12th Annual BAFICI: Winners

by Lauren Pringle

BAFICI (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival) fever has swept the city and left many hands golden, including some local talent sweeping the boards with success. The stats prove that this year’s BAFICI was a smash hit. A total of 350 million people participated in this year’s event, 15% more than last year. 230 tickets were sold and it was remarked as a profound event for cinema in Argentina. 449 films were shown including, feature films, shorts and documentaries. There were 111 Argentine titles shown at this year’s festival and an array of independent talent was demonstrated.

Argentina’s Armando Bo’s “The Last Elvis” was received with honours and the week saw an international array of talent take away the top prizes. Best film overall was taken by the Israeli directors Nadav Lapid, “Policeman” who also swept the board with best director. Best Actress went to Zoe Heran for her role in “Tomboy” and Best Actor went to the Argentine Martin Piroyansky for “The Vampire Spider.” Special prize was awarded to Maximiliano Schonfeld for “Germania” and Best Argentinean film went to Gabriel Medina’s “The Vampire Spider”.

With such overwhelming figures, who can complain that the Buenos Aires Film Festival is an annual event to brag about. With so much cinema to see, film selections proved difficult, but I do have to take my hat off to the efficient organization of the festival. I won’t bore you with the highs and lows of the films I saw but rather insight you with some personal favourite flicks. “Crazy and Thief” by Cory McAbee tells the story of an innocent 7 year old sister taking her two year old brother on a mystical adventure. The cinematography was delicate and wonderfully insightful into the beautiful minds of these young beholders. The free events in parque centenario are always a smash hit, (perhaps because they use the word free). However despite being crammed with people the selections are always a good watch.

“Electric Children” by Rebecca Thomas stood out to me particularly for the bizarre and sentimental storyline. The tale follows a southern belle who has an immaculous conception from listening to music. She escapes from her strict Mormon roots and heads to Las Vegas to find the voice of the music tape that impregnated her. A beautiful tale of mystery and hope, the acting was convincing and filled with realism. The cinematic design was simple and interesting to watch. Overall, I would definitely recommend this film as a way to indulge in a teenage fantasy for a few hours.

BAFICI line up Announced!

by Lauren Pringle, Contributing Blogger

Hold onto your hats, the date is growing ever close to the 14th annual Buenos Aires Festival de Cine Independiente (Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival) to be held from April 11^th to April 19^th, 2012. Boasting an array of local and global talent, this year BAFICI will be opened with this year’s smash hit “El ultimo Elvis” (The last Elvis) which documents the story of an Elvis impersonator.  Directed by Helmer Armando Bo, the film has received raving reviews internationally. Closing the country’s biggest festival will be Ursula Meier’s Berlin-winning “L’Enfant d’en haut,” a sibling tale set in a Swiss ski resort.

The festival will screen 449 films from all over the globe with 15 competing for top prizes. Entries include Berlin-screened holiday drama “Salsipuedes” by Mariano Luque, Nadir Medina’s coming-of-age tale “El Espacio entre los dos” (The Space Between Us) and Luis Ortega’s street tale “Dromomanos” (Roamers). Competing for new cinema, the competition seems tough and we see the world premier of “Crazy and Thief,” a childhood adventure tale by American Cory McAbee.

Argentina will be making an impact screening three world premiers: Gabriel Medina’s father and son drama “La Arana vampiro” (The Vampire Spider), Maximiliano Schonfeld’s farm drama “Germania,” and Alejandro Fadel’s “Los Salvajes” (The Wild Ones), which follows a group of kids in the outback.

Other films that have had our ears turning red are:

Chilean Elisa Eliash’s seducer tale “Aqui estoy, aqui no” (Here I Am, Here I’m Not);

American Zach Weintraub’s “The International Sign for Choking,” about a scriptwriter trying to find himself in Buenos Aires;

“La Casa Emak Bakia” (The Search for Emak Bakia), a documentary by Spaniard Oskar Alegria.

Australian Justin Kurzel’s serial killer tale “Snowtown,”

Chilean Cristian Jimenez’s love story “Bonsai“

U.S.-Canadian co-production “Francine,” directed by Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky, about a woman coming out of prison.

Philippine Marlon N. Rivera’s satirical comedy “The Woman in the Septic Tank,”

Dutch helmer Sacha Polak with father-daughter story “Hemel,“

Israeli Nadav Lapid’s “Policeman,” about a clash between anti-terrorist forces and young rebels,

Serbian Maja Milos’ “Clip,” about a sex-crazed teen.

Valerie Massadian’s childhood story “Nana“

Celine Sciamma’s “Tomboy,” about a girl who changes her identity, both from France.

Watch this space carefully for all the latest news and updates of this year’s BAFICI.

