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Chile’s Paulina García, winner of the Berlinale Silver Bear for her turn in Sebastián Lelio’s “Gloria,” is teaming up once more with Panamanian filmmaker Ana Endara following their success in “Beloved Tropic,” which has won a clutch of awards worldwide.

Their next project together, “Victoria in the Clouds” (“Victoria en las nubes”), participates in the Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum at the upcoming San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain where “Beloved Tropic” vied for the Horizontes Latinos Award last year.

García plays 65-year-old coffee grower Victoria who challenges a real estate project that encroaches on her land and disrupts her life. Growing friction with her long-time employee reveals a world in flux. As changes swirl around her, she’s compelled to question the privileges that have long sustained her comfortable way of life.

“Following ‘Beloved Tropic,’ this new film unfolds in the lush coffee landscapes of Panama. We are...

Netflix has unveiled a diverse slate of 10 new Colombian productions set to debut over the coming year, as the streamer continues to expand its investment in local-language storytelling across Latin America.

The new titles span a mix of original dramas, returning series, and nonfiction projects, including the conclusion of several established franchises and dramatizations of real-life events from Colombia’s recent past. The company’s continued local push in Colombia comes as anticipation builds for the second and final season of its adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, expected to debut sometime next year.

Among the new titles is Palace (Palacio), a dramatization of the 1985 siege of Colombia’s Palace of Justice by the M-19 guerrilla group. Directed by Jayro Bustamante, Edgar Nito and Samir Olivares, with Natalia Santa serving as showrunner, the series revisits the 27-hour standoff and its long-lasting national impact. The show...

Netflix is revving up production in Colombia as it revels in the success of its mega-budget series “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” In the lead up to Season 2 of the series adaptation debuting next year, Netflix is unveiling nine other titles, some based on actual events, others produced by seasoned television networks Rcn and Caracol as well as a feature film spin-off and a soccer docu-series. “Every corner of Colombia has a story and… every story deserves its own voice,” the company pronounced. Four other shows dropped earlier this year, including Laura Restrepo adaptation “Delirio” on July 18.

In an exclusive interview with Variety, Netflix VP of Latin American Content Paco Ramos said that the streamer had been “working hard to shape a strong local content strategy in Colombia,” pointing out that historically, the ecosystem had been dominated by linear television, and more recently, by complex productions from streamers and inbound projects from the U.

Shudder shared a first look at its new, unscripted horror-based competition series “Guts & Glory” at San Diego Comic-Con. The show will premiere Sept. 9 on the platform and AMC+ with its first two episodes, with new episodes set to release on Tuesdays.

The six-episode series, which comes from award-winning special effects artist and executive producer Greg Nicotero, flips the script on the traditional competition show – thrusting players into an immersive

horror experience full of unexpected challenges, where they are confronted with their fears in various scenarios.

In addition to Nicotero, who serves as showrunner, the series’ executive producers include Brian Witten from Monster Agency Productions, Chris Wagner from White Label, and Andrew Molina from Salaryman. Jeffrey F. January serves as co-executive producer, while AMC Studios produces.

Executive Producer Greg Nicotero in “Guts & Glory.” (Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC) Bradi, Josh, Brian, Dujuan, Kolbie, Lucien, Makayla, Alexis in “Guts & Glory.” (Curtis Bonds Baker...

Gender-based violence and femicide continue to be an appalling issue worldwide – the Un reports that partners and family members alone intentionally killed a woman every ten minutes in 2023. Guatemala has one of the highest incidences of these crimes and the involvement of the state in the violence came into the spotlight in 2017 when 41 girls died in a fire at a state-run ‘safe house’ because police guards refused to release them from the locked room where the blaze had begun.

That story was given a magic realist reimagining by Jayro Bustamante in Rita (2024) and he is one of the executive directors of this elegantly constructed and moving documentary charting one community’s response to it and other crimes of violence against women.

In Ciudad Peronia, about an hour by car away from where the safe house deaths happened, Peronia Adolescente is a grassroots youth...

Gathered at the Costa Rica Media Market, Latin American industry leaders took the temperature of the independent film scene in the region, zooming into how to successfully enter major markets such as the U.S. and Europe, as well as how to foment and grow local burgeoning industries.

Producer Lynette Coll (“In The Summers”) spoke about starting label Luz Films in 2024 after years of working within the studio system in the U.S. and realizing that “the stories of Latinos, within both Latin America and the U.S., don’t tell the correct perspective.” “It’s always the stereotypes, and they give us much less money to make movies and don’t market them. We both quit our jobs to start a company to make movies from the perspective of the Latin American community and also to unite the U.S. and Latin America.”

“In this context, it’s a constant fight,...

