News

Leading Spanish production house Morena Films is teaming with A Contracorriente Films, one of Spain’s top indie distributors, and “The Beasts” French co-producer Noodle Productions to produce “Fairy Queen”, a feature inspired by “Paris 70” which was shortlisted on Dec. 17 for the 97th Oscars.

A Contracorriente Films will handle theatrical distribution in Spain.

One of 15 films in the live-action short category and reckoned by Variety to be one of the category’s frontrunners, “Paris 70” is directed by Dani Feixas, a short film and doc feature helmer. It is written by Nach Solis, turning on Jan (Alain Hernández) as he takes care of his mother, Angela (Luisa Gavasa), who suffers from advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

Every day, his mother asks about his father. Jan’s answer plunges her into deep sadness and confusion. Exhausted and distraught at his mother’s distress, one day Jan tells her a white lie: His father...

Spanish studio Mediapro has unveiled its slate of English-language content in the U.S. and Canada at MIPCOM Cannes on Wednesday, including a new film written and directed by and starring John Turturro.

Head of Mediapro Studio in the U.S. and Canada J.C. Acosta spoke with 24 producer Evan Katz, head of unscripted at Mediapro Pam Healey, CEO Laura Fernandez Espeso, TV producer Ran Tellem and Oscar-winning writer-director Juan-José Campanella.

Espeso began: “Our strategic approach in the U.S. aligns perfectly with our initiatives in other key territories, emphasizing the creativity of the talent, but also relevance and reach and, of course, diversity, which is a priority in our company.” It was over to Acosta, who spoke optimistically and passionately about “writing a new chapter in the U.S. and Canada, doubling down on English language content,” after Mediapro North America was unveiled six months ago.

Their fully-fledged English-language content...

Mediapro’s fledgling North American studio unveiled a raft of new movies, series, docs and formats in a news-packed MIPCOM keynote this morning. John Turturro delivered a video address and spoke about his adaptation of Is There No Place on Earth for Me? as the Spanish media giant made a series of statement announcements.

Having unveiled Mediapro North America six months ago, CEO Laura Espeso introduced the session. Jc Acosta, Head of the Mediapro Studio U.S. & Canada, proceeded to unveil the LA, New York and Miami-based North American division of the Spanish company.

For Espeso, the move is more than just a push into another market. “It has the potential to resonate globally, influencing cultures and trends worldwide,” she told Deadline’s Stewart Clarke on stage at MIPCOM. “There is no way we will miss this opportunity. We have been working on this for the past 10 years.”

Acosta said...

FilmSharks has announced a handful of deals with blue-chip distributors led by the US and UK on a remastered 4K version of Nine Queens, the Argentinian crime thriller that launched the career of Ricardo Darin.

Sony Pictures Classics has renewed its agreement for North America and has re-released the film digitally, 22 years after it initially distributed it, while Curzon has acquired rights for the UK.

In other deals, Warner Bros Discovery has acquired rights for Eastern Europe and A Contracorriente will distribute in Spain.

The late Fabián Bielinsky’s Nine Queens stars Darin and Gaston Pauls as conmen trying to...

Exclusive: Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks has sold a series of its EFM titles, including Spanish horror pic The Boogeyman: The Origin of the Myth (El Hombre Del Saco) and a new 4K remastered version of the cult Argentinian thriller Nine Queens, to multiple international territories.

The Boogeyman: The Origin of the Myth has been sold to Rusia/Cis (Nashe Kino) for theatrical, Cambodia and Laos (Westec), and German-speaking Europe (Busch Medien). Previous deals on the pic include Mantícora, which picked up all rights for Latin America, the U.S., and Canada. Amazon’s Prime Video has acquired Spanish SVOD rights, and Antena 3 grabbed free Tvv rights.

The company has also sold the Spanish-Argentine supernatural horror drama, Restless Waters, Shivering Lights from director Ángeles Hernández, starring Hugo Silva, to Spain (Alfa) for theatrical and Kinologistica (Russia/Cis). Finally, FilmSharks has locked a deal for a theatrical release in France via Eurozoom...

Exclusive: People’s Cup, a documentary feature about Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win led by Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, is being repped for international sales at the European Film Market by Filmsharks.

The film was produced by Pablo Bossi, best known for titles such as Nine Queens and Son Of The Bride. The film has already opened in Argentina via Disney’s Star distribution and has cleared the 1.2m ticket mark, currently making it the number-one local-language title this year in Argentinan cinemas.

The doc is narrated by Guillermo Francella. The full plot reads: World Cup FIFA Qatar 2022: Argentina’s Championship coronation in a unique portrait of the biggest celebration in the history of sports through the eyes of fans across the Globe.

“No matter where you’re from, this theatrical documentary will make you laugh and cry, watching Messi’s coronation,...

“The Lesson,” the Israeli drama series that was named best series at the 2022 Cannes International Series Festival, is set to premiere June 21 on streamer ChaiFlicks.

Created and written by Deakla Keydar, “The Lesson” is a deft socio-political drama revolving around troubled high school civics teacher Amir and Lian, a 17-year-old student in his class.

The series, which first premiered in January 2022, was also named best drama series at the Israeli Television Academy Awards in 2023. Maya Landsmann, who plays Lian, won best lead actress at that same ceremony.

Leib Lev Levin, Alma Zak and Dvir Benedek also star in the six-episode series, which is directed by Eitan Zur. Loosely based on a real-life incident, the focal argument in “The Lesson” spins wildly out of control thanks to an online post, capturing the zeitgeist of a society steeped in social media. The series explores the fiery aftermath of a politically-charged debate over racism,...

