San Sebastian-Bound ‘Secaderos’ Showcases Creature Designed by Oscar-Winning ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ Team (EXCLUSIVE)

Anna Marie de la Fuente Speaking on the issue of navigating finance in 2022 and beyond at San Sebastian’s two-day Creative Investors Conference, Wild Bunch exec Cecile Gaget and 30West’s Trevor Groth took stock of the challenges ahead in a post-pandemic world. Groth observed that film production budgets have been rising as streaming platforms have been paying relatively good wages, making it harder for independents to stay competitive. Gaget agreed: “It’s getting more expensive to hire writers and crew, and the pandemic certainly didn’t help.” Groth acknowledged that selling to streamers can be a challenge. When 30West was negotiating on the sale of their phenomenal hit “Tiger King” to Netflix, they fought hard to hang on to its IP, but to no avail. “We leveraged this to get a higher sale price but we didn’t realize it was going to be such a big hit, so we lost out from not having a backend,” Groth said. However, “Tiger King” gave them the momentum to enter the documentary space.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a rare move, Barcelona-based Film Factory Entertainment has snapped up world sales rights to documentary “Mibu, The Moon in a Dish” (“Mibu, La Luna en un Plato”), which opened the Culinary Zinema sidebar of the San Sebastian Festival Sept. 19. The feature debut of Spanish filmmaker Roger Zanuy, the documentary transports audiences to members-only Tokyo restaurant Mibu, which has greatly influenced some of the most prominent chefs in the world, including Spain’s Ferran Adrià (El Bulli), Jose Andrés, also renowned for his humanitarian work, as well as Italy’s Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana, among several others.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a new deal secured at this week’s San Sebastian Festival, Birgit Kemner’s Manny Films has partnered with Chile’s Storyboard Media to co-produce “Un Buen Día Para Morir” (“A Good Day to Die”), the third feature by Marcelo Ferrari (“Subterra,” “Bombal”). Inspired by the real story of pianist María Paz Santibáñez whose life took a dramatic turn during a protest against General Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1987, the drama turns on 24-year-old piano student Pachi who is shot in the head during a protest against the military regime. Seriously injured and pregnant, she manages to survive and give birth to her daughter. Escaping Chile, she settles in Paris where – against all odds – she fulfills her dream to become a concert pianist.

Miguel Herran had a big premiere this past weekend at the 2022 San Sebastian Film Festival!

Anna Marie de la Fuente Signalling Mexican giant exhibitor-distributor Cinépolis’ gradual return to producing since the pandemic, the company has partnered once more with producer Javier González-Rubio of Invicta Films, here on film critic Hugo Lara’s second feature, “Serendipia” (“Serendipity”). “We are excited to be embarking on this new journey with Invicta Films and strengthening our partnership. ‘Serendipia’ is a captivating story that will touch the hearts of audiences around the world and with it, Cinépolis proves once again our commitment to Mexican cinema,” said executive producer Miguel Rivera, VP global programming and content, Cinépolis.

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 Ecuador’s Ana Cristina Barragán, an alum of San Sebastian’s post-graduate film school Elias Querejeta Zine Eskola (EQZE), has come full circle with her second feature “La Piel Pulpo” (“Octopus Skin”) as it competes at the San Sebastian Festival’s Horizontes Latinos, a year after it participated in the festival’s Work in Progress strand (WIP Latam). A coming-of-age family drama “La Piel Pulpo” turns on twins Iris and Ariel who live with their mother and younger sister on a remote island. Having grown up in this rarified environment with only the mollusks, birds and reptiles for company, the teens are inseparable and have formed a near transcendental connection with nature. Curious about the world beyond their island, Iris hitches a boat ride with a rare visitor to explore the mainland and search for their estranged father. The act of physically separating from her twin brother puts a strain on their relationship.

Olivia Wilde is looking stunning on the red carpet!

Penelope Cruz received a special honor at the 2022 San Sebastian Film Festival this weekend!

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Austrian director Ulrich Seidl has cancelled his visit to San Sebastian for the Sept. 18 world premiere of “Sparta,” amid allegations of impropriety and child exploitation made against the director. The world premiere will still go ahead at San Sebastian with the film playing in main competition contending for San Sebastian’s Gold Shell. Seidl’s decision comes after the Toronto Film Festival pulled “Sparta” and on Sept. 14, FilmFest Hamburg announced that it would no longer be giving Seidl its Douglas Sirk Award, though it would be screening “Sparta.”

Penelope Cruz is taken by surprise as she sees so many fans at the premiere of her new movie, On The Fringe, during the 2022 San Sebastian Film Festival held at Victoria Eugenia Theatre on Friday (September 16) in San Sebastian, Spain.

Olivia Wilde had a warm greeting while arriving in Spain for the 2022 San Sebastian Film Festival!

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Packing its first full-on onsite edition since the pandemic, Spain’s San Sebastian Festival has never been busier or bigger. 10 Takes on what is shaping up as a vibrant edition:    Playing Off Powerful Market Forces Nine of Netflix’s 20 Top 10 non-English-language films and TV series are sourced from Spain or Latin America. Platforms are battling to tie down talent.  This year, eight movies from Spain and Latin America play in competition alone at San Sebastian, the most important film event in the Spanish-speaking world. The fest’s main sidebar is its New Directors strand. San Sebastian’s focus on the Spanish-speaking world and new talent now aligns with powerful market forces. That fact plays out over the 2022 edition.

Glenn Close had to cancel plans at the 2022 San Sebastian Film Festival due to a family emergency.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Loco Films has boarded international sales rights to actor-turned-helmer Dinara Droukarova’s feature debut “Woman at Sea” which will world premiere in the New Directors section at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Produced by Marianne Slot and Carine LeBlanc at Paris-based Slot Machine (“Melancholia”), “Woman at Sea” stars Droukarova as Lili, who has left everything behind to travel to the end of the earth to fulfil her dream of fishing in the northern seas, in Iceland. She convinces Ian, a fishing boat skipper, to give her a chance and embarks on the Rebel. She is the only woman in the crew but she will win everybody’s respect thanks to her determination and courage. “We are proud of this first film, shot on the harsh northern seas about a young woman seeking the fresh air of freedom. A beautiful and free film and the birth of a new director,” said Laurent Danielou, founder and president of Loco Films.

Manori Ravindran International Editor Ulrich Seidl’s “Sparta” has been pulled from the Toronto International Film Festival amid allegations of impropriety and child exploitation against the director, but its premiere at next week’s San Sebastian Film Festival will continue as planned, Variety can reveal. A spokesperson for the Spanish festival tells Variety on behalf of festival management that “Sparta” will remain in competition. Providing a three-point list explaining their reasoning, San Sebastian said “the festival team assesses the films after their viewing according to their interest and quality” and that the event “does not have the ability to judge how a film has been shot and whether a crime has been committed in the course of the filming. If anyone has any evidence of a crime, they should report it to a judge.”

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.