You can pre-order tickets now (most showings sell out) and remember to check out the free concerts, talks and children’s cinema programs.

For more information: http://www.bafici.gov.ar/

Tigre Delta: Film Location with water, haunted houses and mansions

Beautiful Tigre Delta. (credit: Andrea Schwartz)

by Lauren Pringle, contributing blogger

Water world, eat your heart out!  The Tigre Delta is an adventurous region that can double for the Vientmamese jungle, the Everglades orLouisiana Bayou and can offer a captivating setting for any film or TV production.

This Calle 13 music video shows a great range of locations, natural and architectual.

Situated half an hour away from the centre of Buenos Aires, the delta extends for many kilometers, containing residential sections with wooden houses on stilts (some shacks, some verable mansions, some haunted looking) and up river turns into a wonderful, luscious and exotic green paradice. What could be better for a romantic or terror film than an exotic delta?

Several famous  productions have been filmed in Tigre. Check out Calle 13’s music video   “Beso de desayuno” video which is filmed in the exotic setting of Tigre or Viggo Mortensen’s 2008 production of “Everybody has a plan” Directed by Ana Piterbarg.

One of the many spooky houses on the Delta, with a bayou feel.

This action packed delta is an ideal location for a production shoot. With the right camera angles, you could use this location to be the Brazilian jungle, the deep and dirty south or even Vietnam. The channels that spider their way through the delta offer a range of picturesque location shots. Once you are inside the delta, there are many coves, hidden lakes and passages with half canopies of trees that drape over the river to add a magical or eerie setting.

Ideal for a romantic, horror or an action packed adventure. Amongst the waterways you will discover lots of houses belonging to famous writers and politicians, along with dishevelled and abandoned abodes that could inspire a ghoulish terror film.

One of the many turn of the century rowing clubs right out of jolly old England.

The town center itself features an amusement park, two train stations (one modern and one old-fashioned) and many elegant boating clubs built in the turn of the centruy that can lend themselves to be mansions right out of Italy or England, depending on the club.

In addition to the location double posibilities, the delta offers many documentary ideas as its people live off the river (even the “busses” are boats!) and live isolated from the metropolis that is Buenos Aires.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1674772/( Movie info for Everybody has a plan)

If you are interested in this or any other location we feature, contact San Telmo Productions to get a quote for your next film or TV production in Argentina.

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”.

Bringing Film and Video Equipment into Argentina

If you are planning on shooting a movie, TV program, photo shoot or documentary in Argentina you are probably considering bringing in your own video, film or photo equipment.

Maybe it is just a Sony EX cam, or a red, or a light kit–you already own it, so why not bring it? But then you find out that Argentina is not a Carnet country. . .

If you are planning on bringing in equipment (even small amounts!) these are the procedures to follow:

1) Have your local production company in Argentina (or fixer) send a letter to get a temporary work visa for every crew member, or at the very least those who are bringing in equipment. The production company or fixer must be registered with the RENURE (registry of companies that work with foreigners). These letters have a minimal cost and you will then use them to get a temporary work visa in your country of origin.

2) You will need to work with a customs broker to obtain temporary import insurance. This insurance ensures that if you don’t leave the countrywith your equipment (the government is scared that you will sell it in Argentina) the insurance company will pay all fines. This cost of this insurance is based on the declared cost of your equipment. It is not refundable if you do leave with all of your equipment.

3) Work with your local production company in Argentina to determine if it is more cost effecient to rent in Argentina or pay the temporary import insurance.

IF IMPORTING CONTAINERS OF EQUIPMENT, THE PROCESS IS A BIT DIFFERENT. . .

At San Telmo Productions, we can help you obtain letters for work visas as we are registered with RENURE and walk you through the import process.  We want to make your experience in Argentina as pleasant as possible and get you in and out of customs as quickly as possible.

Location Double: Argentina’s Medieval Castle Double

by Amy Ramirez, contributing blogger

Who would have thought that a town lost in the suburbs of Buenos Aires could be used as a location double for everything from middle age castles to pirate ports? Quilmes, the staple of Argentine beer, used the town to re-create a pirate port and a Transylvanian castle for the most recent commercial titled, “Historia de la Amistad” which celebrates friendship throughout the ages.

About 30 miles from the center of Buenos Aires lies this quaint medieval replica made entirely from recycled materials. Campanopolis, named after its creator Antonio Campana, contains hundreds of buildings complete with narrow streets, fountains, lakes, footbridges, and even a Dutch windmill!

A mixture between Tim Burton and Disney World, Campanopolis is the perfect location for those looking for a dark and enchanting place that captures the nostalgic allure of childhood fairy tales.

If you want to film in Campanopolis, you will need to contract a local production company to obtain the location permits and legally required insurance coverage. San Telmo Productions is used to helping filmmakers and TV producers from all over the world have great shoots in Argentina.