Since 1961, Argentina has been sending films to vie in the international film race and Ricardo Darin, the country’s most celebrated actor, stars in at least seven of them, including this year’s nominee, “Argentina 1985.” That’s no mean feat but given his lifetime commitment to his craft, perhaps not surprising.

Four of them: “Son of the Bride” (2001), “The Secret in their Eyes” (2009), “Wild Tales” (2014) and now the Amazon Studios-backed “Argentina 1985,” have either been shortlisted or in the case of Juan José Campanella’s “The Secret in Their Eyes,” taken home the golden statuette. Given its wins at the Venice Film Festival, the National Board of Review and the Golden Globes as well as the growing buzz, “Argentina 1985” may again clinch the honor.

Before his international career-launching turn in 2000 heist drama “Nine Queens,” which spawned a Hollywood remake, Darin, 66, had already worked in 35 films, aside from numerous roles in television,...

In a large coup for its ambitions in Latin America and beyond, ViacomCBS International Studios (Vis) unveiled Wednesday an exclusive deal with Argentina’s Juan José Campanella, writer-director of the Academy Award winning “The Secret in Their Eyes.”

The agreement follows smartly on production of a first season of “The Envoys” (“Los Enviados”), a six-part action thriller series starring Luis Gerardo Méndez, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and Irene Azuela.

Turning on two Vatican envoys dispatched to a Mexican village to discover the truth behind a priest’s alleged miracle healing, “The Envoys” was early fruit of a first-look deal signed in between Vis and Campanella’s Buenos Aires-based production company, 100 Bares Productions. The first season will premiere later this year on ViacomCBS’ premium streaming service Paramount Plus in Latin America. Season two of “The Envoys” is currently in development under Campanella.

Under the terms of the exclusive agreement, Campanella will write,...

The Secret In Their Eyes

It's been a while since we turned our Streaming Spotlight on a country, so this week we thought we'd turn our attention to Argentinian filmmakers. As with all country focus pieces, it's disappointing to learn about films it is not yet possible to stream - on which note, I urge you to look out for El Aura, and the other films of Fabián Bielensky along with early films from Juan José Campanella like Son Of The Bride and more recent films, including Santiago Mitre's Paulina. If you're looking for more inspiration, check out our Stay-At-Home Seven.

The Secret in their Eyes, Amazon, from £2.49

Remade in English in 2015, with an all-star cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman - the original is far superior. Juan José Campanella crafts a dense and twisting thriller about retired court employee Benjamin (Ricardo Darín who as one of Argentinian cinema's leading.

Spanish producer-distributor and sales agent Filmax will handle international rights on Lara Izagirre’s “Nora,” the film opener at this year’s San Sebastian Zinemira Basque cinema showcase.

Selected for San Sebastian’s Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum in 2018, “Nora” is Izagirre’s second feature, following on ”An Autumn Without Berlin,” a Basque homecoming drama which scored a best new actress Goya award for Irene Escolar in 2016.

A co-production between Gariza Films and Tandem Films in Spain and France’s La Fidèle Production, “Nora” turns on a 30-year-old woman who lives with her grandfather in a small village in the north of the Basque Country. Although her dream is to become a travel writer, she is stuck writing the horoscope for the local paper and taking care of her friend Meri.

“My grandparents were the inspiration behind ‘Nora.’ They are four very different people but even when life got tough, they...

Writer-director of Academy Award winning “The Secret in Their Eyes,” starring Ricardo Darín, Argentina’s Juan José Campanella is teaming with Viacom International Studios to direct a new drama series, “Los Enviados.”

Unveiled Friday at a Vis press conference, held virtually, the faith-themed thriller marks the first fruit of a first-look deal unveiled last May between Vis and 100 Bares, the Buenos Aires-based production label of Campanella, whose credits include episodes of “House,” the first season of USA Network 2016 cable drama “Colony” and 2001 comedy feature film “Son of the Bride,” nominated for a best international film Oscar, which Campanella won in 2010 with “The Secret in Their Eyes.”

Directed by Campanella, “Los Enviados” tracks two priests on a mission to verify the whereabouts of an alleged healer who mysteriously disappears. The priests’ lives, as well as their faith, are pushed to the limit, however, when they discover the psychiatric community on...

Madrid — Vicente Canales’ Film Factory Entertainment has acquired world sales rights to “The Consequences” (“Las consecuencias”), writer-director Claudia Pinto Emperador’s follow-up to her 2013 feature debut, “The Longest Distance,” which marked out the Spanish-Venezuelan writer-director as a talent to track.

A Spain-Netherlands-Belgium co-production, “The Consequences” won a €330,000 conditionally repayable non-interest loan for co-production from the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund in its latest allocation, announced Oct. 22. That followed on a Eurimages Co-production Development Award at last year’s San Sebastian Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum.

Described by Variety as an “accomplished debut,” thanks to its “well-drawn characters, engaging performances and a convincingly rooted storyline,” “The Longest Distance” won the Glauber Rocha Award for best Latin American film at 2013’s Montreal World Film Festival.

“The Longest Distance” used stunning landscape – Venezuela’s Gran Sabana region – and genre – a road movie – to frame a story of bedrock family relations – a young boy...

Cannes — Two of the power axes on the new worldwide TV production scene, Argentina’s ElTrece, Pol-ka, Cablevision on one hand and Mediapro Group-Oficina Burman on the other, have pacted to produce together a brand new dram series, scheduled to air from 2019.

The series turns on the campaign of a man who runs for the presidency of his country. Humberto Ortega, who co-wrote with “La Casa de Papel’s” Alex Pina on series such as “El Barco” and “Los Serrano,” is writing the screenplay for the series.

