Hybrid doc series “The Letelier File,” drilling down on what is often said to be the first act of international terrorism committed on U.S. soil, looks like one potential highlight among 11 projects selected for one-to-one meetings at Ventana Sur‘s Latam Series Market.
“The Letelier File” unites big creative forces in Chilean film-TV – “Prison in the Andes” creator Felipe Carmona and helmers Rafael Valdeavellano (“Chicago Boys,” “Breaking the Brick”) and Nicolás Acuña, a director on Fox’s “Besieged” and RTVE/TNC’s “The 1,000 Days of Allende.”
Also among the 11 projects is hybrid doc series “Blessed,” the first TV series developed by “The Settlers” producer Quijote Films.
Also in the mix is “Couple’s Apartment,” created by Azul Lombardia – creator-director of “Según Roxi,” seen on Netflix, Latin America’s Movistar and TVP, movie “Doberman” and big Netflix hit “No me rompan” – and Lucas Mirvois, co-creator of podcast success “Malas Decisiones,” starring Anna Castillo, and “Según Roxi.”
Genre titles make up a fair bit of the lineup, with the horror revenant series “The Plague” and sci-fi scenario set up of “Second Life” and part-procedural “Dead Man.” As strong are the titles that could be described as doc series, whether “Blessed,” true crime entries “The Leterrier File,” “Santa Marta,” “Stolen Identity: Sexual Crime in the Digital Age.”
Many series producers are looking for other company partners. Most explicitly or implicitly hope to attract streamer financing. As free-to-air primetime is ever more dominated by remakes of Turkish super-hits, snagging platform production is hitting the jackpot in Latin America.
The 11 projects heading for one-to-one meetings:
“Blessed” (Director: Picky Talarico; Chile)
‘Blessed’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
Produced by Giancarlo Nasi and Sergio Karmy for Chile’s Quijote Films, behind Cannes winner “Land and Shade” and Blanquita, as well as “The Settlers,” a doc series created by Yassín Velázquez and Constanza Erenchun. In it, the biggest names in Chilean urban music share challenging episodes from their lives and their creative processes. “This type of content makes much sense, combining Quijote’s sense of quality with what people want to watch,” says Karmy.
“Couple’s Apartment” (Creators: Azul Lombardía and Lucas Mirvois; Argentina)
‘Couple’s Apartment’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
Produced by Mirvois at his La Maldita label, “Departamento” sees three married couples who are friends decide to rent an apartment where each of them can take a week-long downtime from their married lives. What follows is an “adventure filled with misunderstandings, jealousy, regrets and wild mishaps,” the synopsis runs.
“The Letelier File” (Writer: Felipe Carmona: Directors: Rafael Valdeavellano, Nicolás Acuña; Chile)
‘The Letelier File’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
Produced by Carola Fuentes, co-director on “Chicago Boys” and “Breaking the Brick,” a docs-fiction/true crime series detailing the 1976 terrorist attack near the White House targeting Pinochet opponent Orlando Letelier, uncovering the role of Chile’s notorious intelligence service, DINA.
“Freedomland” (Creators-writers: Kristian Natalicchio, Patricia Liguori; Mexico)
‘Freedomland’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
A drama series in which the founder of Freedomland, Mexico’s most prestigious ad agency, is arrested for tax fraud. When he is incarcerated, candidates jockey to succeed him. Created and written by seasoned commercials producer Kristian Natalicchio and playwright, screenwriter, and producer Patricia Liguori, who bowed theater plays “Etiqueta Azul,” “Dos Hermanas” and “Vestidito.”
“Dead Man” (Writer-Director: Joaquín Bravo; Uruguay)
‘Dead Man’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
A quirky crime mystery drama, with Eleonor, a therapist specializing in helping men “kill” an internalized version of their masculinity, embroiled in a murder investigation. From Bravo, creator of “No hay nadie” (2023), a short-format web series. Uruguay’s Básico Producciones produces.
“Stolen Identity: Sexual Crime in the Digital Age” (Director: Sebastián Carreras; Argentina)
‘Stolen Identity: Sexual Crime in the Digital Age’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
A true crime documentary, this series will tell the story of a woman whose life was turned upside down after discovering that her ex had stolen her identity and created fake profiles featuring intimate photos. “Stolen Identity” will document the protagonist’s transformation from victim to activist as she confronts her harasser and fights to create laws against digital violence. Produced by Cactus Cine, the series is written by Sebastián Davidovksy.
“The Plague” (Director: Guillermo Carbonell; Uruguay)
‘The Plague’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
This supernatural thriller, produced by Murdoc, is set in Montevideo in 1970, where dead people begin coming back to life, not as zombies but rather as confused people looking for answers about their lives. A paramilitary group keeps the phenomenon a secret, hunting down the resurrected and locking them in metal coffins on an abandoned island. Director Carbonell’s short of the same name won several awards in 2017, including at Morbido Fest and Fantaspoa.
“Living” (Director: Marina Artigas; Uruguay)
‘Living’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
Produced by El Cielo Cine and written and directed by Artigas, this series follows four friends in their 30s who are forced to share a small apartment. Trapped, broke, and down on their luck, they try to straighten out their lives—and hopefully grow up in the process. Writer-director Marina Artigas is a 20-year industry vet with experience on both sides of the camera, acting in dozens of shorts, films and series and helming the short film “Nélida.”
“Santa Marta” (Writer: Andrés Borda; Colombia)
‘Santa Marta’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
Another period story, this time set in 1976, “Santa Marta” is the story of Carmen, a local police officer investigating the murder and rape of a British woman. In doing her job, Carmen is forced to flee with her son through the labyrinthine underworld of Santa Marta, a city caught between towering mountains, beautiful beaches, crime, and corruption. Based on true events, it’s produced by Rhayuela Films.
“Second Life” (Director: Juan Rodriguez-Briso; Spain, Argentina)
‘Second Life’
Credit: Ventana Sur
Omnicorp Estudio produces this sci-fi drama about the fictional company Second Life, which develops technology capable of predicting each person’s date of death from natural causes. Knowing they’ve got an expiration date changes the way people behave, including series protagonist Martina, a single mother from Buenos Aires who finds out she has only four years left to live. Writer-director Juan Rodriguez-Briso is known for several short films that often play with genre and the well-received documentary feature “Eighteam.”
“South Pole Explorers” (Director: Jota Loyola; Chile)
‘South Pole Explorers’
Courtesy of Ventana Sur
This documentary series will tell the stories of a series of expeditions to the South Pole and the explorers, researchers, environmental activists, pilots, sailors and divers who are working to learn more about our planet while protecting its future at the same time. Themes such as climate change, environmental conservation, geopolitics, and peacekeeping will drive this show, which is produced by Oxitocine.
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