At the end of this year’s peculiar edition of the San Sebastián International Film Festival, a selection of projects and works in progress were awarded by the different juries and sections of the gathering’s industry platform (see the news). We take a closer look at them.

Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum

Best Project Award
Pobres pibes - Benjamín Naishtat
Remo harbours bitter resentment for all of the things he hasn’t done. He steals money at work and is found out. Faced with the threat of prison if he doesn’t give the money back, Remo decides to approach Alberto, a mysterious astrologist who helps people, who offers to get the money Remo needs. In exchange, he must join his organisation. What initially appears to be a meeting of rogues eventually turns out to be a group of determined men whose plans culminate in seizing power.
Based on Roberto Arlt’s novel Los siete locos and written by Naishtat himself, the film is being produced by Bárbara Sarasola-Day for Pucará Cine (Argentina). The project arrived at the forum with 20% of its financing in place, and it is looking for a sales agent and co-producers from Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg (although it is also open to other countries in Europe and Latin America).

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Dale! Award (EFAD+CAACI Award)
Who Killed Narciso? (¿Quién Mató A Narciso?) - Marcelo Martinessi
Asunción, 1958. Narciso was an inland farmer who travelled to Buenos Aires and, on his return, introduced rock 'n' roll to a society paralysed by fear, subjugated by a military regime. He started out as a radio operator and went on to become a huge local radio star. He was admired by a whole generation who loved him, but who also wanted to own him. His murder, classified as a crime of passion, was the perfect excuse to imprison any person who, with their body and mind, represented a threat to the consolidation of the regime.
Adapted by Martinessi from Guido Rodríguez Alcalá’s novel of the same name, the film is being produced by Sebastián Peña Escobar for La Babosa Cine (Paraguay), Christoph Friedel for Pandora Film (Germany) and Xavier Rocher for La Fábrica Nocturna (France). The picture, which had 20% of its financing in place prior to its participation in the forum, is looking for international co-producers and financing opportunities.

Eurimages Co-production Development Award
Riders - Martín Rejtman
In an empty Argentinian city during the lockdown, boys who work for delivery apps, most of them Venezuelan, take over. Joel, an immigrant in the big city, is one of them. Through his daily life and his contact with strangers, as well as family and friends, the director wants to depict the difficult world of delivery boys in South America.
Currently being written by Rejtman, the film is being produced by Victoria Marotta and Jerónimo Quevedo for Un Puma (Argentina), João Matos for Terratreme Filmes (Portugal) and Christoph Friedel for Pandora Film (Germany). The film, currently with 20% of its financing secured, came to the forum looking for financing possibilities through international backing and co-productions.

Artekino International Prize
The Day of My Beast (El día de mi bestia) - Camila Beltrán
At a time plagued by power cuts in 1999, a rumour starts circulating. During an eclipse of the sun set to take place in a few days' time, the devil will arrive and bring the apocalypse. Mila, in the maelstrom of adolescence, takes the prophecy to heart. Overcome with fear, she starts to see everything that happens as a sign, finding no answers. Quite the opposite: during her sexual awakening, her body transforms unbearably, and she feels cursed. The day of the beast approaches, and she comes face to face with the deep abyss.
Written by Beltrán herself, this first feature born of the memories of her late childhood in Colombia, is being produced by Daniel García for Día Fragma Fábrica de Películas (Colombia) and Lionel Massol for Films Grand Huit (France). The project had 82% of its financing already in place when it arrived in San Sebastián looking for a Spanish or Italian partner for a joint application to Ibermedia in 2021, as well as distributors and sales agents.

WIP Latam

WIP Latam Industry Award
Dusk Stone (Piedra noche) - Iván Fund
Sina travels to the coast to accompany her friend Greta as she sells her summer house. Less than a year ago, Greta lost her only son in that sea, and she needs her help. While they are packing everything up and getting ready to hand over the key, Greta’s husband Bruno claims to have seen something that confirms the locals’ rumours surrounding the appearance of a strange creature.
Written by Fund together with Santiago Loza and Martín Felipe Castagnet, the film is being produced by Laura Mara Tablón for Rita Cine (Argentina), Gustavo Schiaffino and Alejandro Nantón for Insomnia Films (Argentina), and Catalina Vergara for Globo Rojo Films (Chile).

Egeda Platino Industria Award for Best WIP Latam
The Employer and the Employee [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] - Manuel Nieto
The employer is a young man from a middle-class family; he leads a modern life and doesn’t fit in with the traditional stereotype of a rural producer. But he has one pressing concern: his baby’s health. The employee is even younger than him and is in urgent need of his own job so that he can support his new family. But the employee’s baby dies in a tractor accident…
Written by Nieto, the film is being produced by the writer-director himself for Roken Films (Uruguay), Bárbara Francisco for Pasto (Argentina), Paola Wink for Vulcana Cinema (Brazil), Nathalie Trafford for Paraiso Production Diffusion (France), Cecilia Salim for Murillo Cine (Argentina), Michael Wahrmann for Sancho&Punta (Brazil), and Juan José López and Pedro Barcia for Nadador Cine (Argentina).

WIP Europa

WIP Europa Industry Award + WIP Europa Award
Between Two Dawns [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Selman Nacar
fiche film] - Selman Nacar
An employee is severely injured while working at Kadir's family business. The family council discusses the legal implications of the accident. If the worker's wife cannot be convinced to sign the waiver, it is decided that someone from the family should take the blame and flee abroad. Although Kadir is ready to make this sacrifice for his family, he doesn't want to leave Esma, with whom he is planning a wedding.
Written by Nacar, the film is being produced by Burak Çevik for Kuyu Film (Turkey) and Diloy Gülün for Karma Film (France).