“Dominated by imposture and pressures, both self conceived and external,” a press statement reads, the candidate will suffer deep transformation, discovering his true self, as his ambitions conflicts with traditional ethics. Corralled, seemingly facing inevitable defeat, or so his team thinks, he will find a way, however, to face up to adversity.

That solution will no doubt cast caustic comment on the way...

Argentina’s internationally most acclaimed actor, Ricardo Darin, will receive the Donostia Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 65th San Sebastian International Film Festival in September, organizers said Wednesday. The ceremony will take place Sept. 26.

Darin’s credits read like a list of must-watch Latin American cinema, including three films nominated for Academy Awards: Son of the Bride, Wild Tales and The Secret in Their Eyes, which won the 2009 Foreign Language category.

Darin is a regular at San Sebastian, where he won the Silver Shell for his role in Truman in 2015. This year he will present his latest work,...

By: Carson Blackwelder

Managing Editor

The greatest thing about the best foreign-language film category is the recognition of works from all around the world. Throughout the years, movies made outside the United States of America have gotten the recognition they deserve thanks to the implementation of this specific award. With the 2017 Oscars right around the corner, let’s take a look back at the distribution of nominations and wins across the seven continents that make up this big world we inhabit.

This year’s best foreign-language film contenders are: Toni Erdmann (Germany), The Salesman (Iran), Land of Mine (Denmark), A Man Called Ove (Sweden), Paradise (Russia), The King’s Choice (Norway), My Life as a Zucchini (Switzerland), It’s Only the End of the World (Canada), and Tanna (Australia). This site’s namesake, The Hollywood’s Scott Feinberg, lists the first five of those as frontrunners and the other four as major threats.

The Argentinian star will collect the lifetime achievement award during the third annual awards gala at the Punta del Este Conventions Centre in Uruguay on July 24.

The awards recognise talent in the cinematic arts in Spanish and Portuguese-language films and according to the selection committee Darin’s hallmarks are the “commitment and hard work of a true craftsman in the art of acting.”

Darín launched his career in El Mismo Amor, La Misma Lluvia in 1999, for which he won the Condor de Plata. The actor earned his second Condor for the Oscar-nominated Son Of The Bride in 2001.

A fruitful collaboration with Juan José Campanella brought international celebrity through a starring role in 2010 best foreign-language Oscar-winner The Secret In Their Eyes, which garnered Darín’s first Premio Sur for best actor from the Argentinian Motion Picture Academy.

He has also starred in Fabián Bielinsky’s thriller Nine Queens, Cesc Gay’s comedy Truman, and [link=nm...

By Anjelica Oswald

Managing Editor

The nine foreign-language films shortlisted by the Academy hail from three continents: South America, Europe and Africa. From South America, Argentina’s Wild Tales and Venezuela’s The Liberator made the list. From Africa, Mauritania’s Timbuktu did as well. From Europe, Estonia’s Tangerines, Georgia’s Corn Island, the Netherlands’ Accused, Poland’s Ida, Russia’s Leviathan and Sweden’s Force Majeure all made the top nine.

This year could mark the first Oscar nomination for Estonia, Georgia, Mauritania (whose film was the country’s first Oscar-submitted film) and Venezuela. Argentina, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden have each received two Oscar nominations in the past 14 years. Of those four countries, Argentina is the only one to win an Oscar, which it did in 2010 for The Secret in Their Eyes. If Russia lands a nomination, it will be the country’s second in the 21st century.

Though not the longest movie title of all time (that honor goes to 1991 horror spoof “Night of the Day of the Dawn of the Son of the Bride of the Return of the Revenge of the Terror of the Attack of the Evil, Mutant, Alien, Flesh Eating, Hellbound, Zombified Living Dead Part 2: In Shocking 2D”) “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is still a mouthful. But would you expect anything less than grandeur from a film that about both literal and figurative power struggles? One that also features chimpanzees fighting tanks? Of course not! Screen Junkies lampoons 2014’s “thinking man’s blockbuster” in their latest Honest Trailer.

Strategic Partners, a presentation of the Atlantic Film Festival, will host a visionary line-up of speakers including keynote addresses presented by Tornasol Films Producer Mariela Besuievsky and Vimeo Director of Audience Development and Content Operations, Peter Gerard, as part of the event taking place September 11 - 14 in Halifax.

"With our spotlight shining brightly on Spain, Latin America, and the USA at Strategic Partners in 2014, having Mariela as our esteemed Opening Keynote couldn't be more relevant,” says Director of Strategic Partners, Laura MacKenzie. “Her impressive background as a producer, as well as her co-production experience around the globe (not to mention her incredible presence in the room) will ensure an inspirational conversation."

Originally from Uruguay, Besuievsky has produced over 90 films and has been a partner at Tornasol Films in Spain since 1999. She is renowned for her work on illustrious films such as "The Secret in Their Eyes" (winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010), "The Oxford Murders" (starring Elijah Wood and John Hurt) and Oscar nominated "Son of the Bride" (Best Film at the Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards 2002) among many others. Besuievsky has a rich history of bringing raw, character-driven stories to the screen.

"I'm very excited to attend Strategic Partners this fall! It is an optimal place for networking and providing an opportunity to find global partners,” says Besuievsky. “It is also a perfect environment to exchange impressions with other industry professionals, and to find new ideas and different points of view for your projects."

Vimeo Director of Audience Development and Content Operations Peter Gerard will also deliver a highly anticipated keynote address. Gerard set the stage for his impressive career by founding Accidental Media in Edinburgh and leading this groundbreaking company for more than ten years.

In 2010, Gerard founded Distrify to establish “direct-to-fan” digital film sales and in 2014, Peter moved to New York to join Vimeo, where he now manages marketing partnerships within Vimeo’s Audience Development team. His focus is on growing the Vimeo on Demand solution for independent film sales.

