Anna Marie De-La-Fuente Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Anna Marie de la Fuente A&E Ole Networks has acquired a seven-pic Christmas package from Argentine-based EO Media Distribution. The Xmas-themed TV movies produced by Nicely Entertainment will be airing on Lifetime Latin America and the Caribbean during the holiday season.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The #MeToo movement has claimed another casualty. Spain’s Málaga Film Festival, unspooling March 1-10, has canceled the participation of U.S.-born director Julio Hernandez Cordon’s vampire drama “The Day is Long and Dark” (“El día es largo y oscuro”) at the festival, citing “complaints regarding acts of gender violence.” In a press release issued on Feb.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Vincent Maraval’s Goodfellas has seized the worldwide sales rights to Galapagos adventure doc “Lions of the Sea,” which wrapped principal photography in mid-January. “Sea” is the latest from Ecuadorian explorer-filmmaker Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador, best known by his nom de cinéma, Jamaicanoproblem, and whose film “Son of Man” was Ecuador’s official selection for the 2019 Academy Awards.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Mexico City-based Endemol Shine Boomdog has seized the adaptation rights to “La Reina del Sur” author Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novel, “Revolution” (“Revolución”) with Kate del Castillo’s Cholawood on board as executive producers. Del Castillo, who plays the titular role in the hit Spanish-language adaptation of “La Reina del Sur” will also star in the upcoming series based on the Mexican revolution.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Enid Blyton’s iconic series of adventure novels, “The Famous Five,” is being made into a TV series, thanks to a pact forged by the BBC Studios, Germany’s ZDF and Spain’s The Mediapro Studio, in the latter’s continued bid to partner in more English-language productions. Produced by Moonage Pictures and Nicolas Winding Refn’s byNWR, the series is an ambitious adaptation of the iconic children’s adventure novels by the English author.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The Dominican Republic (DR) has been making bold strides in its film industry, reporting dynamic growth and earning kudos both at home and internationally. Ironically, what spurred its growth was a global pandemic. As many countries remained in lockdown, DR opened its borders to more location shoots by June 2020.

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.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks, led by CEO Guido Rud, has pounced on world sales rights to Lucia Puenzo’s “Los Impactados” on the eve of the American Film Market (AFM) where it will kick off sales. Delving into the theme of rebirth in the face of profound trauma, “Los Impactados” follows Ada, portrayed by Mariana Di Girólamo (Pablo Larraín’s “Ema” ), whose unusual journey begins when she is struck by lightning, leading her on a fascinating transformation alongside a mysterious doctor, played by Germán Palacios, the lead from “El Último Hereje.” Along the way, she forms a bond with a group of fellow survivors who find themselves increasingly captivated by the power of electricity.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks has secured the world sales and remake rights to 2000 classic “Nine Queens” (“Nueve Reinas”), newly remastered into 4K Ultra HD. Hailed by Variety as “a seductively structured and superbly acted suspenser that breathtakingly piles swindle upon scam without giving away the game until the very end,” it was written and directed by the late Fabian Bielinsky and became the biggest box office hit in his native Argentina in at least 10 years.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper has been transplanted to America in ViX Original Series “El Dentista” (“The Dentist”) (working title) with Oscar-nominated Demián Bichir (“A Better Life”) in the titular role. Behind-the-scenes pics of the series, now shooting in Mexico, have been exclusively shared with Variety. Based on the novel by prominent Chilean scribe Julio Rojas, creator of podcast sensation “Caso 63” and a co-writer on Pablo Fendrik’s “El Refugio,” the period thriller series is produced by Oscar-winning brothers Pablo and Juan de Dios Larrain (“A Fantastic Woman,” “Jackie,” “Spencer”) and their powerhouse shingle, Fabula, along with the top Spanish pay TV/SVOD service Movistar Plus+, which will also handle international sales.

Anna Marie de la Fuente New York-based Cinema Tropical has pounced on the U.S. theatrical rights to Fabián Hernández’s debut feature “A Male” (“Un Varón”), Colombia’s official submission to the 2024 Oscar race. The drama, which had its world premiere at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight last year, will open in New York City on Dec.

Anna Marie de la Fuente BTF Media and Spain’s AF Films have teamed up to co-produce “Hasta el Fin del Mundo,” the next film of actress Aislinn Derbez (“Miss Bala”), who marks her debut as an executive producer through her shingle Ais Ais Baby. The romantic drama is also the feature debut of Emiliano Castro Vizcarra, who has written and directed numerous shorts, winning multiple awards, including Best Director at the Cineteca Nacional.

