“Swamp,” “Hairdresser,” “Sangre” win Ventana Sur’s Primer Corte

PanARMENIAN.Net - For the first time, four titles – “The Romantic Hairdresser”, “The Swamp: Between Sea and Land”, “Sangre en la Boca” and “Spider Thieves” – pretty well shared top honors equally at Ventana Sur’s 7th Primer Corte, its pix-in-post competition and key industry draw, Variety reports.

The spread reflected both a hike in Primer Corte’s kudos count as a multiplicity of companies seek association with the prestigious showcase, curated by Cannes Cinefondation’s Georges Goldenstern, plus the highly disparate qualities of this year’s competing titles.

Centering on a mother-son relationship, from when the son, who suffers Dystonia – sustained muscle contractions –– is three-years-old through to 28, “The Swamp, Between Sea and Land,” Colombian Manolo Cruz’s first feature, added to Sundance World Cinema selection, announced Wednesday, scooping the European Vision Prize, one of the biggest plaudits of the night, which takes in a Cine Plus/Club: Cine Plus Award of €15,000 ($16,350) to the French distrubutor of “Swamp,” TitraFilm’s €5,000 () for sound mixing and €2,000 for digital copies, and Gomedia’s €3,500 for a French-subtitled version. It will also receive a DCP copy from NMF/Color Front.

Produced by Ozcar Ramirez at Mexico’s Arte Mecanica, one of Latin America’s fast-rising young production hubs with an adventurous line in productions, Ivan Avila’s “The Romantic Hairdresser” took two awards – color correction from Sofia Films, €5,500 ($6,000) in advertising from Le Film Français whose Francois-Pier Pelinard-Lambert called it “ a strange but convincing love story.” Production turns on a stick-in-the-mud Mexican barber whose ordered-life is thrown healthily out of synch when he inherits a house in Rio de Janeiro. Also taking a special mention from INCAA TV, an Argentine public channel, “Barber” won Primer Corte’s kudos count on points and was sparking sale agent interest by the end of Primer Corte.

An out-of-control love story between a boxer (Leonardo Sbaraglia) and his femme trainee (movie newcomer Eva de Dominici, in a reportedly standout perf), starring “Sangre en la boca” won another plaudit – a Film Factory world sales pickup, plus sound/mixing post-pro from Jose Luis Diaz-Tauro and INCAA TV Prize, a sign of its large audience potential.

Buzzed-up before Ventana Sur, “Spider Thieves,” written-directed by Chile’s Guillermo Helo, co-produced by Luis Puenzo for Argentina’s Historias Cinematograficas, won a $10,000 minimum guarantee/promotion costs commitment offer from Habanero Films Sales and a range of post-pro services from Sinsistema. It follows three dirt-poor adolescent girls who dream of a richer life so scale buildings to rob expensive apartments, becoming media celebs. “The film explores the fantasies and delusions that may be caused by an overnight change in social status,” said Helo.

Past Primer Corte winners have often gone on to selection at Sundance, Berlin and beyond, plus sales agent pickups.