David Caruso set to Shoot Movie in Buenos Aires

by Lauren Pringle, contibutting blogger

Famous for his role in CSI: Miami, the North American actor David Caruso has been location scouting in search of inspiration for his next feature film entitled “Chacarita”. Due to be filmed later on this year, the actor has recently been spotted in the city on a quick stint to search for his co-protagonist and get everything in order.

Having not been on the big screen for 10 years, Caruso seems to have fallen in love with Buenos Aires so much that it has inspired a return. In an interview with Hola, Argentina, Caruso explains his motivations as to what first brought him to Buenos Aires. Having a manager who although born in the USA, has Argentine parents was a great influence on Caruso. He explains his manager consistently insisted he visit Buenos Aires as he was so sure of how he would fall in the love with the city and the people. Caruso jokes “he was not wrong”. He also explains how upon visiting he saw the huge potential that the city has to offer and how he thought it would be a great place to explore and develop a project.

Caruso explains to Hola, “There are few times when i see people so creative and full of empathy. My first visit was in June 2011 and after that I was sold that Buenos Aires is simply marvellous”. He continues as to why in particular he chose to film the production in Argentina. “The potential of this country is amazing and on a global scale, it seems like the perfect moment to start making cinema in other places around the world with new actors and teams of people that can show other cultures and other ways of telling stories. With this new project i hope it will be just the first in exploring new niches. It is also very important to show the cultural link between Latin America and the USA”.

Viggo Mortensen to Debut his First Argentine Film (by the producers of “The Secret in Their Eyes”, no less!)

Argentina Films producer Haddock and Calculus Spanish Films, the same as the Oscar-winning “The secret of their eyes” and “The Widows of Thursday, ” began pre-production on “Everyone has a plan” (Todos Tenemos un Plan) a film written and directed by Ana Piterbarg, which marks the film debut of Viggo Mortensen Argentina.

Mortensen will star in the history of Augustine and Pedro, twin brothers who reunite after ten years of not seeing each other. Peter is sick and asks his brother to help him die. At first, Augustine refuses to help him but when he sees the suffering of his brother, he changes his mind and kills him. The next day, Augustine dresses in the clothes of Pedro and try to start a new life.

In Competition at Cannes from Argentina

The 2011 Cannes film festival will have the short film Soy tan feliz, byVladimir Durán, produced by Gale Cine and Servo Films from Argentina in competition for the Golden Palm award, after winning best short film in the 2011 BAFICI (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival).

Variety Magazine and Director James Ivory Praise Argentina as Film Location

Six time Oscar Winner, Director James Ivory

by Rob Sykes, contributing blogger

What have the United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Prague and Buenos Aires got in common?

Well, according to a recent survey in Variety magazine, they are the top five destinations to shoot cutting edge cinema on the entire planet! The result of conversations with a variety of top US producers, the survey saw the city of ‘Good Air’ gain a more than favourable mention. Unsuprisingly, given its great mix of architectural styles and cosmopolitan vibe, Buenos Aires sits comfortably towards the very top of what is a very exclusive list.

The rest of Argentina hasn’t escaped the attentions of famous filmakers. Six time Oscar winner James Ivory, who completed the filming of The City of Your Final Destination, in Argentina, poured praise on the country:

Film Still from "The City of Your Final Destination"

“Argentina has a long history of filmmaking, wonderful technicians who are very experienced and hardworking, great locations and even though it doesn’t offer tax breaks, relatively inexpensive,” Ivory was quoted as saying in Haciendo Cine Magazine.

This of course is a man who knows his stuff, having been involved in some 30 odd productions over almost 50 years since his directoral debut with 1963s The Householder.

So with the great and good praising Argentina for its cinematic potential, home-grown pictures continuing to flourish and events such as the recent Ventana Sur industry expo exploring all sorts of possibilities, now is a popular time to be making cinema in Argentina!

At San Telmo Productions we’re proud to show filmmakers from around the world the great film destination that is Argentina.

Ventana Sur Wrap Up

Poster for a film that took Ventana Sur by storm!

by Rob Sykes, contributing blogger

What do you get if you let the organizers of Cannes and Argentina’s INCAA throw a few rough cuts, multiple international distributors, and other industry insiders into a room with a giant window? Well if that ‘window’ happens to be Ventana Sur, you set the wheels in motion on a whole lot of deals to sell and distribute films around the world, and raise expectations for great things to come from Latin American cinema in the coming year!