Chile’s Paulina Garcia, winner of the Berlinale Silver Bear for her performance in Sebastian Lelio’s “Gloria” and whose latest pic, Ana Endara’s “Beloved Tropic,” plays at the Costa Rica Film Festival, has boarded “Love is the Monster” by Neto Villalobos, best known for his comedies “Helmet Heads” and “All About the Feathers.”

For his third feature, Villalobos dives into the thriller genre for the first time with a story set against the backdrop of a tropical dystopia. “Love is the Monster” follows a seventy-year-old grandmother (Garcia) who is faced with the end of her life. Determined to make the most of the time she has left, she seeks to grow closer to her six-year-old granddaughter. But when an unforeseen threat puts everything she holds dear at risk, she must confront how far she’s truly willing to go.

“’Love is the Monster’ is born from a deeply...

Chilean actress Antonia Zegers, whose notable credits include several of Pablo Larraín’s films, including “Tony Manero,” “The Club,” “No,” and his Pinochet-as-Dracula pic, “The Count,” has boarded the upcoming drama “The Comeback” (“El Regreso”) by Peru’s Joanna Lombardi.

Zegers, who also toplined Lucia Puenzo’s lauded series “The Pack” (“La Jauria”), Marcela Said’s “Los Perros” and Belén Funes’ “The Exiles,” serves as a juror at the Ibero-American Fiction section of the ongoing 40th Guadalajara Film Festival (Ficg), wrapping on June 14.

“What first drew me in was the chance to work with Joanna – there’s a quiet strength in her, a way of seeing the world that speaks to me. I trust that together, we’ll create something truly special,” she told Variety.

Lombardi is a former creative executive for Movistar in Latin America and leading Peruvian shingle Tondero Films. Her directorial feature debut “Casadentro” won Montreal Festival...

Sam Zimmerman has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions at Shudder, the horror-focused streaming service of AMC Networks, the company announced on Thursday.

Most recently serving as VP of Programming, Zimmerman is personally involved in nearly every aspect of Shudder, including the detailed curation of the streamer’s content. Going forward, he will continue to lead programming for Shudder as it marks its 10-year anniversary. Based in New York, he will continue to work alongside SVP of Acquisitions and Productions, Emily Gotto, and report to Scott Shooman, Head of AMC Networks’ Film Group, encompassing IFC Films, Rlje Films and Shudder’s film division.

“It’s so fitting, as we celebrate 10 years of Shudder, that we also celebrate Sam Zimmerman’s incredible contributions to the service and to the horror genre,” said Shooman. “His expert curatorial approach and passion for bringing audiences engaging and unexpected experiences, whether...

At the Panama Int’l Film Festival (Iff Panama) to present his latest film “Rita” and give a masterclass, Guatemala’s acclaimed filmmaker Jayro Bustamante sat down with Variety to discuss his upcoming projects, “Mountains of Fire” (“Cordillera de Fuego”) which has just completed post-production, and his first comedy, the adaptation of 1998 Spanish romcom “Nada en la nevera” (roughly translated to “Nothing in the Fridge”).

Bustamante, whose films have represented his country three times in the Oscars’ Best International Feature category, is known for using the power of film for dealing with such thorny issues as Indigenous rights, systemic oppression and LGBTQ+ rights.

“Mountains of Fire” began as a social awareness project, which he decided would be more impactful as a feature film, according to Bustamante, who spent his childhood in a Mayan community by Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán.

In the action drama penned by Bustamante, Luis Pineda and Margarita Kénefic,...

Led by Ana Endara’s widely acclaimed feature debut “Beloved Tropic,” this year’s standouts vying for the Panama Film Festival’s (Iff Panama) Audience Award includes such gems as Guatemalan Jayro Bustamante’s latest opus, “Rita,” Mexico’s Sundance winner, “Sujo,” Berlinale Best Director winner Nelson Carlo de los Santos’ “Pepe,” a smattering of documentaries and more animated features such as “Olivia and the Clouds,” sign of a burgeoning interest in Central America for the genre. Iff Panama runs April 3 – 6.

“Beloved Tropic” (“Querido tropico”) Ana Endara, Panama, Colombia

The opening night film. Winner of the festival’s Su Mirada post-production award last year. Director Ana Endara’s fiction feature debut is set in Panama City where it follows Ana María, a Colombian caregiver hiding a secret, and Mercedes, a high-society woman (played by Paulina García) facing early dementia. As their lives intertwine, they form an unexpected bond, navigating caregiving...

In a bid to grab the attention of younger audiences, the 13th Panama International Film Festival (Iff Panama) has included a mélange of comedies, thrillers, animation and genre pics amid the docs, dramas and arthouse fare in its program.

