News

Boutique Spanish sales outfit Bendita Film Sales has acquired rights to Álvaro Olmos Torrico’s sophomore feature “The Condor Daughter” (“La Hija Cóndor”) ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, running Sept. 4-14.

A standout at Ventana Sur and now screening as part of the fest’s Centrepiece Program, which strives to highlight, “compelling stories, global perspectives,” the film presents an impactful and broadly relevant coming-of-age tale that pits allegiance to rigorous expectations against the yearning to remain true-to-self.

“From the moment we saw ‘The Condor Daughter,’ we knew it carried something rare, a tenderness and depth that speak both of a singular place and of universal longing. Álvaro Olmos Torrico has crafted an intimate portrait of tradition, change and identity, and we are honored to help share this powerful story with audiences worldwide,” Luis Renart, head of Bendita Film Sales, told Variety.

Produced by Olmos Torrico at Bolivia’s Empatia Cine,...

Mexico’s Monterrey Film Festival (ficmonterrey) is chasing new ambitions in a bid to raise its international profile. Buttressed by generous state, local and private backing as well as some federal funding, the festival, running Sept. 28 – Oct. 4, aims to become Mexico’s most prominent international film festival and a key creative hub in Mexico.

This year’s 19th edition boasts a new director, Janeth Aguirre, also its first female director, and new hires: Diana Cadavid, a programmer for Toronto (TIFF), LA Latino Int’l Film Fest (Laliff) and Colombia’s Cali, who has taken charge of the festival’s burgeoning industry section, and LA-based PR agent Alvar Carretero of Joshua Jason Public Relations.

In recognition of its country guest of honor, South Korea, the fest will open with “Little Forest” by Yim Soonrye, one of the few prominent women film auteurs in South Korean New Wave cinema. Five of her...

Beijing Basks In Festival Return

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.

Chinese actor and director Tian Zhuangzhuang collected the best supporting actor award. Mexican, Montserrat Maranon earned the best supporting actress prize.

The ceremony wrapped up a festival at which organizers claimed to have played 1,488 films. International guests included Israel’s Nadav Lapid, Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck...

Tenerife-based Bendita Film Sales, headed by Luis Renart, has acquired Matías Bize’s “The Punishment,”, ahead of its international premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival this Saturday.

Produced by Ceneca Producciones and Leyenda Films, it is the second film to see the light in 2022 for the multi-prized director of “In the Bed,” “The Life of Fish,” and “The Memory of Water,” having won at Malaga with lockdown inspired “Private Messages.” Bendita’s buy signifies confidence in this latest title, which heads to Ventana Sur for its market premiere on Dec 1.

In the film, a couple’s seven year old son is missing, having been left momentarily by the side of the road as punishment. Set in a forest and played out in real time, the boy’s parents search for him. Helmer Matias Bize dissects the subtle shifts in the couple’s reactions to this crisis as questions...