“I am excited by the opportunity to meet talented producers at Strategic Partners and talk about the possibilities of online marketing and sales for films and series," says Gerard. "The Vimeo On Demand catalogue is growing fast and we are empowering creators to connect with their global audiences through direct distribution."

"There's no doubt the digital first conversation will be overarching at Strategic Partners this year, and therefore I'm very excited to present industry leader, Peter Gerard, to deliver a keynote address on the topic of Producers as Entrepreneurs," says Mackenzie. "Vimeo's foray into original content with the series High Maintenance further solidifies the commitment and platform of self-distribution to supporting producers and content creation - this is exactly who we want represented at Strategic Partners!"

Each year, top Canadian and international industry players, including producers, investors, sales agents, funding agencies, broadcasters and distributors are selected to attend Strategic Partners. Offering over 1,000 pre-scheduled 1-2-1 meetings, co-production focused roundtable sessions, cutting edge panels, visionary keynote speakers, and screenings and receptions – Strategic Partners is a convergence of talent and innovation, producing tangible results.

To learn more visit Here

Twitter: [At]SPcopromarket

Facebook: www.facebook.com/atlanticfilmfestivalstrategicpartners

Youtube: www.youtube.com/atlanticfilmdotcom

About Strategic Partners: An International Film, Television and Digital Co-Production Market

The Atlantic Film Festival’s Strategic Partners is one of the world’s preeminent co-production/co-financing markets focusing on feature film, TV and web based fiction. Strategic Partners offers an intimate, organized forum for projects looking for financing as well as those still at an early stage, looking for the right partner.

Over the past 17 years, Strategic Partners has established itself not only as a one of a kind co-production market, but also as a cutting edge, intimate environment that delivers solutions to existing and foreseeable industry challenges. The intelligence and program offered at Strategic Partners is developed over many months of research into current global issues. However, this information is only a complement to Strategic Partners’ primary function – to build, establish and nurture relationships between producers and their partners.

Strategic Partners is a part of the Atlantic Film Festival family of programs. Today’s Atlantic Film Festival is now a year-round celebration, growing beyond our eight-day cornerstone event in September to include: ViewFinders: Atlantic Film Festival for Youth, the Aff Outdoor Film Experience, and Strategic Partners.

After the grueling two-hour Men Tell All special, I thought the boys of The Bachelorette deserved a break. So I let a handful of them try to impress me with the answers to four important speed-dating questions to determine who would be getting a rose from me — you know, if I had roses.

Juan Pablo and I chatted primarily about his favorite subject: his daughter Camilla. He deferred to her love of all the Disney princesses when I asked him his favorite, and in the end he didn’t come up with a straight answer. But now I know Camilla...

A few weeks ago the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released its shortlist for the Foreign Language Film Award. The nominations are being determined in two phases. After a committee of several hundred Academy members screened all 71 eligible films nine were selected to advance to the second round, making it to the shortlist. Of these nine only one Latin American film made the cut, Pablo Larraín’s No, starring Gael García Bernal.

Specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles will watch the nine shortlisted films and cast their votes in early January. The remaining five films will be announced as the official Oscar nominees for the Best Foreign Language Film on January 10, 2013.

If No gets enough votes it will be the first time a Chilean film is nominated in the Foreign Language Film category. What are Chile’s chances? Well, if we take a look back at the Latin American nominees and winners of the Best Foreign Language Film Award, the odds don’t look so good.

And the Nominees are....

This year nine Latin American countries submitted a film for consideration: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Of these nine, only Chile made the shortlist. If it is nominated it will become part of an elite group of Latin American countries that have received this honor. Mexico leads the pack with eight nominations, followed by Argentina who has six, and Brazil with four. Nicaragua, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Peru have all been nominated once. That is a total of 22 nominations for all Latin American countries since 1960, when the region received its first nomination for Macario, directed by Roberto Gavaldón. The film, a supernatural drama set in colonial times, lost out to Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring. It was the first time Mexico had been nominated in the category and despite being the most often nominated country in Latin America, it has failed to ever win a statuette. So, which countries have won the coveted award?

And the Award Goes to....

Despite its 22 nominations Latin America has only won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film twice. Both times the winners were from Argentina. The first win was in 1985 for La historia oficial (The Official Story), set in Buenos Aires. In the film an upper middle class couple adopts a young girl during the dictatorship. As the country transitions to democracy they begin to suspect that she may be the child of one of the victims of the forced disappearances that occurred during the dirty war, known as los desaparecidos.

Argentina’s second Oscar came almost twenty-five years later with El secreto de sus ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) in 2009. In the crime thriller directed by Juan José Campanella and starring Ricardo Darín, a retired federal agent begins to write a novel on an unsolved murder case that has haunted him for years. With its two wins, Argentina remains the only Latin American country to have brought home the bronze. Taking into account its 22 nominations but only two Oscar statuettes the odds aren’t the best for Latin America as a whole and Chile in particular (zero nominations or wins), but let’s cross our fingers and hope for the best. Chile could very well be selected this time since Nois the kind of the film the Academy usually goes for.