Anna Marie de la Fuente “Roma” producer Nicolas Celis’ of Pimienta Films is coming on board as lead producer of “Freeland,” the first English-language pic by “Emily in Paris” director Katina Medina Mora, Variety learned at Madrid forum Iberseries & Platino Industria. To be co-written with Chilean scribe Julio Rojas, creator of podcast sensation “Caso 63” and a co-writer on Pablo Fendrik’s “El Refugio,” the project was put together by producer Nestor Hernández, a former Sony and HBO development exec for Latin America, who attended the San Sebastian Film Festival in September to present the project.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires and Madrid-based Bikini Films is presenting Carolina Daza’s Canary Islands mystery series, “Non Trubada” at Iberseries’ Co-Production and Financing Forum. Set in Spain’s Canary Islands in the year 2025, “Non Trubada,” meaning Not Found in Latin, centers on the mythical island of San Borondón, which resurfaces after a period below the water.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Pedro Almodóvar’s El Deseo is teaming up once again with Peru’s most prominent producer, Tondero, to co-produce Peruvian filmmaker Salvador del Solar’s second pic after his lauded feature debut, “Magallanes.” Titled “Un lugar para Ramon” (“A Place for Ramon”), the drama is set against the backdrop of Peru’s months-long COVID-19 lockdown where two men, a Peruvian national who is confined to his apartment with the ashes of his estranged father, meets a Spaniard who is unable to leave the country because Lima’s airport has been shut down. Thrown together by the unusual circumstances, their friendship evolves into deeper and more ambiguous terrain.

Anna Marie de la Fuente “Yo no moriré de amor,” the feature debut of theatre actress Marta Matute, among the five titles selected by the Madrid Film School’s ECAM incubator program, has been boarded by Elastica Films, whose credits include Berlinale Golden Bear prize winner “Alcarràs” and “Creatura,” Elena Martin’s best European film winner at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The family drama is lead produced by José Esteban Alenda and César Esteban Alenda’s Solita Films, which saw their first international co-production, “El despertar de las hormigas,” by Costa Rican Antonella Sudasassi, world premiere at Berlinale’s Forum and become the first Central American film to be nominated for a Spanish Goya.

Anna Marie de la Fuente “Monster,” Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan Described by Variety critic Peter Debruge as a “convoluted portrait of a pre-teen in turmoil,” Kore-eda ‘s Palme d’Or best script and Queer Palm winner stars Sakura Andō as a mother who confronts a teacher after noticing odd changes in her son’s demeanor. Written by Yuji Sakamoto, it’s scored by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto. “Peafowl,” Byun Sungbin, South Korea Myung, a transgender, is estranged from her family because of who she is.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The 76thLocarno Film Festival is hosting one of the largest international retrospectives of Mexican popular cinema in decades, encompassing 36 titles of varying genres, from dramas to film noir as well as comedies, musicals, horror and sports. Putting together “Daily Spectacle – The Different Seasons of Mexican Popular Cinema” took at least two years, according to writer and programmer Olaf Möller, who curated the selection alongside critic Roberto Turigliatto and in close collaboration with Filmoteca UNAM director Hugo Villa and other key experts.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Chile’s Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) celebrates its 19th edition with a vibrant lineup packed with works from first-time Chilean filmmakers, with six debut features out of nine contenders in the fully in-person festival running August 20-27.  “It was tough. We had at least 30 submissions to the Chilean film selection, which we narrowed down to these nine,” said artistic director Carlos Nuñez, who added that three of them are world premieres.  The selection touts five documentaries – a reflection of the boom in non-fiction filmmaking in recent years. Among them is the poetic “A Brief Space in Time” (“Breve espacio de un tiempo”), which world premieres at Sanfic and turns on a Mapuche couple living off their ancestral Wallmapu land. 

Anna Marie de la Fuente Los Angeles-based Viva Kids has nabbed a stake in 3Doubles Producciones, a 2D/3D animation studio in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. For now, Viva has acquired a minority interest with an option to acquire a majority stake after two years. Founded by Darío Sánchez in 2017, the company currently employs more than a hundred at its headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Mercury Steam owner Ignacio Navas and Aliot Innovation founder José Ángel Olmo became partners at 3Doubles in 2020. 3Doubles’ slate of animated films includes “Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow,” “The Ogglies,” “Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia,” “My Fairy Troublemaker” and “Daily Fables.”

