Chile Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Marta Balaga Debuting Chilean director Felipe Gálvez doesn’t shy away from controversy. On the contrary: he actually welcomes it. “I love to be controversial,” he tells Variety in Cannes, where he is introducing blood-soaked Western “The Settlers,” posing some uncomfortable questions about his country’s colonial past.   “If something is controversial, it’s a good sign. It means it’s interesting. I am trying to provoke with my film, because this conversation is far from over.” Set in 1901, “The Settlers” sees three men (Benjamin Westfall, Mark Stanley and Camilo Arancibia) hired by a rich Spanish landowner (Alfredo Castro) to mark out his immense property. One is American, one Scottish, one of Indigenous descent. But what is really expected of them is to get rid of the Indigenous tribes.

Back in 2012, Liam Scholey and Andres Budnik, assistants at WME and Creative Partners Group respectively, met by chance at Laurel Hardware, a vibey bar-restaurant in West Hollywood. Scholey, who grew up in Panama, overheard the Chilean Budnik speaking Spanish, and the two got to talking.

EXCLUSIVE: Avatar Entertainment is in Cannes launching The House on Tifton Lake, a Mexican horror starring Vadhir Derbez (Sense8, The Seventh Day).

Christopher Vourlias A host of emerging talents gathered at Cannes’ Plage des Palmes on May 22 for the latest edition of Focus COPRO’, an event launched in 2018 by the Cannes Court Métrage Rendez-vous Industry program to give a boost to first-time feature directors. Seven up-and-coming filmmakers whose previous shorts have bowed at the Cannes Film Festival and other prestigious fests including Berlin, New Directors New Films and Clermont-Ferrand, gathered under sunny skies on the French Riviera for an informal lunch with a host of industry decision-makers. The event offered a casual setting for the directors to chat about their upcoming feature debuts, seated alongside veteran producers and sales agents, as well as reps from leading co-production markets, labs, residencies, workshops and institutions focused on identifying and nurturing emerging talent.

An English lieutenant, an American cowboy, and a mixed-race Chilean sheepherder venture into the inhospitable limits of the Tierra de Fuego region at the southernmost tip of the South American continent—the ends of the Earth, some might call it. Under the orders of their employer, landowner José Menéndez (the always masterful Alfredo Castro), the trio’s mission is to savagely murder as many Indigenous people as they encounter in their path.  READ MORE: 2023 Cannes Film Festival: 21 Must-See Movies To Watch Set in 1901, “The Settlers” (Los Colonos), a scorching Western on Chile’s blood-soaked national myth, takes aspects from the official text-book history and probes at their conveniently sanitized interpretations of how they shaped the country’s future.

Emiliano De Pablos Santiago-based Clara Films and Colombian sound post house-producer Centauro-Productora LAP are joining forces to co-produce Chilean Ricardo Valenzuela Pinilla’s debut “What Was Left Unsaid,” a social drama with hints of dark comedy.   Produced by Camila Bascuñán at Chilean company Delavida Films, “What Was Left Unsaid” is currently at post-production stage.  The deal completes funding for the film and marks a significant milestone in the journey of bringing Valenzuela Pinilla’s first feature to audiences worldwide.     The story of “What Was Left Unsaid” is set in rural Chile, in the early 2000s, when communications’ modernization started. Margarita, a 43 year-old field sales executive, stands out for her undeniable connection with people in contrast with her 40 year-old sales colleague Cucho.

“Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I told You” (Crown), Williams, 70, reveals this and plenty of other secrets. A singer and songwriter with deep Southern roots — born in the Louisiana city of Lake Charles — her songs tell tales of love, lust and loss, God and the devil. The most jarring stories in the book are about Williams’ mother, Lucille, who suffered from mental illness.She writes of a time when she was 3 and her mother locked her in a closet, because, her father told her, ‘You were being a typical 3-year-old and crying and she couldn’t handle it.’ “When I think about it now, it sounds so horrible.

aespa have announced the Europe, US and Latin America legs of their 2023 ‘SYNK: Hyper Line’ world tour.Today (May 19), aespa revealed that they will be going on a tour of Europe, US and Latin America later this year, as part of their 2023 ‘SYNK: Hyper Line’ world tour. The US leg will kick off in Los Angeles on August 13.Following which, the girl group will plays shows in Dallas, Miami, Chicago and more over the next month, before wrapping things up in New York City on September 5.