“We aim to engage and inspire younger generations to return to the cinema,” said Karla Quintero, who took over festival director duties last year from Iff Panama board president Pituka Ortega-Heilbron who has been focusing on her film projects.

To captivate them even more, outdoor screenings are free as always. The festival has a number of lauded animation pics this year, led by award-winning “Olivia & the Clouds,” “Ainbo – Spirit of the Amazon” and biopic “Hola, Frida!”

“El Brujo: Julio Zachrisson” by Panama’s Felix “Trillo” Guardia is an animated docu-feature world premiering at the fest while Luis Tosar rom-com “Samana Sunrise” is having its international premiere following its debut in...

Directed by Steven C. Miller and starring Frank Grillo, Werewolves follows a group of scientists who are trying to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves during a super moon. Blending action and horror, Werewolves is the type of movie that delivers exactly what it promises: 90 minutes of exhilarating, turn-your-brain-off fun.

Steven C. Miller Werewolves Interview

Yet as influential as the werewolf subgenre is for horror, it’s not one that sees many new entries. You might see dozens of vampire movies or zombie movies in any given year, but very few — if any — werewolf films. Werewolves director Steven C. Miller explains why he thinks more filmmakers don’t attempt to tackle the werewolf subgenre:

“First of all, they’re just hard to make,” says Miller. “They’re difficult to get right, so I think that deters a lot of studios — even independent financiers — from trying to make them...

Jayro Bustamante’s “Rita” (2024) is a Guatemalan magical realist horror film that fits smugly in the dark fantasy genre bracket. Written and directed by Bustamante, it is now streaming on Shudder. The film revolves around a 13-year-old girl who finds herself trapped in a government institution after running away from her abusive father’s house. While claiming to be safe for girls like her, the institution hides its uglier side, guided by a deeply regressive mindset. The film critiques these societal foes using fantastical elements. It portrays these girls as angels with wings, summoned by witches. These angels need to fit in a mold to be ideal. If not, they are forced to feel ashamed of themselves. If you are wondering what happens in the final moments, see the ending explained here.

Spoilers Ahead

Rita (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:

“Rita” on Shudder is a magical realist horror film that follows...

Writer/director Jayro Bustamante was determined to shine light on one of the more harrowing stories in recent Guatemalan history in his new film Rita, even if there would be pushback from the government. The mind-bending dark fantasy chronicles 13-year-old Rita (Giuliana Santa Cruz), who escapes her neglectful household only to get placed in an oppressive state-run orphanage. Its the place where, in real life, 56 low-income girls and adolescents were burned in March 2017. Forty-one of them died, and 15 survived. But reports of sexual violence and possible trafficking within the home had been rampant for some time.

Bustamante, the director behind 2019s La Llorona, another haunting film (which is in The Criterion Collection), was vigilant in his efforts here. In a recent interview with MovieWeb, the filmmaker said he wanted to capture the story in a unique way that would stick with the audience hence the angel wings featured on the...

Writer and director Jayro Bustamante is an award-winning Guatemalan filmmaker specializing in crafting uniquely interesting films, sometimes blending elements of reality and fantasy together. He's best known for his 2015 debut feature, Ixcanul, which won Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. Now, he's helped to usher the first co-production between Guatemala and the United States with Rita, a movie that embraces magical realism by blending fantastical elements with real events. The movie's story and characters also manage to impress thanks to an engaging presentation that doesn't hold back on its disturbing elements.

Rita, directed by Jayro Bustamante, follows a 13-year-old girl who flees her abusive father to find refuge in an urban landscape. Her journey takes a turn when she's placed in a state-run safe house, where she and her cellmates plan an escape, culminating in a shocking act of violence.

Director Jayro BustamanteRelease Date November 22, 2024Writers Jayro BustamanteCast Isabel Aldana,...

A ghostly apparition clamored for justice in Jayro Bustamante’s blazing political horror “La Llorona,” about the genocide of Indigenous people in Guatemala. In the genre, the Central American auteur found a piercing vehicle to discuss the sociopolitical afflictions of his homeland. With “Rita,” Guatemala’s entry for the international feature Oscar (Bustamante’s third time representing the country), he returns to this mode for a gritty, dark fantasy based on an unspeakable 2017 tragedy involving young girls placed in a government-run shelter, which remains unpunished today. To disclose further details about the case would spoil “Rita,” but it suffices to say no happy resolution came to pass.

Thirteen-year-old Rita (Giuliana Santa Cruz) has landed at a facility for troubled girls — somewhere between a juvenile detention center and an orphanage — after escaping abhorrent abuse at home. But the conditions there are more akin to that of a rundown prison. Girls in...