Anna Marie de la Fuente “Ahahayy!! Viva Mexico, cabrones!” With that battle cry, Academy Award-winner Guillermo del Toro announced Mexico as the Country of Honor at this year’s Annecy, France’s preeminent animation film festival.  According to organizer Pixelatl, an association dedicated to the creation and promotion of Mexico’s multimedia content, more than 250 Mexican animators and producers will descend on Annecy with nine programs scheduled. “The Book of Life” director Jorge R. Gutiérrez, whose Netflix series “Maya and the Three” won four Emmys and an Annie, created the poster and title cards of the festival and will also be hosting a Master Class and screening of “The Book of Life.”

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 Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival marks its 40th edition, running March 3-12, with a full-blown return to the in-person festival experience with a sidebar of only 10 titles available online.  “We’re celebrating the human connection and getting back into cinemas again,” says programming head Lauren Cohen who in her first year flying solo at the helm, is putting her personal stamp on the festival with female-centric topics dominating the Master Classes.  “It’s our 40th anniversary, which is such a milestone for us, we want it to be bigger and better than ever,” she continues. 

Anna Marie de la Fuente Since 1961, Argentina has been sending films to vie in the foreign film race and Ricardo Darin, the country’s most celebrated actor, stars in at least seven of them, including this year’s nominee, “Argentina 1985.” That’s no mean feat but given his lifetime commitment to his craft, perhaps not surprising. Four of them: “Son of the Bride” (2001), “The Secret in their Eyes” (2009), “Wild Tales” (2014) and now the Amazon Studios-backed “Argentina 1985,” have either been shortlisted or in the case of Juan José Campanella’s “The Secret in Their Eyes,” taken home the golden statuette. Given its wins at the Venice Film Festival, the National Board of Review and the Golden Globes as well as the growing buzz, “Argentina 1985” may again clinch the honor.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Martin Scorsese is executive producing Argentine filmmaker Celina Murga’s latest drama, “The Freshly Cut Grass,” which has begun production.  Produced by “Argentina, 1985” producers Infinity Hill, the film stars Oscar nominee Marina de Tavira (“Roma”) who plays opposite Argentina’s Joaquin Furriel (“The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime”) in what is described as “an exploration of love, desire, relationships and how society applies double standards for men and women.” “I came to know Celina [Murga] through Rolex’s arts mentorship program, in which I’d agreed to participate for the 2008-2009 year,” said Scorsese. “I chose Celina among the candidates that were sent my way because I was greatly impressed by her two features ‘Ana and the Others’ and ‘A Week Alone,’” he added.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Scott Waugh whose credits include “Act of Valor” and the upcoming “The Expendables 4,” is attached to direct the upcoming documentary “Escape to Atlantis,” based on the findings of Seattle native Dr. Jason Rubin who has used deductive reasoning, the writings of philosopher Plato and cutting-edge satellite sonar imagery to pinpoint the location of the fabled lost island of Atlantis.  Said Waugh: “Every story, whether fact or fable, has a character we believe in and hope they prevail. Wouldn’t it be great to be part of a story where our protagonist wins and redefines the world’s truth?” “If Dr. Rubin has found Atlantis, not only does he continually save lives in the ER room, but he will have risen the dead of those lost in Plato’s fable and will redefine our history. That is a story I want to be a part of,” he added.  

Anna Marie de la Fuente To return to documentary filmmaking after her lauded debut fiction feature “Prayers for the Stolen” (“Noche de Fuego”), Tatiana Huezo laid down a set of parameters to follow. “I didn’t want to include any interviews, any narration or any voice-over,” she told Variety. “The Echo” (“El Eco”), world premiering at Berlinale’s Encounters sidebar, sometimes feels like a fictional story as a result. “After ‘Prayers..,’ I felt like returning to the language of the documentary, but most importantly, to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, in the smallest details in everyday life,” she mused. Its trailer bows exclusively in Variety.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The upcoming animated TV series “Lil’ Heroes” from Exile Content Studio is one step closer to being made. The studio has tapped Emmy Award-winning writer, author Kevin Shinick, best known for his stints as writer, producer and voice-actor on Adult Swim’s irreverent “Robot Chicken” and his best-selling YA novel, “Star Wars: Force Collector.” Shinick joins NBA star Carmelo Anthony who serves as an executive producer and voice actor on the upcoming series. Asani Swann, Anthony’s producing partner and co-founder of Creative 7, also executive produces. Launched in January this year, the “Lil’ Heroes” franchise started off as an NFT collection created by Spanish contemporary artist Edgar Plans, in partnership with Exile Content Studio, the film, television, audio, and digital production house founded by Isaac Lee and now a part of Candle Media.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks Int’l has snapped up worldwide rights to Portugal’s first stop motion animated feature “My Grandfather’s Demons,” the debut animated pic by Nuno Beato. According to FilmSharks CEO Guido Rud, it was able to outbid other contenders for the toon, which had its world premiere at Annecy. “One of the hardest tasks for my acquisition team, run by Santiago Migdal, is to find a true animation gem, not only aesthetically but narratively where the use of different animation techniques makes the story fly even higher,” said Rud. 

