San Sebastian will host its annual WIP Latam program this Sept. 23-25. The program will feature six of the hottest upcoming titles from across Central and South America.
A frequent stop for titles between San Sebastian’s Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum and one of the event’s finished film sidebars, WIP Latam has hosted several standout titles over the years, including Yennifer Uribe Alzate’s “Skin in Spring” and Lola Arias’ “Reas,” which premiered in the Berlinale Forum earlier this year. Other past participants include Sofía Paloma Gómez and Camilo Becerra’s “Maybe It’s True What They Say about Us” and “Most People Die on Sundays,” which will screen in this year’s Horizontes Latinos lineup at San Sebastian.
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Awards available to this year’s titles include the WIP Latam Industry Award, which includes the post-production services and Spanish distribution, and the Egeda Platino Industria Award of €30,000 ($32,800).
Below, a brief look at the half-dozen titles participating in this year’s WIP Latam pitches.
“The Message,” Iván Fund (Argentina)
Hendler returns to San Sebastian with “The Message,” which participated in last year’s Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, where the director described the film as “a Spielberg film shot by Cassavetes, a cross between an exciting sci-fi adventure film with an intimate and moving story of characters.” A road film set in the Argentine countryside, the film tracks a girl and her guardians who survive thanks to her ability to communicate with animals. Fund’s last film, “Dusk Stone,” screened in competition at Venice and San Sebastian in 2021.
“A Loose End,” Daniel Hendler (Uruguay)
Berlin Silver Bear-winning actor Hendler’s third feature as a director, “A Loose End” turns on Santiago, a low-ranking policeman, who arrives in Fray Bentos, a small town just across the Uruguay border from Argentina, escaping from the Argentine police force. Penniless but with enough cunning and using his threadbare uniform, he overcomes obstacles, receives the help of local characters, aims to erase all traces of his past and even dreams of finding the possible love of his life.
“Cuerpo Celeste,” Nayra Ilic (Chile)
The second feature from Chilean director Ilic, this film participated in San Sebastian’s Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum in 2021. It tracks the life journey of Celeste, a teenager forced to deal with the death of her father while her mother deals with a personal crisis. Ilic’s debut feature, “Square Meter,” screened in competition at the Palm Springs Festival in 2011.
“Muña Muña,” Paula Morel Kristof (Argentina)
A debut, this Argentine feature is a love story with touches of comedy that turns on a nurse and a young French tourist. As her young adult son prepares to leave for a scholarship opportunity, leaving her with an empty next, the medical worker fills the vacancy with a new romance. The film is financed with support from INCAA and help from an online crowdfunding campaign. It’s produced by Oreja Le Burro.
“If We Don’t Burn, How Do We Light Up the Night” Kim Torres (Costa Rica)
A 2022 Proyecta participant, this coming-of-age film tells the story of a teenager forced to start a new life in an isolated rural village that lives under the shadow of a chilling legend about a monster that devours women. An accomplished short film director, Torres’ work includes “Solo la luna comprenderá” and “Suncatcher,” which have appeared at festivals including Locarno, Morelia and Mar del Plata. Noche Negra produces.
“Gemstones,” Simón Vélez (Colombia)
Another debut, this time from Colombian producer Simón Vélez, “Gemstones” turns on Machado, a Colombian migrant who works as a seasonal employee in France, where a jewelry collector commissions him to return to his home country and steal a valuable emerald. Vélez has previously impressed with short films such as “Big Bridge” and “Los Mayores Ríos Se Deslizan Bajo Tierra” that have competed at Locarno, Valdivia and the Viennale.