There is a secret language that only girls of a certain age know, a way of being that is magical and mystical and full of strange beauty and terror, or so it would seem. Outsiders mock it, belittling those who speak it; but nevertheless it persists, because girls know that they will be mocked no matter what they do. Others, monstrous adults, fetishise it, putting it on a pedestal only to crush it when given the chance; but nevertheless it persists, because fragile as it may seem, it is born of resistance, creating a space for those denied the chance to flourish in the world at large. This language suffuses Jayro Bustamante’s latest piece of cinema of resistance. It restores breath and light and dignity to girls who are no longer a part of the world. There is blistering anger in its melange of baubles and feathers and tulle.

Jayro Bustamante’s creative choice to tell a very real, utterly horrifying story by infusing magic realism into it may seem odd at first. But Rita’s subject matter would’ve been too disturbing to translate on screen had it not been enveloped by that fairytale factor. Hell, it might even have proved way too much for the young girls who star in Bustamante’s film about a Guatemalan tragedy, especially considering that most of these girls were debuting with this film. Rita is a harrowing reminder of what happened to the children in Virgen de la Asuncion, a state-run safe house that was supposed to be a sanctuary for kids who had no one outside.

Spoiler Alert

What happens in the film?

Growing up in a household with a father who molested her and a mother who turned a blind eye didn’t leave much space for Rita to still believe in happy endings.

Jayro Bustamante follows 2019's critically acclaimed Criterion release La Llorona with another captivating Guatemalan exposé in Shudder's Rita. Where La Llorona speaks volumes about ruthless genocidal war crimes, Rita mirrors Issa López's outstanding Tigers Are Not Afraid as a heartbreaking juvenile fairy tale. Bustamante fictionalizes the events of Guatemala's tragic 2017 orphanage fire through fantastical illustrations that empower the voiceless. Forty-one girls died locked inside their Virgen de la Asunción dorm, in a government-run shelter, and Bustamante beautifully honors their rebellious spirits through Rita's powerful retelling. A preservation of history on recaptured terms, a spark that combats blanketed darkness.

Giuliana Santa Cruz stars as Rita, a 13-year-old survivor of an abusive father whose reward is being sent to a state-run home for parentless children. Rita observes her surroundings, which she describes as a prison filled with "super-powered" girls. There are fairies, angels, and other types who swear to escape the...

Rita

It was an incident that shocked Guatemala, claiming the lives of 41 girls, but behind it lay a still more shocking truth. The fire at the Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home (Hogar Seguro) in San José Pinula, in March 2017, was started by the girls themselves in an effort to force staff at the home to release them from a room where they had been locked following an escape attempt. They were desperate to get away from an institution where they had been routinely hired out for rape and abuse.

Jayro Bustamante

The story came to worldwide attention in 2020 thanks to Oscar-nominated short Saria, and this year, Jayro Bustamante has explored it in a full length feature film, Rita, using magical realist techniques to give a voice to the victims. The film has been a hit on the international festival circuit , but what really matters...

Guatemala isn’t known for having a particularly vibrant film industry, but filmmaker Jayro Bustamante is trying his best to change that. His third feature, the acclaimed horror-tinged drama La Llorona, got the international spotlight when it made the shortlist for Best International Feature at the 93rd Oscars. Now, his fourth film — Rita — is Guatemala’s submission for this year’s awards.

Inspired by a true story, Rita tells the story of a teenager placed in an abusive state-run orphanage, where a tragedy occurs as they plan an escape. It’s a dark fantasy full of magical realism, reminiscent of some of the modern classics of Latin American cinema like Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.

We at FandomWire got to speak with Bustamante about Rita and his approach to telling such a harrowing, tragic story through magical realism. Check out the full interview below!

Rita Interview Giuliana Santa Cruz...

Camila José Donoso’s “Antitropical,” William Reyes’ “Eva,” and Manuel Ponce de Leon’s “In All My Journeys I Am Returning” are potential highlights at this year’s Ventana Sur industry centrepiece, its Primer Corte, and Copia Final pix-in-post screenings.

Penned with “Chile, ’76” co-scribe Alejandra Moffat, the fourth film from José Donoso whose “Nona: If They Soak Me, I’ll Burn Them” saw limited theatrical release, “Antitropical” marks a step up in scale, says producer Roberto Doveris (“The Prince”).

Marking history in the making, “Eva” is the first film financed by the Honduran Institute of Cinematography. Produced with a sense of solidarity between Colombia, whose Candelaria Films produced with Reyes own Opida label and Fosforito Films, the production was boarded as an an associate producer by Jayro Bustamante’s high-flying La Casa de Producción which trained the non-pro cast.

Luciana Piantanida’s “All the Strength,” Carlos Sánchez Giraldo’s...

Matt Brodlie and Jonathan Kier’s Upgrade Productions has begun talks with international buyers at AFM on Rita, Jayro Bustamante’s latest genre title that has been selected as Guatemala’s Oscar submission.

