18/07/2008

The historical and cultural ties that unite Spain and Latin America are most clearly seen in the field of film production. In 2007, of the 57 co-productions involving Spain, 32 of them (i.e over half) were collaborations with a Latin American country, in particular Argentina, which accounted for 19 co-productions.

The trend continues this year thanks to the contacts established between companies from both countries. For instance, Spain’s Wanda Visión and Argentina’s Historias Cinematográficas are joining forces to produce Lucía Puenzo’s new film, as they did for her debut title XXY [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (which won the Grand Prize at Cannes Critics’ Week in 2007).

Shooting on the film – entitled El niño pez (“The Fish Child”) – began a few days ago and will last eight weeks in Buenos Aires and Paraguay, with a crew made up of Argentinean and Spanish professionals. Based on Puenzo’s eponymous novel, the drama centres on Lala, a teenage girl who lives in the most exclusive district of Buenos Aires and is in love with Guayi, her 16-year-old Paraguayan maid.

Another production about to get underway is Mal día para pescar (“A Bad Day for Fishing”), the debut work by Uruguayan-born, Spanish-based director Álvaro Brechner. Co-produced by Spanish companies Telespan 2000 and Baobab Films and Uruguay’s Expresso Films, the film is another example of the successful collaboration between Latin America and Spain. In the latter country, Brechner has enjoyed a thriving career in short films and documentaries, without abandoning the richness of his roots.

Written by the director, Mal día para pescar is adapted from the short story "Jacob and the Other", by Uruguayan author Juan Carlos Onetti (who won the Cervantes Award in 1980). The film traces the journey across South America of Orsini, an astute businessman, and his client, Jacob van Oppen, an enormous former world wrestling champion. The seven-week shoot will take place in Uruguay.

(Translated from Spanish)