News

Barcelona-based filmmaker Abigail Schaaff is at the helm of the upcoming The Monster of Many Noses, and Variety brings us a first look at the unique genre title today.

Filmax has come on board the movie, Variety reports this afternoon, which is said to blend together the “fantasy genre and local lore to large social point.”

“Connecting 1960s Spain to its 1930s, the decade of Spain’s Civil War whose atrocities were silenced as the price of transition to democracy in 1970s Spain, The Monster of Many Noses (“L’home dels lassos”) is set in 1968 in a small village in the mountains.

“Three children try to escape the so-called Man of Many Noses, a figure in Catalan lore who hunts down children who have told too many lies on the last day of the year. But the children aren’t the only ones who fear him. Lies from the past can also be smelled.

Filmax has boarded “The Monster of Many Noses,” which marks yet another feature debut of a Barcelona-based female director, Abigail Schaaff, here in a movie which blends fantasy genre and local lore to large social point.

Filmax, which also handles distribution in Spain, will show first images of the film at the American Film Market.

Connecting 1960s Spain to its 1930s, the decade of Spain’s Civil War whose atrocities were silenced as the price of transition to democracy in 1970s Spain, “The Monster of Many Noses” (“L’home dels lassos”) is set in 1968 in a small village in the mountains.

Three children try to escape the so-called Man of Many Noses, a figure in Catalan lore who hunts down children who have told too many lies on the last day of the year. “But the children aren’t the only ones who fear him. Lies from the past can also be smelled,...

Barcelona-based studio Filmax has scooped international rights to “Just One Small Favor,” the new film from Zeta Studios, which is behind Netflix smash hit “Elite” and HBO Max Spanish banner title “García!”

Released in Spain by Universal on Nov. 10, “Favor” will receive its market premiere at this week’s American Film Market.

Directed by Juana Macías (“We Are Pregnant”), the acerbic screwball family comedy is set at the swanky summer home of the well-off Gallardos, cared for meticulously by Amparito, a second mother to the three children.

In her dying wish, she asked to be buried in the family vault. When the Gallardos refuse, they receive letters from Amparito, revealing skeletons in the closet and damaging home truths, turning their lives upside down.

“‘Just One Small Favor,’ is a screwball, situation comedy, with acerbic wit and a good dose of bad blood,” said Macías.

“The whole story plays out over one,...

Bringing one of Spain’s biggest potential box office hits onto the market at the AFM, Filmax has secured international sales to “A Moroccan Affair,” the third instalment in the most successful Spanish movie franchise in history.

“Moroccan Affair” is produced by Telecinco Cinema and Lazona, the duo behind the first two instalments of the saga, comedies “Spanish Affair” (2014) and “Spanish Affair 2” (2015), which still rank as the biggest, and third-biggest, respectively, Spanish-produced box office hits of all time at Spain’s box office, grossing a combined €90.9 million ($96.3 million).

Set to open in Spain Dec. 1, released by Universal Pictures Intl. Spain, “A Moroccan Affair” is directed by Alvaro Fernández Armero, who called the film “a comedy in which culture shocks are the driving comedic force.”

The film stars Julián López (“Undercover Wedding Crashers”), Michelle Jenner (“Our Lovers”), Elena Irureta (“Patria”) and María Ramos (“El Cid”).

Written by Daniel Castro (“Vote for Juan...

In one of the first deals to emerge from the San Sebastian Film Festival, powerhouse indie studio, Filmax, which celebrates its 70th anniversary at San Sebastian Festival, has snapped up international rights to LGBTQ+ dramedy “Norbert(a)” from Imposible Films, the producers of hits “Truman,” “The People Upstairs” and “Stories not to be Told.”

Directed by newcomers Sonia Escolano, who also penned the script, and Belén López Albert, it is toplined by Luis Bermejo (“Magical Girl”), Adriana Ozores (“Alba”), Mariona Terés (“The Girls at the Back”) and María Romanillos.

Norbert(a) follows Norberto and María, who’ve been married for decades and live what seems like an ordinary life in their working-class neighborhood. But little do people know that every night, to supplement their meager incomes, Norberto dresses up as a woman and carries out petty robberies while Maria waits for him in the getaway car.

But Norberto later confesses...

Barcelona-based production-distribution-sales studio Filmax, producer of the original “The Red Band Society,” has taken on international sales on its own production “Dating in Barcelona,” which is backed by Amazon Prime Video and Catalan public network TV3.