Bustamante’s follow-up to his horror La Llorona received its world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal over the summer when it won the best cinematography award, in addition to several other awards on the circuit.

Rita brings the filmmaker’s signature blend of genre and fierce social conscience. Based on the deadly Guatemalan orphanage fire that claimed the lives of 41 girls in 2017, the story...

Shudder is undoubtedly the best horror streaming platform available since it is solely dedicated to bringing the best horror the industry has to offer. Founded in 2015, the video-on-demand streaming service offers a diverse selection of films, from vintage titles to the most recent originals and exclusives.

In October 2024, for example, Shudder released numerous highly entertaining horror films, including Azrael, The Exorcism, and MadS. However, the streamer has prepared a plethora of movies for horror geeks in the following month, ranging from renowned franchises such as Chucky and Children of the Corn to the newest arrivals like Black Cab and Rita. With that in mind, let's take a look at what Shudder has to offer in November 2024.

The J-Horror Virus Streaming November 1

When it comes to filmmaking, Japanese horror has long had a distinct tradition emphasizing psychological horror featuring vengeful spirits known as Yurei. The J-Horror Virus is a new horror...

The all-horror streaming service Shudder has announced its full November 2024 lineup this week, with new originals, exclusives and catalogue titles headed our way next month.

The streamer previews, “Shudder’s “Season of Screams” programming event continues with an epic lineup of new film releases, series, specials and live watch parties on Shudder TV through December 13!” Read on for the full November 2024 lineup from Shudder…

Doc Of Chucky – November 1

Shudder Original Film

Directed by Thommy Hutson

Available in US, CA, Au, Nz, Uki

The ultimate account of the Child’s Play film franchise and Chucky, a horror villain for the ages. With contributions from cast, crew, critics, historians, and experts, as well as clips, photographs, archival documents, behind-the-scenes footage, and more, experience the making-of story that proves you can’t keep a good guy down in a series of films that have created an icon.

Black Cab – November 8

Shudder Original Film

Directed...

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If you are a horror fan then there is a big chance that you might have heard about the horror streaming service Shudder, and if you have its subscription you might be wondering what’s in store for you in October 2024. Don’t worry there is a host of new and old horror movies coming to the service in the upcoming month and we have listed the 10 best movies coming to Shudder in November 2024.

Curse of Chucky (November 1)

Curse of Chucky is a supernatural slasher horror thriller film written and directed by Don Mancini. The 2013 film is sixth entry in the Child’s Play franchise and it follows Nica after her mysteriously dies and she begins to suspect that the red-haired doll her niece has been playing with is behind the killings. Curse of Chucky stars Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti,...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival has unveiled its audience and jury award honorees for its 2024 edition, which ran from Oct. 17-24 at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations.

Taking home the best film and best ensemble awards from the Dark Matter Jury was “Dead Talents Society” from writer-director John Hsu. The comedy horror, starring Bo-lin Chen, Sandrine Pinna and Gingle Wang, follows a ghost who joins a supernatural talent agency in hopes of becoming an urban legend.

Emma Benestan won best director from the Head Trip Jury, which honors films that deviate from the typical horror formula. Her film, “Animale,” follows a young bullfighter who begins noticing disturbing changes after a violent incident in the ring. Cast members include Oulaya Amamra, Damien Rebattel and Vivien Rodriguez.

For the Shorts Jury, Grace Rex’s script for “The Shadow Wrangler” took home best screenplay. Following an audiobook narrator tortured by...

The AMC Networks November 2024 schedule includes the season finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol and the premiere of Acorn TV’s new original detective series Inspector Ellis, starring Olivier Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Sharon D Clarke.

The month also features new film premieres, including AMC+ deep-sea thriller The Last Breath, Allblk original rom-com The Contract, and Sundance Now’s true crime documentary Dickweed on Legalization Day, among other new series, films, and specials.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol

Shudder’s “Season of Screams” lineup continues with the debut of the series The Creep Tapes, based on the cult films Creep and Creep 2, from writers and executive producers Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice.

The schedule includes new films, such as Doc of Chucky, an in-depth look at an iconic franchise; the Nick Frost-led Black Cab; dark orphanage tale Rita,...

Daddy’s Head reunites director Benjamin Barfoot and writer Danny Morgan, Shudder will release the film in the UK.

Double Date, which is currently available to stream via Amazon Prime, is a fun, dark comedy horror from 2017. Directed by Benjamin Barfoot and written by Danny Morgan – who also co-stars alongside Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging star Georgie Groome, Michael Socha and Kelly Wenham – the plot concerns two men, Alex and Jim, the latter of whom struggles to talk to women. They meet two girls whose hobby is murdering men. Things do not go well.