There were some notable success stories for Argentinean production houses in particular at this, the second annual Ventana Sur exposition. For example Cine El Calefon from Córdoba saw its realist, aspirational drama “Yatasto” secure world-wide distribution rights with Figa Films. Director Hermes Paralluelo’s documentary style piece having already penned distribution deals in Spain, and its native Argentina.

Placing Argentinean firms on the other side of the coin, Buenos Aires based sales agents Americine are reportedly in the midst of negotiations to represent several Latin American productions. These include Mexican emigration story “Acorazado”, which gained a great deal of support at the Morelia Festival earlier this year, and another Argentinean production in the shape of the Córdoba (once again!) set comedy “El Dedo” from director Segio Teubal. With rumours abound that they were also negotiating world-wide sales for Hernan Belon’s “Sofia”, and Nemesio Juarez’s political drama “Revolution is an Eternal Dream”, it was an altogether busy week for Americine. Meanwhile Distribution Co. also of Argentina, secured distribution rights for the U.S produced, Sundance Winner,  “Winter’s Bone”.

Venezuela’s Oscar hopeful “Brother” was seen flirting with, and attracting many an interested browser during its days in the window. This hotly tipped social issue soccer drama is perhaps a distant cousin of San Telmo productions’’ own recent soccer based documentary! Ventana Sur saw “Brother” sold to Cineplex for Colombia and Central America, with other Latin American distribution deals expected to follow.

For four days then, the window was full and the browsers and perspective buyers were plenty. Foreign distribution deals were agreed, and sales agents picked up the exciting new productions they came for. All we as cinema fans have to do, is sit back and wait for more powerful, Latin American cinema to jump out through the window, and onto our screens in 2011!

Ventana Sur: Window on South American Film

by Rob Sykes, contributing blogger

The giant cinema shop window that is Ventana Sur is the most important film sales exposition in the entire Latin American region, runs from 3^rd – 6^th December. Now in its second year after a link-up between INCAA and Marché du Film (the organizers behind Cannes festival), Ventana Sur provides connections for the Latin American Film Industry. The four days see various events from training workshops and seminars; lectures and project presentations; business meetings and conferences; and of course, screenings of some fantastic cinema, spread across Buenos Aires.

The broad idea of Ventana Sur is to provide that shop window; a place where the industry professionals, buyers, sales agents, directors and producers can meet to show off their ideas and talent to potential investors, but also to educate and train young (and old!) hopefuls in cinema technique. The events of this nature fall into three main categories. The first, Primer Corte, is a selection of ten Latin American films in the post-production stage being presented by Haciendo Cine, all ten new films winning the right to be digitalized and stored in a video library – as well as the obvious benefits of the exclusive screenings during Ventana Sur. Next, a series of events from Doc BsAs/Latin Side of Doc focus on the improvement of Documentary film making in Latin America, and the development of connections between buyers and filmmakers. Starting a few days earlier than most of the events scheduled, Expotoons (30^th Nov. – 2^nd Dec.), has a similar remit but for the international animation industry.

Of course no week-long cinema expo would be complete without a few show piece screenings, and Ventana Sur has for the second year running teamed up with Thierry Fremaux, General Delegate of The Cannes Film Festival, and the Gaumont Theatre, to host a European Film week. Showing each day from 30^th Nov – 8^th Dec, the week will see various films from the recent past of European cinema. Including a first screening in Capital Federal for Romania’s Tuesday After Christmas which scooped the best actress award for Mirela Oprisor and Maria Popistasu (shared) at last month’s Mar Del Plata film festival.

Mar Del Plata Film Festival, and the winner is…..

by Rob Sykes, contributing blogger

Still from Octubre, winner at Mar del Plata Film Festival

It was a week-long gorge on cutting edge cinema from around the globe at the 2010 Mar del Plata International Film Festival. Whilst opinions were no doubt banded around, divided and reconciled at various times during the week, the real prizes were handed out at Sunday’s glitzy closing ceremony.

Jerzy Skolimowski’s, Essential Killing scooped the best film award. The Polish political thriller also brought home the best actor award for Vincent Gallo’s leading role. Continuing in Eastern Europe, Alexei Fedorchenko claimed the best director gong for Silent Souls, the same film seeing Denis Osokin awarded for his script.