Set in 1988, Norecounts the amazing real life story of a national referendum that everyone thought was destined to fail but ultimately dissolved the Chilean dictatorship and ended General Pinochet’s almost twenty year rule. Leading up to the historic vote each side was allowed 15 minutes of late-night TV airtime every day for a month straight. Gael García Bernal stars as Rene Saavedra, a young, rebellious skateboard-riding advertising executive who went from selling soap and soda to heading up the campaign to vote No on keeping Pinochet in power for eight more years. Shot using U-matic video cameras, Larraín wanted to match the look of the archival television footage woven into the film. As a result of using the same format that T.V. news was shot in during the eighties, the real-life footage seamlessly matches his purposely grainy and overexposed film. Despite its dreary appearance, it is funny, uplifting, and entertaining. It’s not a slow artsy film with little dialogue; it is perfectly paced. And together, Bernal’s charm and the film’s many amusing moments end up creating a movie that will surely captivate the Academy and maybe even a mainstream commercial audience.

Every year the Academy Awards are televised live in more than 200 countries. This year’s winners will be presented with their Oscar statuette on Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Latin American Best Foreign Language Film nominees by country (winners are in bold)

Mexico

1960 -- Macario

1961 -- The Important Man

1962 -- Tlayucan

1975 -- Letters from Marusia

2000 -- Amores Perros

2002 -- El Crimen del Padre Amaro

2006 -- Pan's Labyrinth

2010 -- Biutiful

Argentina

1974 -- The Truce

1984 -- Camila

1985 -- The Official Story[Oscar winner]

1998 -- Tango

2001 -- Son of the Bride

2009 -- The Secret in Their Eyes[Oscar winner]

Brazil

1962 -- Keeper of Promises (The Given Word)

1995 -- O Quatrilho

1997 -- Four Days in September

1998 -- Central Station

Nicaragua

1982 -- Alsino and the Condor

Puerto Rico

1989 -- What Happened to Santiago

Cuba

1994 -- Strawberry and Chocolate

Peru

2009 -- The Milk of Sorrow

Fun Fact: In 1992, amongst the five nominees for Best Foreign Language Film was Uruguay’s A Place in the World. Shortly after the nominations were announced the film was deemed ineligible and Uruguay’s nomination was revoked! A closer look at the film revealed that, “it was wholly produced in Argentina and had insufficient Uruguayan artistic control” according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.

They're not Korea or Iran or anything, but there's been some fairly impressive films coming out of Argentina in the last few years. The nation's always had a strong film culture (they're the only Latin American country to have won the Foreign Language Oscar, and have done so twice), but in the first decade of the 21st century, films like "Nine Queens," "The Aura," "Son Of The Bride" and, most of all, "The Secret In Their Eyes," have all made serious impressions over the last few years. And one of the most exciting talents the country has right now is director Pablo Trapero. The 41-year-old filmmaker's been working for nearly two decades, but has found serious international recognition in the last few years with films like "Carancho," official Cannes selection "Lion's Den," and this year's "White Elephant" (read our review of the latter from Tiff here -- Strand Releasing will release.

The Tribeca Film Festival kicks off for the eleventh time starting Wednesday when "The Five-Year Engagement" premieres, and festival organizers have just announced the star-studded jury for this year's edition.

Thirty-nine celebrities -- of various levels of fame and awards kudos -- make up the six juries, with producer Irwin Winkler ("Goodfellas") serving a jury president.

Among those selected by Tribeca this year: Patricia Clarkson, Hugh Dancy, Rosario Dawson, Dakota Fanning, Kellan Lutz, Michael Moore and Olivia Wilde. Also on the list: Brett Ratner. The controversial big-budget director will serve on the Documentary and Student Short Film Competition jury along with Justin Bieber's manager Scooter Braun, Susan Sarandon and Shailene Woodley, among others.

“We are honored to have this accomplished group dedicate the time and care it takes to view and discuss the films in competition this year,” Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal said in a statement.

For...

It’s a star-studded list that includes some interesting, and surprising, names, which is just what you’d expect from the Tribeca Film Festival. The juries have been announced, and you could hardly got a more varied mix.

Juries Announced For 2012 Tribeca Film Festival And Tribeca Film Institute Programs

Academy Award-Winning Producer/Director Irwin Winkler To Serve as Jury President

Patricia Clarkson, Hugh Dancy, Rosario Dawson, Dakota Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Susannah Grant, Kellan Lutz, Michael Moore, Mike Newell, Brett Ratner, Susan Sarandon, Olivia Wilde, and Shailene Woodley are among the Jurors

The Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by founding partner American Express, today announced its jurors – a diverse group of 39 individuals, including award-winning filmmakers, writers and producers, acclaimed actors, respected critics and global business leaders. Irwin Winkler has been named President of the Jury. The Jury will be divided among the six competitive Festival categories and will announce the winning films,...

On March 30th the new film from Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Intruders (review here), will be hitting theatres across the U.S., and we've nailed down five clips for you cats.

From visionary filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander reboot), Intruders is the chilling story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them. Intruders stars Clive Owen (Children of Men), Carice Van Houten (Repo Men), Pilar López De Ayala (Juana la Loca), Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds), Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave) and Héctor Alterio (Son of the Bride).

Synopsis

Though no one can see him, Hollow Face lurks in the corners, desperately desiring love but only knowing how to spread fear and hate. He creeps into the life of John Farrow (Clive Owen) after Farrow’s beloved 13-year-old daughter Mia (Ella Purnell) is assaulted in their home.

On March 30th the new film from Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Intruders (review here), will be hitting theatres across the U.S., and to celebrate its arrival, a cool new one-sheet designed by Jacen Burrows has landed at our doors.

From visionary filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander reboot), Intruders is the chilling story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them. Intruders stars Clive Owen (Children of Men), Carice Van Houten (Repo Men), Pilar López De Ayala (Juana la Loca), Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds), Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave) and Héctor Alterio (Son of the Bride).

Synopsis

Though no one can see him, Hollow Face lurks in the corners, desperately desiring love but only knowing how to spread fear and hate. He creeps into the life of John Farrow (Clive Owen) after Farrow’s beloved...