The cast also featured Dexter Fletcher and Rosie Cavaliero, was met with critical acclaim and was nominated for a BIFA award for effects.

Their next film is horror Daddy’s Head. According to Screen Daily, streaming service Shudder has acquired and will distribute in the UK.

The synopsis, as reported by Deadline in 2023 when the film went into production,...

Shudder has acquired North America, UK & Ireland and select territories to Daddy’s Head, Benjamin Barfoot’s follow-up to his Edinburgh film festival selection Double Date written by and starring former Screen International/FrightFest Genre Rising Star Danny Morgan.

Barfoot’s sophomore feature stars Julia Brown from BBC wartime series World On Fire and Rupert Turnbull from family musical Nativity Rocks! in the story of a boy and his recently widowed stepmother who are visited by a strange creature that appears to mimic a horrifying version of the boy’s recently deceased father.

The film is produced by Matthew James Wilkinson...

French epic The Count Of Monte-Cristo has won the Cheval Noir award for best film at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival.

The Canadian genre festival’s top prize was bestowed on directors Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre De La Patelliere at Fantasia’s jury awards ceremony on Saturday (July 27), in the middle of the festival’s July 18-Aug 4 run.

The ceremony, at Montreal’s Cinéma du Musée, was hosted by Fantasia’s artistic director and director of international programming Mitch Davis.

The Count Of Monte-Cristo, the latest screen version of Alexandre Dumas’ literary classic, made its debut out of...

A young girl endures brutalization at the hands of her caregivers in a Guatemalan home for girls in Rita, director Jayro Bustamante’s eagerly anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed La Llorona. Bustamante once again draws from his country’s dark past to create a magical realist horror fantasy filled with spirits, faeries, and angels in conflict with the evil that men do. It’s a harrowing, heartbreaking examination of both the oppression of the downtrodden and the exploitation that lead to a real-life 2017 tragedy that claimed the lives of forty-one young girls, and it is exceptional. When we meet Rita (Giuliana Santa Cruz), she is on her way to an institution designed to care for wayward girls. She’s just run away from her abusive father...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Fantasia International Film Festival kicks off its 28th edition this week, running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montreal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. That means multiple weeks of dense genre programming, buzzy premieres, and more.

The festival is set to debut Chuck Russell’s Witchboard remake, the Mike Flanagan-presented found footage Shelby Oaks, the latest from La Llorona filmmaker Jayro Bustamante, Steven Kostanski’s Frankie Freako, and more, but there’s a wealth of titles beyond the high profile titles worth seeking out.

Here are five horror movies to keep an eye out for at this year’s fest, from festival darlings to fresh debuts.

The Beast Within

The narrative debut of filmmaker Alexander J. Farrell explores the duality of werewolves with a Grimm fairy tale-like twist. Stopmotion’s Caoilinn Springall stars as Willow,...

The 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival descends on Montreal July 18 for 3 weeks of wild, and wondrous cinema. Included among the official selections in the 2024 program are some of the years most anticipated horror releases, hidden gems from around the world, and even free events with acclaimed filmmakers, including Mike Flanagan! This year’s program includes E.L. Katz’s action-packed dialog-free post-apocalyptic nightmare Azrael, as well as In Our Blood a found footage shocker from documentarian-turned-horror-maestro Pedro Kos, and Rita from Jayro Bustamante who’s 2019 sleeper hit La Llorona grabbed the indie horror scene by the throat.

Needless to say, there are hundreds of movies at Fantasia that we can’t wait to sink our teeth into (including something called Chainsaws Are Singing which the fest has described as “Monty Python meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets Les Misérables!?!). Below are the 10 horror movies we’re most excited to see and review for...

Shudder have announced that they have acquired Jayro Bustamante's latest pic Rita and will release it on the platform on November 22nd. Rita will have its World Premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival on Thursday, July 25th. Thirteen-year-old Rita (Giuliana Santa Cruz) finds herself incarcerated in an all-girls protective custody facility, after fleeing a horrendously abusive home life to seek freedom in the city. The girls in her overcrowded section tell of a prophecy, that a warrior angel will arrive to free them all from a life of destitution, incarceration, and enforced prostitution. When she’s handed a pair of wings of her own, which all the girls in her quarters wear too, it’s up to Rita to work out whether she will fulfil the...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The writer/director behind the 2019 Golden Globe-nominated La Llorona, Jayro Bustamante, is back with another historical-based genre fable in Rita. Deadline reports today that Rita has been acquired by Shudder.

The film will be released on Shudder on November 22, 2024.