Anna Marie de la Fuente Mexico City-based Endemol Shine Boomdog, a unit of Banijay Americas, has snagged the rights to Carlos Fuentes’ vampire novel “Vlad” and is developing a series based on the bestseller with lauded showrunner J.M. Cravioto (“El Chapo,” “Diablero”) attached as both showrunner and executive producer. Jerry Rodriguez, Endemol Shine Boomdog’s senior VP and head of scripted content, and Clara Machado (“The Followers”) are developing the project for Endemol Shine Boomdog. Carl Zitelmen (“No Abras la Puerta”) is adapting Fuentes’ novel for television.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Chile’s hottest writer Julio Rojas (“The Life of Fish”) and Spain’s Goya-winning Belen Cuesta, who stars in “The Endless Trench” and the “Balenciaga” series, are attached to “La Torca del Diablo,” a sci-fi thriller from Chile’s Canal 13 and Spanish producer Miguel Asensio of Tiki Group. A client of former CinemaChile head Constanza Arena’s new talent agency and project incubator, Agencia La Luz, Rojas created and wrote “Case 63,” Spotify’s leading scripted original podcast in Latin America, with an English-language version in development, starring Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac. He also co-wrote Pablo Fendrik’s Latino sci-fi series “The Shelter,” among other notable credits.  

Anna Marie de la Fuente “Money Heist” star Alvaro Morte is attached to star in “Talkies,” from “Luis Miguel” producer Gato Grande, which will be presented at the Iberseries inaugural Co-Production & Financing Forum on Sept. 28. “Talkies” covers the period between 1930 and 1934, an unusual time when foreign-language versions were shot on the same sets where the original English-language films were shot before dubbing or sub-titling technology existed.  Helmed by “Money Heist” director Alex Rodrigo and co-developed with Catalonia’s Veranda (“Merli”), the 8 x 45” series centers on the making of Spanish-language ‘talkies’ some of which, like the Spanish version of Bela Lugosi’s “Dracula,” were considered far superior. Morte will play the actor Carlos Villarias, who took on the Dracula role in the Spanish version.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The 2nd Iberseries & Platino Industria in Madrid has lured a large number of top showrunners and TV execs to participate in the annual event’s multiple panels over Sept. 27-30. The intense and extensive program of some 40 conferences and keynote addresses include discussions on animation, financing, creativity and talent, education, sports, artificial intelligence and platforms, among others.  Launched last year, Iberseries is conceived as an exclusive space for the intersection between business and creative talent, as well as the exchange of ideas, projects, financing and co-production opportunities among the growing ranks of the Ibero-American TV industry.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Stephen Kronish and Jon Cassar, showrunner and director-producer respectively of “24,” the ratings and critical hit which ran on Fox network for nine seasons, have boarded upcoming thriller series “Barcelona.” The news was jointly announced by transatlantic production company El Estudio, Jeff Berg’s Northside Services, Todd Slater’s Convoke Media (“King of Killers”) and Karen and Howard Baldwin (“Ray”) of Kemb Prods. who have teamed up to produce the ambitious project. “Barcelona” is one of 10 series being presented at the inaugural Co-Production and Financing Forum at Madrid’s 2nd Iberseries & Platino Industria TV event.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks subsidiary The Remake Company has closed a remake deal with Italy’s Marco Belardi and his new label Bamboo Prod. for Ariel Winograd’s latest film “Today We Fix the World” (“Hoy se Arregla el Mundo”).  Produced by powerhouse shingle Patagonik, the family dramedy was picked up by Netflix for several key territories after its theatrical release by Disney’s Star early this year.  Mexico’s BH5 has also acquired the remake rights and is about to produce its version while talks are underway with Korean and French companies, said FilmSharks founder and CEO, Guido Rud. Winograd is already a known quantity in Italy. His last film “Ten Days Without Mom” topped the box office in Italy when it was released.