Argentina Taxes Foreign Blockbusters

by Amy Ramirez, contributing blogger

What is the easiest way to boost cultural pride in a country with a vastly underrated cinematic potential? Tax the films that are imposing a Hollywood cultural agenda! Argentina’s National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA) has begun to tax foreign blockbusters in order to promote the advancement of national films. The tariff’s purpose is to avoid Hollywood films populating theatres and overshadowing local films, as Hollywood films often open with 80-120 copies, while a local production normally has 4-10. (Keep in mind, there are only about 900 cinemas in all of Argentina)

The tax rate is something like this: If a movie is shown in 40 theatres, the tariff is set to the equivalent of 300 tickets. If a movie is shown in 120 theatres, the tariff is set to the equivalent of 1,200 tickets. If a movie is shown in more than 120 theatres, the tariff will rise to 2,400 tickets. But this is only for inside the capital, tariffs are cut in half for showings anywhere else in Argentina.

An article on Argentina’s leading film journal, haciendocine.com.ar, voices the general consensus on people’s mixed feelings about the matter. Some think the bar is set “too low” (movies such as Toy Story would have only had to give up 0.3% of their earnings); others think that these tariffs will end up benefitting independent European films (since a foreign movie with a few copies is exempt), and a small minority think this will not change anything, much less stimulate people’s interest in national film.

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

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.

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.

Juan José Campanella is part of the Academy of Motion Pictures

Oscar winning director Juan Jose Campanella

by Tracey Chandler, contributing blogger

Juan José Campanella, the Argentine director that won an Oscar this year for Best Foreign Film with “El Secreto de sus Ojos” (The Secret of their Eyes) is now part of the Academy of Motion Pictures and can now therefore vote for other films that he believes to be worthy of an Oscar.

This is a huge step forward for the credibility and artistic integrity of cinema in Argentina and something that has filled the Argentine director with a great deal of pride.

In addition to Campanella, U2´s Bono was also invited by the Academy of Motion Pictures´ board and the right to vote will be celebrated officially by the Academy in September with a gala to be held in Beverly Hill. It promises to be a very glamorous and glorious event to say the least.

Argentina Cinema Grows Audiences

2009 was a very good year for “cine nacional” in Argentina, with huge gains in local audiences over 2008. Many Argentines complain that the local cinema is boring compared with Hollywood blockbusters, and local producers have listened, turning out high quality films that are filled with comedy and action (as well as some super cool special effects). “Secreto de sus Ojos” (The Secret of their Eyes) had 2.3 million spectators domestically, and this combined with other successes means that there was a 26% increase of viewers over 2008.

National movies increased their box office grosses by 52% over 2008!

There was a 10% decrease in spectators for foreign films in 2009.

This year, 2010, “Dos Hermanos” (two brothers) and “Carancho” are the most successful films.

Thanks to the magazine Haciendo Cine for the data!

Review of Pablo Trapero´s “Carancho” (it’s in Cannes, Baby!)

by Tracey Chandler, Contributing Blogger

If you haven’t yet seen Pablo Trapero’s “Carancho,” then you must! It is an exceptionally well made film, with some fantastic performances by Ricardo Darín (from “El Secreto de sus Ojos“) and Martina Gusmán, wife of the director, in the leading roles. “Carancho” stands an excellent chance of doing very well at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and that Argentina, as a contender for film on a global level, is most definitely a country to begin paying more attention to in the future.

“Carancho” tells the story of Sosa (Ricardo Darín), a “Carancho” (without a true translation in English, but which is used to describe traffic accident lawyers because they circle around dead bodies like vultures and take advantage of the wounded) who falls in love with an emergency services doctor called Luján (Martina Gusmán). Part tragic love story, part intense drama, the film follows Sosa through a series of decisions which day by day spiral out of control until both he and Luján are so deep into a place where they never thought they would be, that even further drastic actions are required to get themselves out of the world within which they find themselves. As Sosa desperately tries to leave behind a life that he no longer wants, with Luján at his side, the corruption and his complicated past seems to meet them at every corner, putting another block in their way and forcing them further along a path of poor decisions