Lois Patiño, Belén Funes, Pablo Hernando Make the Cut at Madrid Film School’s First Co-Pro Showcase ECAM Forum (EXCLUSIVE)
Tagged as the new co-production showcase “like all those European markets but hotter,” ECAM Forum, launched by Madrid Film School ECAM, has unveiled the first 10 projects in development and eight in post-production, to be pitched to international decision-makers between June 10-13, in the Spanish capital.
Famed for its standout talent development program ECAM Incubator, the Madrid Film School has set a high bar for its inaugural Forum, which aims to broaden the reach of Spanish productions and co-productions (shorts, features, series) and build bridges between Spain and the global industry.
First case in point: the heavyweight industry names in the selection committees, which reflect the ambitions of coordinator Alberto Valverde and his team, to frame ECAM Forum as a must-attend industry event.
More from Variety
The 10-plus Films to Come or features in development were picked by producers Inés Massa (Materia Cinema) and Agustina Chiarino (Bocacha Films), Eurimages project manager Sergio García de Leániz, and Marina Maesso, scriptwriter and script analyst for HBO Max.
The eight Last Push films in post-production vying for a €15,000 ($16,280) cash prize were selected by Pamela Bieìnzobas, film adviser, programmer (Locarno) and critic, Eva Sangiorgi, artistic director of the Viennale, Cecilia Barrionuevo, programmer at large Film at Lincoln Center and head of seminars and international relations at ECAM, and James Lattimer, film critic, director and programmer.
The final lineup is yet to be finalised with added features, shorts and series in development, but Valverde is proud to underscore the record 470 projects submitted, and the quality of the applications.
The eye-catching eclectic first titles spanning different genres, a mix of new and hot auteurs from Spain, Portugal to Ecuador, should open appetites of international decision-makers.
For instance, Galician helmer Lois Patiño whose sensorial and contemplative pic “Samsara” earned him international festival kudos, from Berlin to Mexico and theatrical distribution outside Spain, will introduce “Ariel”, a free adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.
Another festival darling, Pablo Hernando (“Berserker”), will introduce the thriller noir sci fi “A Whale”, already picked up by Latido Films for global sales. Ingrid García-Jonsson (“Beautiful Youth”) stars as a contract killer with a special power related to a strange creature from an outer world which makes her untraceable.
Barcelona-born Belén Funes, launched internationally with “A Thief’s Daughter,” a new director Goya Award winner and picked by Variety in 2016 as a talent to track, will deliver her sophomore drama “The Turtles”. The story turns on a grieving family who leave Barcelona for a more rural life in Andalucia, and try to rebuild their future, closer to their roots. A Contracorriente will handle domestic distribution and Film Factory world sales.
The topic of children trying to navigate the chaotic life of their parents and the outside world is also explored by two other female directors: Argentina’s Silvina Schnicer, in her solo debut “La Quinta” after her celebrated co-helmed “Tigre,” and Portuguese/Swiss rising talent Denise Fernandes in her debut feature “Hanami.”
Valverde describes Funes, Schnicer and Fernandes as three female filmmakers regarding whom “we know the industry is eager to see their next films, films that touch on colonialism, disarray, and diaspora.”
“We always want to see more representation behind the camera and receive more projects written, directed and produced by women as well as filmmakers coming from underrepresented groups, and in particular in Last Push, we hope to receive more of them in future editions,” he added.
Discussing trends in the overall line up, carefully put together based on “the quality of the trajectory, track record of the creative teams, the projects’ financing viability and international potential,” Valverde praised “the diversity of stories, styles and genres represented in the final selection of Last Push and Films to Come.
“We have stories that range from historic period dramas to incursions into horror and sci-fi, naturalist family dramas, to eco-thrillers, and new approaches to the road movie genre,” he said. “We always hope to achieve that wide array of diverse storytelling and are very pleased with that aspect of the selections. We genuinely see a panorama of projects covering so many styles and ways of telling stories that will be an exciting part of this first edition.”
Valverde also underscored the geographical spread of the projects. “ECAM Forum is committed to support Spanish productions and their international reach, but we also love the fact that we have films by some very exciting international talents looking for Spanish co-production opportunities in both sections, he said, referring to “the international films selected in both categories that will take audiences to Venezuela, Pacific Colombia, the Azores, Uruguay, Ecuador, Perú and Argentina.”
A proof of the ever-expanding appeal of Spain as a co-production partner or location, no less than 11 countries are involved in the 18 features selected so far: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Equator, France, Italy, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland.
The remaining features, shorts and series in development will be announced in the coming weeks.
ECAM Forum is backed by ECAM, the City of Madrid, Madrid Film Office and Cineteca Matadero which will host the co-production showcase.
First selected ECAM Forum titles:
‘Films to Come’, projects in development:
“Casa Quemada” (Marina Velázquez Benítez, Spain)
“Los hermanos” (Espejo José María Avilés, Ecuador/Spain)
“Malpaís” (Paula Rodríguez Polanco, Colombia/France)
“Petróleo” (Álvaro Fernández Pulpeiro, Colombia/Venezuela/Spain)
“Phantom (Cristóbal Fernández Guadalupe, Spain/France)
“Los olvidados” (Jorge Cantos, Spain)
“Memorial” (Sergi Pérez, Spain)
“Riure” (Jordi Boquet Claramunt, Spain)
“Tres días de Verano” (Álvaro López, Spain)
“Flores para una madre ausente” (Ana Puentes, Spain)
‘Last Push”, projects in post-production:
“Ariel” (Lois Patiño, Spain/Portugal)
“Bodegón con fantasmas”(Enrique Buleo Spain/ Serbia)
“Deuses de pedra” (Iván Castiñeiras Gallego (Spain/ Portugal/France)
“Estados generales”(Mauricio Freyre Mendienta (Spain/Peru)
“Hanami” (Denise Fernandes, Switzerland/Portugal)
“La quinta” (Silvina Schnicer, Brasil/Spain/Chile)
“Los Tortuga”/”The Turles”(Belén Funes Spain/Chile)
“Una ballena”/”A Whale” (Pablo Hernando, Spain/Italy)
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