Manuel Betancourt Hundreds of fish lie dead on a riverbed. A lone (lonely?) cow ambles around late at night in a forest. A flock of birds fly in discordant unison up above. The arresting images of nature gone awry in Francisca Alegría’s “The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future” are but the first clues that this rural-set Chilean feature has a distinct ecological interest. This hypnotic tale about how hard it can be to heal earthly and familial wounds marks a singular feature debut from the director of 2016 short “And the Whole Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye.” Aptly matching its dizzying and obfuscating title, the film opens with a premise that owes much to Latin America’s most treasured literary genre: magical realism. A young woman, with a motorcycle helmet in tow, emerges from the river where she presumably committed suicide decades ago. She washes ashore only slightly disoriented, caring little for the muddied state she’s in. Audiences, who have been offered an extended view of the verdant landscape around this mystery woman, including of the many fish who will soon be found dead in her wake, have heard a choral song that elucidates (though doesn’t quite clarify) what’s happened: “We’ve lived in agony since she passed away,” the voices sing, “but a drowned woman will come back soaked with life. And like her, we will return one day.” Alegría puts us immediately in a world where spirituality and ecology co-exist, where haunting presences have tangible connections with the physical realm.

EXCLUSIVE: Here at the Cannes Film Festival, Mubi has taken rights in North America, UK, Italy, Latin America, Turkey, India and Benelux to Un Certain Regard movie The Delinquents (Los Delincuentes).

Anna Marie de la Fuente CinemaChile’s newly appointed executive director Ximena Baeza makes her Cannes debut as the promotional org presents its annual catalog at the Marché and a sizeable contingent of 27 Chilean production companies present their titles. Baeza, who was selected after a two-month headhunting process in which more than 160 applicants for the position were interviewed, comes armed with nearly 20 years of experience in the marketing and communications field. She was previously director of marketing and content at Imagen de Chile, a country brand agency. Her experience in the entertainment industry runs deep. She worked at Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) for 15 years, where she was assistant manager of marketing and communications. She also held similar posts at Universal Music Chile, Telefónica CTC Chile and MusimundoChile.

Emiliano De Pablos Top Chilean fiction house Parox, producer of “Invisible Heroes,” has kick-started principal photography on international co-production “Los mil días de Allende” (“Allende, the Thousand Days”), a historical drama mini-series about the last three years in the life of Chilean President Salvador Allende. Alfredo Castro – one of Latin America’s most respected actors and a Pablo Larraín regular, star of films such as “Karnawal” and “El Club” – leads the mini-series cast as Allende; Benjamín Vicuña (“Besieged,” “Locked Up”) plays Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. The four-episode, 55-minute fiction drama shoot is taking place entirely in Chile, lensing from May 15 for two months, under “Besieged” and “Inés of My Soul” director Nicolás Acuña.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Few European arthouse-crossover film sales agents have better weathered the ebb and flow of international market dynamics than Madrid’s Latido Films, which turns 20 in 2023. Proof of that came at April’s Platino Awards, where Latido scored six statuettes, split between an acting double for Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s “Lullaby” and four for Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “The Beasts,” which has already swept Spain’s Goya Awards and scored a French Cesar for foreign film. Scoring €6.8 million ($7.5 million) in Spain, and 327,000 admissions in France, “The Beasts” also rates as one of the top-performing recent Spanish-language movies.

Anna Marie de la Fuente As Chile hosts its third Docs in Progress Showcase at Cannes’ Marché du Film, it brings to the fore one of the richest and most prolific documentary traditions in Latin America, led by such figures as Patricio Guzmán, whose 2019 “The Cordillera of Dreams” won the Cannes Golden Eye, and Maite Alberdi, whose 2020 “The Mole Agent” snagged an Oscar nomination. Spurred by a major jump in co-productions and a modest increase in state funding, more Chilean documentaries are being made — 24 are co-productions to date this year, many driven by women producers, says Paula Ossandon, head of Chiledoc, apublic-private alliance between  the Chilean Documentary Corp. (CCDoc) and ProChile.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The Eternal Memory Chile, U.S. DIRECTOR: Maite Alberdi Alberdi’s follow-up to Oscar- nominated “The Mole Agent” snagged Sundance’s top doc award and a worldwide distribution deal with MTV at Sundance. Co-produced by Fabula, it centers on a loving elderly couple struggling with the man’s fading memory.  The Cardinal (“El Cardenal”) Chile, Argentina, Brazil

Anna Marie de la Fuente Co-productions are increasingly the norm in Chile where state funds remain scant in a market of a mere 19.5 million inhabitants. Its new president’s campaign pledge last year to more than double the state’s contribution to the arts is not quite a reality, with a 16% increase noted so far. On the bright side, there has been an uptick in private funding, with some 50% of a film’s budget covered by private investors. To date, the audiovisual sector has seen a 31.5% increase in state funding this year compared to 2022. Chilean filmmakers are also exploring new genres, straying from traditional dramas. More often than not — as in Maite Alberdi’s Sundance win for 2023’s “The Eternal Memory” — Chilean cinema has triumphed at one major festival or awards event after another.

