Santiago-based Clara Films and Colombian sound post house-producer Centauro-Productora LAP are joining forces to co-produce Chilean Ricardo Valenzuela Pinilla’s debut “What Was Left Unsaid,” a social drama with hints of dark comedy.
Produced by Camila Bascuñán at Chilean company Delavida Films, “What Was Left Unsaid” is currently at post-production stage.
The deal completes funding for the film and marks a significant milestone in the journey of bringing Valenzuela Pinilla’s first feature to audiences worldwide.
The story of “What Was Left Unsaid” is set in rural Chile, in the early 2000s, when communications’ modernization started. Margarita, a 43 year-old field sales executive, stands out for her undeniable connection with people in contrast with her 40 year-old sales colleague Cucho.
Margarita’s ascending professional career is conditioned by her duties at home as a single mother and caretaker of her own mother, a religious fanatic singer who has decided to keep absolute silence with her family in revenge for not having been able to sing to the Pope, because of Margarita gave birth the day of his visit.
An accident exposes the precarious work benefits offered by the multinational company for whom Cucho and Margarita work, and the mother’s voice catalyzes Margarita to rethink her life and connect with herself.
The Chilean cast toplines Héctor Morales (“Tony Manero”), “Ines of My Soul’s” Patricia Cuyul and Mariana Loyola (“La Nana”).
In the post-production, co-production agreement, both Clara Films and Centauro-Productora LAP will combine their resources, technical expertise, and creative insights to ensure that “What Was Left Unsaid” reaches its full potential during the crucial editing, sound design, visual effects, and overall post-production process.
“By harnessing the strengths of both companies, this collaboration aims to deliver a deep cinematic portrait of Southern Chile in the early 2000s that audiences will love,” the partners said in a statement.
“Joining forces with Clara Films and Centauro – Productora LAP in the post-production process is a tremendous opportunity for us,” argued producer Camila Bascuñán.
“We believe that our collective talents and resources will elevate the film to new heights, creating an immersive and unforgettable experience for viewers worldwide. This co-production agreement reflects our shared commitment to excellence in filmmaking.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Centauro-Productora LAP again,” said executive producer Clara Larrain at film and TV company Clara Films, whose credits take in titles such as Shawn Garry’s “Now They Are Coming for Us,” Paula Romaní’s “Boy Man” and Matías Rojas Cannes Docs 2022 player “Aullido de invierno.”
Production and sound post-production company Centauro was founded in 1973 by vet Colombian film director Gustavo Nieto Roa (“Aura o las violetas”). In 2004, his daughter Françoise Nieto-Fong launched LAP, whose first documentary, “The Private Archives of Pablo Escobar,” premiered at the Chicago Film Festival, was picked up by HBO, TF1 and Odisea.
Centauro-Productora LAP’s “extensive experience and expertise in the global film industry make them the ideal collaborator to help us bring our director’s vision to life. Together, we will fine-tune every aspect of the film, ensuring that it resonates with audiences on a profound level,” Larraín added.
Chile’s Ricardo Valenzuela Pborn in Puerto Monte, created Margarita, “What Was Left Unsaid’s” leading character, thinking of his mother, who at the time worked selling cell phones in rural areas in Southern Chile, having accompanied her several times in her long trips, being only a child.
“I keep in my head the sales dynamic of using elaborate staging to make people believe they were part of a supposed communication revolution,” Valenzuela explained.
He added: “Using that premise, I created a character that ignores her own communication in contrast with her mission. The arrival of this new technology causes us to distance ourselves from our identity and escalates the death of folkloric traditions – such as the chant to the divine – which unfortunately seem to have no place in modern times.”