Had enough new videos today? No? Well, good! You'll be happy to hear then that we have yet another for you! This one is coming from the fine folks behind Intruders (review here), which will be headed to the SXSW Film Festival and then in select theatres on March 30th!

From visionary filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander reboot), Intruders is the chilling story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them. Intruders stars Clive Owen (Children of Men), Carice Van Houten (Repo Men), Pilar López De Ayala (Juana la Loca), Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds), Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave) and Héctor Alterio (Son of the Bride).

Synopsis

Though no one can see him, Hollow Face lurks in the corners, desperately desiring love but only knowing how to spread fear and hate. He creeps into...

by MoreHorror.com

From the visionary fimmaker of 28 Weeks Later comes a creepy little film called Intruders. This one looks right up our alley and releases in March. Check out the trailer under the official details.

Though no one can see him, Hollow Face lurks in the corners, desperately desiring love but only knowing how to spread fear and hate. He creeps into the life of John Farrow (Clive Owen) after Farrow’s beloved 13-year-old daughter Mia (Ella Purnell) is assaulted in their home. The line between the real and the imaginary blurs as fissures start to open within the family unit. It seems that no security measure can keep Hollow Face out.

From visionary filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander reboot), Intruders is the chilling story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them.

Jim Riffel, who has spent the last 25 years painting houses, has offered 10,000 dollars to go to Kevin Smith's charity of choice if he will only review his classy-sounding new horror comedy, "Night of the Day of the Dawn of the Son of the Bride of the Return of the Revenge of the Terror of the Attack of the Evil, Mutant, Hellbound, Flesh-Eating, Crawling, Alien, Zombified, Subhumanoid, Living Dead - Part 5."

I kind of feel like this whole story is a joke. I mean, there's definitely a sense of humor going on about these people. Either they're totally fucking with us, Or they genuinely don't know how awful they are. How can they not know? I'm fully willing to take the chance that this is all a joke, in which case, touche, Mr. Riffel. If it's Not, however...

The film is hosted by, and stars, Insectavora (Aka Angelica): some...

Kevin Smith hasn't always had the greatest relationship with movie critics. While his earlier films such as Clerks and Chasing Amy earned plenty of praise, the response to movies such as Jersey Girl, Cop Out, and Red State has occationally been brutal. Now a fan of Smith's is asking the Man Who Was Silent Bob to step to the other side of the fence for a moment. Movie City News is reporting the story of New Jersey filmmaker Jim Riffel, who is offering Smith $10,000 to review his feature film, a "midnight movie"-style comedy with the carpal-tunnel-straining name of (deep breath) Night of the Day of the Dawn of the Son of the Bride of the Return of the Revenge of the Terror of the Attack of the Evil, Mutant, Hellbound, Flesh-Eating, Crawling, Alien, Zombified, Subhumanoid, Living Dead -- Part 5. Riffel's offer includes not only ten grand Smith can donate...

There's always that moment in zombie movies where one of the protagonists gets infected and his loved ones have to deal with the fact that someone they loved dearly is suddenly wants to eat their brains. But that's all it usually is, a moment. Then the heroes have to either man up and kill them or get eaten themselves. Festival circuit favorite "Make-Out With Violence," is like a 100-minute exploration of that moment. This is a zombie film turned inside out. Instead of following the typical arc of illness, epidemic, survival it uses that idea of someone coming back to life to tell a powerful story about loss and denial. You've never seen a zombie movie quite like this.

Make-Out With Violence

Directed by The Deagol Brothers

Tagline: Death Is the Present Tense

Tweetable Plot Synopsis: Twin brothers who've just graduated from high school find their friend who'd recently disappeared still alive.

Juan Jose Campanella, the Argentine who won the foreign-language Oscar in 2009 for his film The Secret in Their Eyes, has decided to make his first animated feature. His film has been titled Metegol, or Foosball, and only has a budget of $9.75 million if you can believe that.

The film “follows an underdog who, with the help of foosball figures that come to life, must take on a star soccer pro to save their village.”

I for one think this is an interesting storyline. It reminds me of The Indian in the Cupboard except there seems to be a lot more at risk if an underdog has to challenge a pro to save his village. I wonder how they are going to set up that village angle.

Campanella stated that “we are finding a visual style that we haven’t seen before in an animated movie. We are putting a lot of effort in that.

Argentine director Juan Jose Campanella ("The Secret in Their Eyes") will helm his first animated feature reports Variety.

"Metegol" (Foosball) follows an underdog who, with the help of foosball figures that come to life, must take on a star soccer pro to save their village. Pablo Rago ("Secret"), Fabian Gianola ("The Super Agents: New Generation"), Miguel Angel Rodriguez ("Dad for a Day"), Horacio Fontova ("Goodbye, Dear Moon") and David Masajnik ("Son of the Bride") will all lend their voices to the production.

Despite a quite low $9.75 million budget, Campanella hopes to find "a visual style that we haven't seen before in an animated movie." A 2012 release is being planned.

First comes Oscar. If you follow my charts and this race each year it's impossible to escape Argentinian movie star Ricardo Darín. Not only is he continually employed but whichever body chooses Argentina's Oscar submission each year has a huge crush. He's the star of their 2001 nominee Son of the Bride and their 2009 winner The Secret in Their Eyes and he's also principle cast in their submission titles that weren't nominated from 2002 (Kamchatka), 2005 (El Aura) and 2007 (Xxy).

<--- Portrait of a Busy Actor.

The charts have been updated to include new submissions from Argentina, Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Portugal. The latter chose a transsexual film from the controversy baiting director João Pedro Rodrigues of O Fantasma (2000) fame. If you've ever seen that one, and if this one feels like it's coming from the same mind, you'll understand this is a brave if impossible choice.