Callum McLennan Belgium’s Panique! (“Adoration,”), and Chile’s Pájaro have joined Oscar-nominated Vivemant Lundi! (“Flee,” “Mémorable,”) and Spanish collective Terremoto AIE to round out the co-production force behind the animated feature, “Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake.”  Filmax will handle distribution in Spain. KMBO will handle its domestic release in France. The Gallic distributor is on a roll with strong animation box office performances in France for “Amazing Maurice” and current Ukrainian hit “Mavka: The Forest Song,” Spearheading the production is Terremoto AIE, which includes Citoplasmas Stop Motion studio, Cornelius Films, and Bígaro Films, all contributing to the feature. 

EXCLUSIVE: Actors Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror, best known for their martial arts work in John Wick: Chapter 4, have signed on to star in the action pic Diablo from director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza (The Fist of the Condor, Redeemer).

“I always imagined this moment.” Amidst the bodies of dead fish succumbing to pollution caused by deadly chemicals from a nearby factory rises Magdalena. Magdalena (Mía Maestro), long-deceased, brings with her not only the shock of resurrection, but old wounds and a litany of family secrets, setting the stage for “The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future,” the feature-length debut from young Chilean director Francisca Alegría.

Christian Nodal and Cazzu are in the middle of an exciting journey, as they are expecting their first child together. Yesterday was Mother's Day in Mexico, and the Mexican singer made special gesture for his girlfriend. While Cazzu revealed that they live together in Argentina, they are spending time apart while he is on tour.

“I always imagined this moment.” Amidst the bodies of dead fish succumbing to pollution caused by deadly chemicals from a nearby factory rises Magdalena. Magdalena (Mía Maestro), long-deceased, brings with her not only the shock of resurrection, but old wounds and a litany of family secrets, setting the stage for “The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future,” the feature-length debut from young Chilean director Francisca Alegría.

The San Sebastian Film Festival will fete Javier Bardem with its prestigious Donostia Award at its 71st edition, running 22 — 30 September.

Charna Flam International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) and Women in Animation (WIA) have announced the selection of the five delegates of the second edition of the Stories x Women program. Stories x Women’s works to support and provide opportunities for African, Asia-Pacific Islander and Latin American women animators who want to tell their authentic stories. The program is sponsored by the Walt Disney Company, with additional support from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The five are “Superpunk” (Brazil) led by Mirtes Santana and Guilherme Petreca, “Negocio de Brujas” (Chile) led by Paulina Sanhueza Meléndez and Alejandra Jaramillo Fanta, “Nerea” (Dominican Republic) led by Fabiola Contreras Rosso and Arima Léon, “The Golden Pig” (Malaysia) led by Hwei Ling Ow and Kate Goodwin and “Papo Hapo” (Türkiye/Kenya) led by Irmak Atabek Ndungu and Mbithi Masya.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Chile’s preeminent scribe Julio Rojas, whose serial podcast “Case 63” was Spotify’s most popular podcast in Latin America and was adapted into English with Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac starring, is writing his first romcom after the global success of “Case 63.” Titled “Detras de ti” (“I Got Your Back,” working title), the upcoming project is being co-produced by Spain’s EvaFilms and David Naranjo’s Pris & Batty, best known for its hit comedies “8 apellidos vascos,” “8 apellidos catalanes” and “Toc toc.” “Ever since I listened to ‘Case 63,’ I was very keen to work with Julio and bring his work to the big screen,” said Eva Cebrián of EvaFilms, adding: “Julio is an indisputable storyteller who has most understood the audio format, given his deep experience as a screenwriter.”

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens said “I do” all over again.

Prime Video Lines Up ‘One For All’ Series On Belgian Soccer Players

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Italian actor Caterina Murino, best known globally for playing Solange in James Bond movie “Casino Royale,” will be the master of ceremonies at the upcoming Venice Film Festival. Born in Cagliari, Sardegna, Murino made her big screen debut in 2002 in late Chilean writer/director Luis Sepulveda’s political drama “Nowhere” which played well in France. She returned to French film screens in 2004 in “L’Enquete Corse” opposite actors Christian Clavier and Jean Reno. In 2006 Murino gained global visibility as the new 007 Bond Girl alongside Daniel Craig with her role as the shady seductive Solange Dimitrios in “Casino Royale.” 