An exclusive promo of the six-episode series will be unveiled at MipTV, underscoring how Filmax has consolidated in a matter of years on Spain’s independent production of scene whose ecosystem has solidified during the so called Golden Age of the streamers. Filmax now intends to keep up its momentum despite more general slowdown.

Minimalistic in concept, the series does what its title promises, delivering in 50-minute episodes a deep exploration of modern day dating using a multifaceted Barcelona as its background, capturing not only its plush architecture but nooks and crannies.

This means a lot given the top-tier roster: the ever wonderful Carmen Machi (“Piggy”) and also Manuela Vellés (“Guilt”), Carlos Cuevas (“Smiley...

Argentina’s Impacto Cine (“Lady Di”) has swooped on all Latin American sales rights to Cesc Gay’s comedy “Stories Not To Be Told” (“Historias Para No Contar”), propelling it into the territory and cementing its regional footing.

International sales on the title are handled by Filmax, in a longterm relationship with Gay.

News of the sale comes as Filmax readies to present Alex de la Iglesia’s shook-up black comedy “Four’s a Crowd” (“El cuarto pasajero”), a wayward romance tale that takes a dark turn, to industry peers at Argentina’s Ventana Sur this week in Buenos Aires.

“We’re proud to have the opportunity to join forces with Filmax and bring this Spanish film, from the excellent Cesc Gay to Latin American audiences,” Impacto Cine’s Luis Ignacio Perez Endara told Variety, talking “Stories Not To Be Told.”

He added:“The director, now in full creative maturity and with his trademark fluid,...

Dark Star has closed North America on Spanish horror film “The Elderly” (“Los viejos”) which world premiered at Montreal’s Fantasia Festival winning lead Zorion Eguileor best actor for what Variety called his “disturbing yet strangely affecting turn.”

Directed by Raul Cerezo and Fernando González Gómez, “The Elderly” went on to screen at Austin’s Fantastic Fest and Spain’s Sitges Film Festival, completing a prestige genre fest trifecta.

In further sales, Lighthouse has taken on German-speaking Europe, whilst Creative Century has acquired rights for Taiwan.

The film stars Eguileor, memorable in Netflix mega-hit “Platform, as well as Gustavo Salmeron, Paula Gallego (“The Passenger”) and Irene Anula (“Vampiro”). It is produced by Jose Luis Rancaño at Persons Films and Mamen Espinosa at La Dalia Films.

“The Elderly” tells the story of an 80-year-old man, Manuel, who begins to suffer what seems to be dementia following the suicide of his wife,...

Barcelona-based Filmax has acquired the rights for Spain and international to “The Teacher Who Promised The Sea,” starring Laia Costa, a best actress winner at Germany’s Lola Awards for Sebastian Schipper’s bank heist thriller, “Victoria.”

Directed by Goya best fiction short winner Patricia Font (“Café para llevar”), “The Teacher,” which recently wrapped production, will be presented to buyers via a promo reel.

Produced by Minoria Absoluta, Lastor Media and Filmax the feature is based on the book of the same name by Francesc Escribano. It brings to the big screen the real-life story of Antoni Benaiges, a Catalan teacher who shook up a rural village in the province of Burgos in 1935, introducing progressive teaching methods from France, based on encouraging students’ self expression, buying a printing press which allowed their thoughts to be published.

In this tiny village, bound by centuries of illiteracy, he proves a controversial figure...

The immigrant drama follows a man trying to reunite with his wife and daughter in Spain.

Barcelona-based Filmax will handle world sales for Benito Zambrano’s next feature Jumping The Fence, a co-production between Spain’s Cine 365 and Castelao Productions, and France’s Noodles.

Jumping The Fence tracks Ibrahim who, years ago, migrated from Guinea to Spain where he now has his roots with Mariama. Their quiet lives are turned upside down when he is deported back to Guinea, and he sets out to return to Spain and be reunited with his wife and daughter.

Moussa Sylla, Nansi Nsue...

The dramatic thriller stars Javier Gutiérrez and Nathalie Poza.

Spanish sales, distribution and production outfit Filmax has picked up international rights to the second directorial effort of Enrique Otero, whose debut Crebinsky took the best new screenwriter prize for Otero and actor-writer Miguel de Lira at Málaga film festival in 2011.

Honeymoon is produced by Galician companies Control Z and AccaMedia Productions. The film’s cast is led by Javier Gutiérrez, known for his roles in Alberto Rodriguez’s Marshland and Prison 77, and Nathalie Poza.

A dramatic thriller with touches of black comedy, Honeymoon follows Eva and Carlos, an unhappily married...