Here are the trailers for...

A look at what's new on DVD today:

"Calvin Marshall" (2010)

Directed by Gary Lundgren

Released by Passion River

Steve Zahn exemplifies the adage those who can't do teach as a college baseball coach who never was quite good enough to make the majors who sees something of himself in an enthusiastic but unskilled player (Alex Frost) that he keeps on the team in writer/director Gary Lundgren's feature debut.

"Chelsea on the Rocks" (2009)

Directed by Abel Ferrara

Released by Hannover House

"Bad Lieutenant" director Ferrara compiles a biography of the famed Chelsea Hotel in New York through archival footage, reenactments and interviews with the many artists who have stayed there throughout the years from Milos Forman and R. Crumb to Ethan Hawke and Gaby Hoffman.

"Claang the Game" (2009)

Directed by Stefano Milla

Released by Triumphant Entertainment

A game of "Claang," a strategy-heavy match of wits, leads to a discussion...

"Tentative" is the operative word here. Bloody Disgusting is reporting that the fifth movie in the "Final Destination" series is now going by the title "5nal Destination." This is... kind of silly, I have to say. That's sort of in the spirit of the series, I'll grant you. But, as MTV Multiplayer editor Russ Frushtick pointed out, it sort of looks like "Anal Destination" (all royalties from the inevitable porn spin-off can be sent to Russ directly).

I kid, I kid. "Final Destination" has always been about goofy horror mixed with elaborate, Rube Goldberg-ian deathtraps. But the newly number-fied title got me thinking about other ridiculous movie titles. What's funny is, in a lot of cases these are great movies we're talking about! That doesn't mean we can't take a few jabs at the title though, right?

"Se7en"

The best movie on this list by a wide margin. "Se7en...

135 filmmakers and executives have been invited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to join its ranks. Recent Oscar nominees and winners such as Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Mo'Nique, Carey Mulligan, Jeremy Renner, Gabourey Sidibe and Christoph Waltz have been invited to join; but even "Saw's" Tobin Bell and "Avatar's" Zoe Saldana received invites.

New members will be "baptized" in an invitation-only reception in September at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills.

Here's a complete list of the 2010 invitees:

Actors

Tobin Bell -- "Saw," "The Firm"

Vera Farmiga -- "Up in the Air," "The Departed"

Miguel Ferrer -- "Traffic," "RoboCop"

James Gandolfini -- "In the Loop," "Get Shorty"

Anna Kendrick -- "Up in the Air," "Twilight"

Mo'Nique -- "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," "Phat Girlz"

Carey Mulligan -- "An Education," "Public Enemies"

Jeremy Renner -- "The Hurt Locker,...

On Friday (June 25, 2010) the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended invitations to join the organization to 135 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2010 to the Academy.s roster of voting members.

.The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,. said Academy President Tom Sherak. .The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them..

The 2010 invitees are:

Actors

Tobin Bell . .Saw,. .The Firm. Vera Farmiga . .Up in the Air,. .The Departed. Miguel Ferrer . .Traffic,. .RoboCop. James Gandolfini . .In the Loop,. .Get Shorty. Anna Kendrick . .Up in the Air,. .Twilight. Mo.Nique . .Precious: Based on the Novel .Push. by Sapphire,. .Phat Girlz. Carey Mulligan . .An Education,. .Public Enemies. Jeremy Renner . .The Hurt Locker,. .28 Weeks Later” Ryan Reynolds . .The Proposal,. .X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Latanya Richardson Jackson . .Mother and Child,...

HollywoodNews.com: Adam Sandler is gearing up for the release of his new film, “Grown Ups,” and has just been announced as one of 135 artists selected to join the Academy.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 135 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2010 to the Academy’s roster of voting members.

“The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them.”

The Academy’s membership policies would have allowed a maximum of 180 new members in 2010, but as in other recent years, the several branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them. Voting membership in the organization has now held...

Oscar winner Indian sound recordist Resul Pookutty has been invited to join the coveted Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences as a member. Along with Resul the invitation has been extended to 135 film professionals from around the globe that includes Christopher Walts (Inglorious Basterds) and Jacque Audiard (A Prophet). Resul was awarded an Oscar last year for Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire.

Members of the academy vote for the annual academy awards.

“The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them.”

The Academy’s membership policies would have allowed a maximum of 180 new members in 2010, but as in other recent years, the several branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them. Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited 135 filmmakers and executives -- including such recent Oscar nominees and winners as Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Mo'Nique, Carey Mulligan, Jeremy Renner, Gabourey Sidibe and Christoph Waltz -- to join its ranks.

The Academy issued its annual invitation list Thursday.

The actor's portion of the list ranged from genre favorites like "Saw's" Tobin Bell to "Avatar's" Zoe Saldana, from "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini, whose film credits include "In the Loop" and "Get Shorty" to rising leading man Ryan Reynolds, who's appeared in "The Proposal" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

An international sampling of directors made the cut: Among them France's Jacques Audiard, Argentina's Juan Jose Campanella, Denmark's Lone Scherfig and, from the U.S., Lee Daniels and Adam Shankman, the latter of whom co-produced the last Oscar show.

Oscar nominee "District 9" was well represented: Matt Aitken and Dan Kaufman...

Chicago – And the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film goes to…”The Secret in Their Eyes,” Argentinian director Juan José Campanella’s complex, compelling and political treatise on facing the demons and ghosts of the past.