Brent Lang Executive Editor Sebastián Lelio, the Oscar-winning auteur behind “A Fantastic Woman,” will direct Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones in “Voyagers,” the story of the romantic relationship between astronomer and “Contact” author Carl Sagan and documentary producer and director Ann Druyan. The feature is produced by Ben Browning for FilmNation Entertainment, Lynda Obst, who guided “Contact” to the big screen, and Druyan herself. FilmNation Entertainment is set to launch global sales at the upcoming Cannes Market “Voyagers” unfolds in 1977 as NASA prepared to launch humanity’s first interstellar probes. A team led by Sagan sets out to create a message to accompany them, known as the Golden Record, which included music and images, for possible alien civilizations.  But what starts out as a race-against-the-clock mission blossoms into a love story between Sagan and Druyan. FilmNation Entertianment paired Druyan, who married Sagan in 1981, with screenwriters Lelio and Jessica Goldberg. They then wrote the original screenplay based on interviews with Druyan and many others who worked on the Golden Record project.

May is a big release month, and not just for tent poles as we enter the ever-shifting summer blockbuster season. Kicking it off with another Marvel entry and closing it out with another Disney live-action adaptation, there’s little question of what studios continue to dominate.

On the heels of his recent Tame Impala collaboration, “No More Lies,” Thundercat has announced a summer/fall 2023 tour of North and South America. The North American portion of the tour is scheduled to kick off on August 5 at the Newport Jazz Festival and pick up steam in late September, crisscrossing the continent before its Halloween finale in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 has landed on Disney+, bringing fans a whole new batch of uniquely animated short films, set in a galaxy far, far away.Volume 2 was announced at Star Wars Celebration in May 2022, with the promise of even more unique animation styles than before.Unlike the first volume, which just featured animation from Japanese studios, Volume 2 boasts a broader selection of animation styles from multiple countries around the world.There are nine short films in total, all of which are available to stream on Disney+ now. The shorts range from 14 to 19 minutes long.The animation studios involved in the new series are El Guiri (Spain), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Punkrobot (Chile), Aardman (United Kingdom), Studio Mir (South Korea), Studio La Cachette (France), 88 Pictures (India), D’art Shtajio (Japan), and Triggerfish (South Africa).You can find the short film titles and their descriptions below:1. Sith – A former Sith apprentice finds their peaceful life threatened.2. Screecher’s Reach – A young girl, out on an adventure with her friends, discovers a legendary cave with a dark pull.3. In the Stars – Two sisters, who are the last of their kind, fight for survival when Imperial forces discover them.4. I Am Your Mother – Young Pilot Anni, embarrassed by her clingy mum, must team with her on a madcap academy race.5. Journey to the Dark Head – A hopeful mechanic and disillusioned Jedi team up for an unlikely quest to turn the tide of war.6. The Spy Dancer – The Premier dancer at an Imperial-frequented cabaret is tested when her identity is compromised.7. The Bandits of Golak – Pursued by the Empire, a boy and his force-sensitive younger sister seek refuge at a vibrant dhaba.8. The Pit – A young prisoner, forced to

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Argentina-Chile coproduction “The Punishment,” directed by Matias Bize, was named best feature over the weekend at the close of the Beijing International Film Festival. Mexico’s Lila Avilés won the Tiantan Award for best director for her film “Totem.” Antonia Zegers and Line Renaud shared the best actress award for “The Punishment” and “Driving Madeleine,” respectively. The best actor award went to Xin Baiqing for Chinese movie “The Shadowless Tower.” The film, which premiered in February in Berlin, was the numerical winner. With the best screenplay, music, cinematography and artistic contribution awards, it won a total of five prizes.

“If they find me here, they will torture me:” In September of 1973, the armed forces of Chile, led by U.S.-backed General Augusto Pinochet, staged a coup d’etat that overthrew Salvador Allende, the democratically elected socialist president. Pinochet’s dictatorship would be brutal, as thousands of dissidents were either kidnapped or killed in the years to come.

Alicia Keys’s “Keys to the Summer” world tour is stopping by Latin America. Keys informed her fans on social media, sharing her excitement over getting to perform in some of the continent’s most iconic venues and locations. Alicia Keys teases possible duet with Lady GagaTakeoff’s ‘Celebration of Life’: Alicia Keys and Justin Bieber are expected to take to the stage at the rapper’s funeralAlicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are couple goals while visiting QatarA post shared by Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys)Keys posted a video of herself singing the Spanish version of “If I Ain’t Got You,” one of her most famous songs.

Pedro Pascal proved to be a real RuPaul’s Drag Race fan. The Hollywood star took to social media to celebrate the crowning of a new queen after the incredible performances on the season finale of the show.“Eat your heart out,” the actor wrote, posting a photo of the new reigning queen Sasha Colby wearing a red gown.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2023 has come to an end. It was two epic weekends full of fun as artists from different genres and backgrounds took the stage. 2023 saw historic moments, like Bad Bunny, the first Latin solo artist to ever headline the festival.