Rita follows a 13-year-old “who, while fleeing a neglectful household, is placed in an oppressive state-run orphanage. Rita’s arrival provides a glimmer of hope to the girls inside, who share a prophecy that an angel will appear to release them. Encouraged by one another, the girls plan an escape to claim their freedom and expose the orphanage’s abuses of power. Based on the true story behind one of Guatemala’s most harrowing tragedies — the orphanage fire of 2017, which took the lives of 41 girls — Rita shines a light on the brave orphans whose fight for survival inspired a nationwide outcry for justice and reform.”

Giuliana Santa Cruz, Alejandra Vasquez, Ángela Quevedo,...

Exclusive: AMC Networks’ genre streamer Shudder has acquired the fantasy pic Rita from Jayro Bustamante, the writer-director behind its Golden Globe-nominated La Llorona, ahead of the film’s Fantasia Film Festival world premiere. Starring Giuliana Santa Cruz, Bustamante’s fourth feature will release on the platform on November 22.

Rita follows a 13-year-old of the same name, who while fleeing a neglectful household, is placed in an oppressive state-run orphanage. Rita’s arrival provides a glimmer of hope to the girls inside, who share a prophecy that an angel will appear to release them. Encouraged by one another, the girls plan an escape to claim their freedom and expose the orphanage’s abuses of power. Based on the true story behind one of Guatemala’s most harrowing tragedies — the orphanage fire of 2017, which took the lives of 41 girls — Rita shines a light on the brave orphans whose fight for survival inspired...

Jessica Alba, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Catherine O’Hara, and S.S. Rajamouli, director of “Rrr,” are among the 487 artists and executives invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. With all expected acceptances, AMPAS membership will rise to 10,910 from 10,817 last year, with 9,934 members eligible to vote in the upcoming 97th Oscars in 2025—an increase from last year’s 9,375.

This year’s invitees include 44% women, a 4% increase from 2023, and 41% from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, marking a significant 7% rise. The actors, casting directors, costume designers, documentary, executives, makeup artists and hairstylists branches have invited more women than men. The actors, directors, documentary, and writers branches mainly comprised artists from underrepresented communities.

The directors branch features the most impressive array of filmmakers from both international and domestic spheres, such as Lila Avilés (“Totem”), Jayro Bustamante (“La Llorona”), Jd Dillard (“Devotion”), Alice Diop (“Saint Omer”), Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You...

The world premiere of Ant Timpson’s Bookworm starring Elijah Wood will open the 28th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal running July 18-August 4.

Wood reunites with his Come To Daddy director on the story of a has-been illusionist who reunites with the 11-year-old daughter he has never met, a voracious reader who dreams of proving the existence of a mythological beast. Nell Fisher from Evil Dead Rise also stars.

Second wave selections include the world premiere of The Beast Within starring Kit Harington from Game Of Thrones. Documentary filmmaker Alexander J. Farrel’s narrative feature debut tells...

The cast of Ed Brubaker’s graphic novel series Criminal is coming together with the addition of Adria Arjona in a series regular role. She joins previously announced, Richard Jenkins.

Criminal is an interlocking universe of crime stories based on the multi-Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series created by Brubaker and Sean Phillips.

Arjona will bring to life Greta, a sharp-tongued top-level car thief and driver and the widowed mother of Angie. Ever since her husband died in a bank job gone bad, Greta has been battling with herself about how to escape the only life she’s ever known – and the only place she’s ever thrived. The problem is, she’s good at this. She’s looking for a big score, a lump of money she can use like a gun to shoot her and Angie out of this life and into another one.

As Deadline previously revealed exclusively,...

The Argentina pavilion may be absent from the Cannes Croisette this year amid an ongoing national funding crisis, yet the head of the country’s film academy remained unbowed, declaring, “We are here for our industry.”

Academy president Hernán Findling said, “The Academy will defend and promote Argentinian cinema. We have a long tradition and we’re doing whatever we can to share how important our national industry is.”

Referring to the suspension of public film body Incaa, Academy vice president Sabrina Farji said, “We’re very worried because we don’t know how many films there will be here next year.

Andor and Hit Man’s Adria Arjona is to star alongside Emilio Perez, American Crime Story and Carlos’ Edgar Ramirez in Jayro Bustamante’s dystopian thriller El Sombreron.

The feature is being launched at Cannes by The Match Factory which will represent worldwide sales outside of North America. CAA Media Finance will handle North American rights. Jayro Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark, and Sergio Lira and Lynette Coll for Luz Films serve as producers.

Bustamante’s previous crime horror La Llorona won Bustamente the GdA’s Best Director and Best Film awards in Venice Days.

Adria Arjona and Edgar Ramirez, the Golden Globe-nominated actor of “American Crime Story” and “Carlos,” have been tapped to star in “El Sombreron,” a dystopian thriller from Jayro Bustamante, the acclaimed director of “La Llorona” (2019) and “Ixcanul” (2015).