Set in Argentina, The Secret in Their Eyes stars Ricardo Darin as Benjamin, a retired public attorney whose last request from the office involves a file regarding an unsolved case from the 1970s. Told in flashback, it was Benjamin who was responsible for the prosecution in the murder of a innocent newlywed bride. A new minted attorney in his office at the time, Irene (Soledad Villamil), works on the investigation as well, and her relationship with Benjamin plays out both in the past and present. As the mystery begins to provide answers, the truth could cleanse the sins of the past.

Juan José Campanella, after a emigrating to New York City from Argentina, has...

It's no surprise to learn that Argentine director Juan José Campanella, whose "The Secret in Their Eyes" shocked the world by snatching the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar right out from under the expectant noses of Michael Haneke and Jacques Audiard earlier this year, has done some directing for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," since his latest initially plays like The Greatest Episode of "Law & Order" Ever.

That maybe sounds like a criticism, but it's not meant to be. Campanella's story begins as a crime drama, then gradually shifts into a fascinating meditation on love, memory, justice, and obsession, while incorporating elements of political thriller along the way. It feels conventional, to be sure, but it leaves you in a startlingly different place by the time it gets to its heartbreakingly dark finale.

The policier side of the narrative coin is carried out by Benjamín Esposito (Ricardo Darín) and Pablo...

Argentinian film El Secreto de Sus Ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) was one of the few surprise winners at this year's Academy Awards, taking home the Best Foreign Film prize over both Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon and Jacques Audiard's A Prophet. Now that it has caught everyone's attention, Sony Pictures Classics will give the film a limited theatrical release here in North America next month. Apple [1] has a new trailer for the film that is short on plot details and big on dramatic music, but I'm still somewhat curious to check it out. Directed by Juan José Campanella (Son of the Bride), the story revolves around a retired criminal court investigator who decides to write a novel about an unsolved rape and murder case that has always haunted him. Campanella also has a background in TV, having directed episodes of such shows as 30 Rock, Strangers with Candy,...

Argentina's victory for best foreign language film at the Academy Awards for The Secret in Their Eyes has reportedly sent the South American country into raptures

The critics may have been expecting a win for Jacques Audiard's A Prophet or Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon, but victory for Argentina's El Secreto de Sus Ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) in the foreign language section at Sunday night's Oscars has reportedly sent the South American nation into raptures.

The Oscars, broadcast there in the early hours of Monday morning, was yesterday's most-watched television programme, and newspapers scurried to print second editions carrying the country's win on their front pages. Throughout the day, news programmes continued to report on the victory and the reaction to it.

Juan José Campanella's thriller, based on a novel by Eduardo Sacheri, is set in Buenos Aires in 1999. It centres on a retired investigator...

Like many, I really hated last night's Oscars. But for the moment I'll try to put my complaints behind me (or elsewhere), mostly for the sake of my mother, who still loves the Oscars and often told me "if you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all." Well, by the logic of the classic phrase I only need to find some positive things to say about some of the honorees in order to allow for my usual negativity. Anyway, I agree with Dustin that it should be about celebrating great films and performances. So here goes:

1. I'm glad The Cove won, though most Americans will still ignore the film just as they do other documentaries, even those with cameos from the Heroes cheerleader and produced by the white guy who basically went blackface to play an Indian in series of popular movies about robot tolerance.

2. I'm glad Mo'Nique won,...

Madrid -- Imagina International Sales in Berlin has picked up international rights to one of Spain's hottest titles for the coming season, "Paper Birds," written, directed and produced by Spain's consummate showman Emilio Aragon.

Aragon's $9 million directorial debut is produced by Madrid-based Versatil and Globomedia, with Hispano Fox handling Spanish theatrical and DVD rights. Antena 3 holds free-to-air rights, while Sogecable's Canal Plus holds pay-tv rights.

Written by Aragon with Argentine "Son of the Bride" scriptwriter Fernando Castets, the choral film pools some of Spain's blue-chip television talent in the cast, like Imanol Arias and Carmen Machi, in addition to "Broken Embraces'" Lluis Homar and "The Orphanage's" Fernando Cayo and Roger Princep.

"Birds" tells of a vaudeville troupe down on its luck in post-war Spain and is due for release March 12 in Spain.

Versatil is a film production label of content powerhouse Imagina, a joint-venture between Barcelona-based Mediapro and...

Jose here with some European awards news.

Luis Tosar in Celda 211

The nominees for the 24th annual Goya Awards were announced this past Saturday with Daniel Monzón's Celda 211, a prison drama, leading the field with 16 nominations including Best Picure and Best director. Alejandro Amenábar's Ágora followed with 13 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress (Rachel Weisz).

The big news was the snub of Pedro Almodóvar's Broken Embraces in the top categories. This makes it the first Almodóvar movie of the past decade not to be nominated for Spain's Best Picture (Volver won in the top categories three years ago and Bad Education and Talk to Her were nominated but lost in their respective years).

Broken Embraces however received five nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Original Score, Costume Design, Hair & Makeup and Best Actress for Penélope Cruz.

Joining Cruz and Weisz in the Best...

In a move that sees them fill out their early 2010 slate and in the same measure, add to their chances at owning more than half of the Best Foreign Picture category for the upcoming Oscars, Sony Pictures Classics have grabbed Juan Jose Campanella’s The Secrets in their Eyes. - In a move that sees them fill out their early 2010 slate and in the same measure, add to their chances at owning more than half of the Best Foreign Picture category for the upcoming Oscars, Sony Pictures Classics have grabbed Juan Jose Campanella&rsquo;s The Secrets in their Eyes. This is Argentina's official selection. Screen Daily mentions that this is the second time that the filmmaker works with the distribution company - they previously teamed on his 2001 film, Son of the Bride. The Variety review (see a portion below) makes this a film that seems custom designed for Spc's market.