Chris Hool Launches Studio 33 Films in Spain and Mexico (EXCLUSIVE)
Encouraged by the generous tax breaks on offer in Spain, Mexican producer Christopher Hool of Bazooka Films has launched new company Studio 33 Films, with outposts in both Mexico City and Madrid.
His Spanish producing partner Pablo Gonzalez, with extensive experience in providing production services, will run Studio 33 Films Spain, Hool said at Iberseries & Platino Industria on Thursday.
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Hool, who has co-produced six pics in Spain to date, hopes that the new shingle becomes a key content generator and a significant player in the creation of Spanish-Mexican audiovisual works.
Studio 33 already has a slate, in advanced script development, covering a diversity of genres, from comedy, terror, erotic thrillers and dramas, all mainstream films for either theatrical or platform release, he said.
“Ideally, I’d like to direct them as well, I’d like to spend my autumn years doing what I really enjoy,” said Hool, who has been producing films for 31 years and has directed only one, “Cambio de ruta.”
The plan is to shoot them mostly in Spain, especially in the Canary Islands and the Basque Country where incentives are the most muscular.
The slate, many of them written by Hool’s regular collaborator Charlie “El Huevo” Barrientos, include:
“Atrapada,” (“Trapped”)
After a wild night of partying, Emma wakes up in her bedroom feeling hungover and disoriented. She soon realizes that it’s not her room and that she’s not in her own home. Someone has kidnapped her and locked her up. A strange voice presents her with a twisted game consisting of various challenges that she must overcome to escape within a set time frame. It’s a twisted game that will push Emma to her limits, forcing her to confront her past and fears or remain trapped forever.
“Discordia,” (“Discord”)
Natalia and Matteo share a life and relationship that operate in flawless synchrony. They form a robust, dynamic couple, embracing adventure and an open-minded approach to their sexuality, all of which thrives because they honor their mutual agreements. However, when Matteo meets Sofia, it sparks a polyamorous connection that unravels the couple’s deepest secrets, ultimately altering the course of their relationship, particularly when Sofia uncovers the true nature of the couple’s successful business.
“Chuza Maldita,” (“Dead Straight”)
A group of lifelong friends gathers for a dinner. The hired cook is a woman who used to work at their old teenage nightclub, long abandoned. Despite her warnings, they decide to revisit the place for nostalgia. Upon entering, they sense something eerie, possibly supernatural. Their fears become real as they’re hunted by an obsessed killer linked to the nightclub. Their assailant remains unknown, but they’ve stirred a relentless force determined to hunt them down.
“La estrella de mi vida,” (“The Star of My Life”)
Soledad, a famous Spanish radio host known for “The Star of My Life,” her astrology and horoscope show, faces a life-altering discovery. Accidentally learning she was adopted shatters her identity, making her a “cosmic orphan.” She embarks on a journey to Mexico, her true birthplace, in search of her mother and the key to her genuine astrological identity. Along the way, Soledad discovers that she needed this experience to realize that the true star of her life… is herself.
“Todo es culpa del pirata,” (“It’s All My Pirate’s Fault”) Antonio, a young man with a quiet life, becomes obsessed with the story of Bobby Bob, a pirate cursed by a witch 300 years ago. Antonio is possessed by Bobby Bob’s spirit and must help him find a missing gem to regain control of himself, with the help of his friends, Santi and Pepe.
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