The feature is to be launched at Cannes by the Match Factory, which will represent worldwide sales outside of North America. CAA Media Finance will represent North American rights.

Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark, and Sergio Lira and Lynette Coll for Luz Films will serve as producers.

“El Sombreron” tells the story of Lila, an ambitious woman trapped in hell as the trophy wife of a violent cartel boss.

Desperate for liberation, she seizes the opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger named Ramón, who promises to smuggle her north to Paradise.

However, as Lila journeys with him, she discovers the harrowing truth about her companion and...

Adria Arjona and Edgar Ramirez have been announced to co-star in Jayro Bustamante’s dystopian thriller El Sombreron as The Match Factory launches worldwide sales on the project in Cannes, with CAA Media Finance representing North America.

Guatemalan director Bustamante previously made waves with Mayan drama Ixcanul (2015), which premiered in competition in Berlin, winning the Alfred Bauer Prize (since renamed the Silver Bear Jury prize), and war criminal horror La Llorona, which won Best Director and Best Film in Venice’s Giornate degli Autori in 2019.

Arjona will play an ambitious woman trapped in a marriage as the trophy wife of a violent cartel boss. Desperate for liberation, she seizes the opportunity presented by a mysterious stranger (Ramirez), who promises to smuggle her north. However, once on route, she discovers the harrowing truth about her companion and finds herself thrust into a surreal odyssey.

Bustamante’s La Casa de Produccion, Alejandro De Leon and Brian Clark,...

Gregg Araki will direct Olivia Wilde in I Want Your Sex, an erotic thriller set in the art world which Black Bear is launching in Cannes next week.

The feature is based on a screenplay co-written by Karley Sciortino and Araki and is scheduled to start production in Los Angeles. Casting is underway.

A story of desire, domination and fantasy set against the art world, I Want Your Sex follows Elliot, who lands a job for renowned artist and provocateur Erika Tracy (Wilde) as her sexual muse.

However Elliot soon finds himself out of his depth as Erika takes him...

World premieres of Jayro Bustamante’s Rita and the Adams Family’s Hell Hole are among the first wave of the 28th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal running July 18-August 4.

Rita marks Bustamante’s follow-up to 2019 Venice Giornate degli Autori winner and Guatemalan Oscar submission La Llorona. It follows an abused teenage girl’s attempted escape from a government safe house and is inspired by the true story of a deadly orphanage fire in Guatemala.

Hell Hole hails from the filmmaking family behind Hellbender and Where The Devil Roams and centres on an American-led fracking crew that...

Here. We. Go! Fantasia has announed the first wave of titles for this year's annual gathering of cinema genre nerds in and around Montreal. New films from all over the globe are coming to delight fans and evoke the expected chorus of meows all day and night. New films from Lowell Dean, the Adams family, Chuck Russell, Miguel Llansó, and Jayro Bustamante will be joined by debuts from Chris Stuckmann, Pratul Gaikwad and Annick Blanc. All in all there are already ten world premieres in this first wave alone. Everything you need to know about the first wave follows below. Fantasia Announces A Stunning First Wave Of Titles For Its 28th Edition Chuck Russell's Witchboard, Chris Stuckmann’s Shelby Oaks, Nobuhiro Yamashita’s Confession,...

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The Fantasia International Film Festival will be celebrating its 28th edition with another densely packed slate of events and programming running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montreal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée.

The festival’s full lineup will be announced on July 3, but in the meantime, Fantasia 2024 has revealed a select first wave of premiere titles. With premieres for Chuck Russell’s Witchboard remake, the Mike Flanagan-presented found footage Shelby Oaks, the latest from La Llorona filmmaker Jayro Bustamante and more, Fantasia’s shaping up to have another can’t miss slate of films.

The first wave of select titles, from the press release:

Witchboard

From A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and the beloved1988 remake of The Blob to The Mask, Eraser, and The Scorpion King,...

Exclusive: Quebec’s Fantasia International Film Festival has set the first round of titles set for its 2024 edition, running July 18 – Aug 4.

Films set to debut at the festival include Chris Stuckmann’s Shelby Oaks, which will world premiere at the festival with a screening presented by Mike Flanagan.

Produced by Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead with exec producers including Flanagan and Trevor Macy, the film follows a woman’s desperate search for her long-lost sister, a famous YouTuber who investigated paranormal happenings, who falls into obsession upon realizing that the imaginary demon from their childhood may have been real. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that broke records across the platform, the highly anticipated feature debut feature from YouTube creator Chris Stuckmann is finally here and ready to scare the pants off the world.

Other premieres set for the fest include Witchboard, the latest film from Chuck Russell.