Review: El Estudiante (The Student)

by Lucy in Baires, contributing blogger

The Student is Roque Espinosa (played by Esteban Lamothe), a young guy from the countryside that comes to Buenos Aires to pursue university studies for the third time. It is not long until he realises that nothing interests him. He shows no vocation and wanders the crowded university halls to make friends and meet girls. One of them, Paula, an associate professor, introduces him to the hotbed of University politics.

The turning point is when he meets Alberto Acevedo, an old retired politician. Next to him, Roque learns politics codes and works with and behind students’ leaders. He feels he’s finally found his calling but not everything is what it seems.

Santiago Mitre, a young promising director, only 30, wrote and directed El Estudiante. It is not his ‘opera prima’ but his name is known for being one of the four directors of El Amor (2004) and one of the co-screenwriters behind Trapero’s movies such as Leonera and Carancho (2010).

The film gives the viewer a facinating look at University politics, which while very insular, has captivated audiences all over the world, including the Special Jury Prize at BAFICI, ADF Prize for Best Photography, FEISAL (Argentine film critics) prize and it is not over yet, as it appeared in the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival and Toronto.

Mitre asked for INCAA (the Argentine Film Board) for funding and was denied hence he had to modify the strategy of shooting unable to afford the costs of reproducing the overcrowded university’s environments. The irony turns up: while the film is entirely fictional and a convincing cast of young actors follow the script, the movie was filmed in the halls of the Faculty of Social Sciences with real students and the Students Centre’s help.

Review: “Vaquero” a Post-Modern Western

by Amy Ramirez, contributing blogger

Vaquero (cowboy):  A masculine archetype that probably exists in every culture that has ever been exposed to John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or has known firsthand the creeping solitude and imminent danger of navigating through a vast blob of “no man” land on an icy desert night. Well, Juan Minujin’s “Vaquero” is nothing like that. The John Wayne and Clint Eastwood heroes are exchanged for a passive-aggressive Porteño (Buenos Aires) actor that spends an hour and half contemplating the icy dessert of his innermost thoughts.  Sounds like a fun flick? Surprise, surprise, it is actually very entertaining, keeping you on the edge of your seat!

Check out the trailer, with English subtitles:

Told entirely through the perspective of the protagonist, the entire film is a slightly discomforting yet intensely alluring narration of his sporadic thoughts being constantly interrupted by the characters that surround our fallen hero. Despite your inevitable disdain for Julian Lamar (Minujin) you can’t help but empathize with him.

Lamar, the 33 year old actor, is desperately looking to advance his career in show business. He seeks to get his foot in a world he does not feel a part of, so he finagles his way into an audition for a western by a famous Hollywood director. Plot is a big part of this story, so I don’t want to reveal much because it’s worth the anticipation.  The clear, fast-paced story line picks up in the middle of something and ends in the middle of something else, making the 87 minute film feels like a quick excerpt.

“Vaquero” is Juan Minujin’s directorial debut. Mainly a theatre actor, he has had the lead roles in Victor Gonzalez’s “El Cielo Elegido,” and Anahi Bernini’s “Un Año Sin Amor.”  Director of photography, Lucio Bonelli, close-ups and purpose-oriented shaky cam do a great job at capturing Julian’s anxiousness and awkward intensity.

We hope to see more films by Minujin, both as an actor and a director.

http://www.vaquerolapelicula.com.ar/

Review: “Un Cuento Chino” More than half a million Spectators!

by Henrietta Worthington, contributing blogger

Written and directed by Sebastián Borensztein, “Un cuento chino” explores the idea of chance and the arbitrariness of events. This is Borensztein’s third feature film staring Ricardo Darin (star of Oscar winning “El secreto de sus ojos” and Oscar nominated “El hijo de la novia”). The film is distributed by Disney and more than half a million spectators have seen the movie, being topped only by the animated “Rio”.

Buenos Aires Big Screen Dreams

A great article written by our friend Sorrel Moseley-Williams

“Although El secreto de sus ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) – a film with big names and a bigger budget estimated at US$2m – returned Argentine cinema to the spotlight after snapping up the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2010, the local industry is alive and kicking thanks to hundreds of independent filmmakers who are waiting for their moment to shine like an anxious extra. . .

“Buenos Aires is a great location as it can adopt the persona of a European or Latin American city,” says Francisco Cabrera, Minister of Economic Development for Buenos Aires. More than 600 productions used the capital as their location last year, and given the growing demand the ministry founded BA Set and the Buenos Aires Film Commission in 2010 to facilitate directors’ shoots.”     Read more at

http://www.oryxinflightmagazine.com/south-america/buenos-aires-big-screen-dreams.html