” and “Fortitude” thesp’s surprising first short “She Wolf Totem” earned her a director Goya.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentIn February, Carla Simon’s “Alcarràs” walked off with Spain’s first Berlin Golden Bear in nearly 40 years as Spain notched up its biggest main competition presence at the Berlinale since 1997.This May, Spain has four movies selected for Cannes – Albert Serra’s Competition entry “Pacifiction”; Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “The Beasts,” in Premiere; Elena López Riera’s Directors’ Fortnight bow “The Water”; and José Luis López Linares’ “Goya, Carrière and the Ghost of Buñuel,” a Cannes Classics doc feature. That reps a Cannes presence roughly on par with recent standout years such as 2018 and 2019.With Netflix launching “Through My Window” in February, three of the streaming giant’s five most-watched non-English language movies are from Spain.