Closer to home, the Vega brothers (Daniel and Diego), took home best Latin American film for their Peruvian, Venezuelan and Spanish backed Octubre, set during Lima’s ‘Lord of Miracles’ celebrations. Argentinean director Lucas Blanco also received a special mention in the same category for his film Amor en Transito, whilst in the shorts section, Gabriel Gauchet was rewarded for his work on Efecto Domino. Meanwhile in the national category, Tamae Garateguy took the prize for her look at Villa (slum) life in Pompeya, and León Tannchen took the shorts prize for Pies.

Ordeal of 33 Trapped Chilean Miners to become Movie

by Rob Sykes, contributing blogger

It's fitting that a televised ordeal will now become a movie

Within hours of the successful rescue of the 33 miners trapped 700 metres below ground in the Atacama Desert close to Copiapó in Northern Chile, speculation was rife about if, and when, a film would be produced. Last week it was announced that already one film is indeed underway; thanks to Colombian Production Company Dynamo Producciones led by executive producer Andrés Calderón and cinematic photographer Alfredo Ruíz who has been in Chile since before the collapse at the entrance to the mine shaft. The parts of the miners are already in the process of being cast, and are expected to be taken by Chileans, with one Bolivian also being cast thus far.

The world watched as the Chilean Miners were rescued.

Furthermore, Argentinean company América Video Films has bought the distribution rights for the forthcoming film, with footage being provided by Canal 13 of Chile. Talks are now underway to see the film, which also has the support of Spanish firm Antena 3, sold to distribution companies in much of Europe (with a Scandinavian deal already done), the United States and Japan. And so, without wishing to trivialize the ordeal of the miners involved, South American cinematic productions, with a little help from Spain, are set to back in front of a world audience, following last year´s enormous international success of Oscar nominated ‘El Secreto de sus Ojos’.

Of course, the story of the brave and unfortunate 33 is something rather unique, and for this it has received international news coverage.

Argentina´s Oscar candidate – Carancho – High Hopes for Another Win

by Amelia Batho, contributing blogger

Carancho, directed by Pablo Tapero, has been chosen to represent Argentina in the 2011 Oscars for ‘Best film in a foreign language’.

It was chosen by a panel from the Academy of Arts and Cinematic science of Argentina, from a selection of five Argentine films. The other unsuccessful choices were,  El Hombre del Lado, Dos Hermanos, Tres Deseos y Sin Retorno (check out some of their reviews in our blog!). Receiving 31% of the votes, Carancho will be the national entry for the competitive category -’Best film in a foreign language’.
Expectation are high as it follows in the very famous footsteps of ‘El secreto de los ojos’, which won the category earlier this year. This is also great news for one of the films protagonists, Ricardo Darin, who has been apart of two other Oscar nominated films in recent years including “El secreto’.

Argentina has won the Oscar for best foreign language flim twice, the first time being for The Official Story in 1985. It seems like films that reflect Argentina’s corrupt political system are most likely to win or get nominated! Let’s see if in the future the Academy will also begin to award the comedies and adventure films from the region.

You can read our review and watch the trailer here.

Hollywood to Remake Argentina’s Oscar Winner “El Secreto de Sus Ojos”

One of the highest grossing Argentine films of all times and 2010′s Oscar Winner for best foreign language film will be remade by Hollywood.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Billy Ray will write and direct a new version of the Argentinian thriller “The Secret in Their Eyes” for Warner Bros., which is in negotiations to acquire the rights. Director and writer Juan Jose Campanella’s adapted the movie from the novel by Eduardo Sacheri.

“The Secret in Their Eyes”

The original film has grossed $6.3 million dollars in the US since its April release and more than $24 million dollars worldwide, and sold more than 2.4 million tickets in Argentina.  The movie had a budget of $8 million dollars.

Mark Johnson (“Donnie Brasco”) is producing the new version, which Ray will re-set in the United States in present day.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. rarely adapts foreign language films for U.S. audiences, but its version of the Hong Kong thriller “Infernal Affairs” became Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed,” which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2006.

Ray recently co-wrote the 2009 thriller “State of Play” and “Source Code,” which Summit is producing for a 2011 release. He has also written and directed “Shattered Glass” and co-written and directed “Breach.”

Ray is also penning a feature adaptation of the Fox TV series “24″ and a script about the 2009 Somali pirate incident for producer Michael De Luca at Columbia.

John Ufland brought the project to Mark Johnson and Ray and will be the executive producer.

This crime thriller will join a long list of Argentine films remade by Hollywood. Most recently, the romantic comedy “Un Novio por mi Mujer” (A Boyfriend for my Wife) was slated to become a vehicle for Steve Carrell.