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Spain’s Latido Films has acquired three titles ahead of their world premieres at the Málaga Film Festival, including competition title Away.

Local star Mario Casas headlines as a man who travels to the Dutch city of Utrecht with his family for a football match. After experiencing a panic attack, he decides to remain in the city, severing all ties with his past and with no money, friends, home or knowledge of the language.

It is directed by first-time feature filmmaker Gerard Oms and produced by Barcelona’s Zabriskie Films has produced the film with Revolver Amsterdam.

“This semi-autobiographical film...

Su nueva película, ‘Playa de Lobos’, se proyectará fuera de concurso. © Festival de Málaga

El 28 Festival de Málaga, que se celebra del del 14 al 23 de marzo, concederá al intérprete argentino Guillermo Francella el Premio Retrospectiva, que reconoce su impresionante y amplia trayectoria en el cine hispanohablante.

Francella se suma así a una lista de ilustres galardonados con el Premio Retrospectiva, en la que figuran nombres como el cineasta argentino Marcelo Piñeyro, el director español Alberto Rodríguez o la actriz argentina Mercedes Morán.

El premio lo otorga la organización junto a Málaga Hoy, que ha entrevistado al actor, que ha expresado su emoción: «Esta distinción que me otorgó el Festival de Málaga de homenajearme con una retrospectiva de mi vida, de mi carrera, me hace muy feliz, y más de poder estar ahí. […] La magnitud del festival, que nunca he estado, pero sigo los movimientos de cada festival que se produce,...

Argentina’s Guillermo Francella and writer-directors Mariano Cohn and Gaston Duprat, star and creators of Disney+/Star+ smash hit “El Encargado” (Hulu’s “The Boss”), are re-teaming on “Homo Argentum,” an around 10-episode movie anthology, skewering the frustrations, paranoia and bloodymindedness seething below the surface of modern-day life.

Arguably Argentina’s biggest star alongside Ricardo Darín, Francella demonstrated his acting chops in a bravado turn in Juan José Campanella’s Oscar winning “The Secret of Their Eyes” before starring in Pablo Trapero’s “The Clan,” one of Argentina’s biggest movie exports in the last decade, grossing $20.4 million worldwide.

Cohn and Duprat has consolidated as one of Argentina’s foremost filmmaking forces, with an ever larger international reach, directing Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas in “Official Competition” and Robert De Niro in Argentine TV series “Nada.”

“Homo Argentum” is set up at Buenos Aires-based powerhouse Pampa Films, behind “Chinese Takeaway...

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,...

For those who’ve had their fill of Hallmark movies and more traditional seasonal fare, The Hollywood Reporter‘s annual list of the best in international TV offers some binge alternatives for the lazy days between Christmas and New Year’s. There’re nary a Santa or sleighbells to be found among our picks of foreign series fare, but fans of global TV will find plenty to chew on over the holidays, whether it’s a political thriller set in Senegal, a Korean drama about mental health, or a bizarre Danish comedy-soap from an old arthouse master.

Colin from Accounts (Watch on: Paramount+) Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer in ‘Colin From Accounts.’

This charming and disarmingly cringe Aussie rom-com kicks off with one of the most original meet-cutes in the genre: Gordon (Patrick Brammall) stops his car to let Ashley (Harriet Dyer) cross the street. In a cheeky thank you,...

Buenos Aires-based Meikincine has swooped on international sales rights to “The Extortion,” the biggest Argentine box office hit to date of 2023, in a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America.

“The Extortion” is backed by a pedigreed combo of Particular Crowd, Oscar winner Juan José Campanella’s 100 Bars, “Argentina, 1985” producer Infinity Hill and producer-service company Cimarrón Cine.

Headlined by Guillermo Francella, memorable in Campanella’s Academy Award winning “The Secret in Their Eyes” and star of Pablo Trapero’s “The Clan,” “The Extortion” turns on Alejandro, a pilot with a secret. Blackmailed by sinister intelligence service agents, he is plunged into a world of intrigue and corruption from which he will battle to escape alive.

Inspired by a true life Argentine crime story, “The Extortion” marks the second feature from Martino Zaidelis (“Re Loca”). Released April 6 in theaters in Argentina by Warner Bros., “The Extortion” scored 418,535 admissions last month, a...

Santiago Miter’s political thriller Argentina, 1985, and the Colombian series News of a Kidnapping, created by Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García, swept the top awards at the tenth Platino Awards Saturday evening.

Miter’s film took home six gongs, including Best Ibero-American Fiction film, Best Screenplay for co-writers Mitre and Mariano Llinas, Best Actor for Ricardo Darín, and the Audience Award.

The film is the tale of Argentinian lawyers Julio Strassera and Luis Moreno Ocampo, who bravely prosecuted members of the country’s former bloody military dictatorship. Under the regime, from 1976 to 1983, an estimated 30,000 people disappeared. The pic debuted in Competition at Venice, where it picked up the Fipresci prize, and was Argentina’s entry for the international Oscar race.

News of a Kidnapping (Noticia de un kidnapping) dominated the TV section taking four awards, including Best Miniseries or Series, Best Series Creator, and Best Actress in a Series or mini-series for Cristina Umaña.

Utama wins first awards for a Bolivian film.

In a one-two for Amazon’s original film and TV businesses Santiago Mitre’s courtroom drama Argentina, 1985 took five top honours at the 2023 Platino Awards on Saturday night (April 22), while News Of a Kidnapping from Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García claimed four.

Amazon Studios’ Argentina, 1985 won best Ibero-American fiction film, best actor for Ricardo Darín, best screenplay for co-writers Mitre and Mariano Llinas, best art direction, and film & education in values awards.

Satuday’s triumph here at Madrid’s Ifema Municipal Palace follows Oscar and Bafta nominations and the Goya for best Iberoamerican film.

Utama wins first awards for a Bolivian film.

Santiago Mitre’s courtroom drama Argentina, 1985 from Amazon Studios took five top honours at the 2023 Platino Awards at Madrid’s Ifema Municipal Palace on Saturday night (April 22), while stablemate Prime Video’s News Of a Kidnapping from Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García claimed four.

Oscar- and Bafta-nominated Argentina, 1985 premiered in Competition at Venice last year and added to an awards haul that also earned recognition at the Goya awards, among others.

Mitre’s latest film won best Ibero-American fiction film, best actor for Ricardo Darín, best screenplay co-written by Mitre and Mariano Llinas,...

Santiago Mitre’s “Argentina, 1985” and “News of a Kidnapping,” created by Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García, swept the top prizes for best picture on Saturday night at the 2023 Platino Awards, in a sign of how the global streamers – here Amazon Studios and Prime Video – have lured top-of-their-class talent in Latin America.

One highlight of the ceremony, dedicated to films and TV shows in the Spanish-speaking world, was Benicio del Toro’s acceptance speech of a honorary Platino in which he reflected on being typecast for many years in Hollywood as a Latino actor.

“If I had to play stereotypes, I tried to find the character’s humanity, a sense of complicity, so that audiences felt what my character felt and whilst they’re watching, don’t forget who I am and where I come from.,” he said. “What’s important is to share more than be divided,” he added.

Supremely diabolical Star Original series “El Encargado,” directed by innovating Argentine creative duo Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat (“The Man Next Door”), teased a first episode as part of the Capítulo Uno strand of soon-to-bow series at the 2nd Iberseries & Platino Industria, which unspooled Sept. 27-30 in Madrid.

The series opens with protagonist Eliseo preparing dinner in a spotless kitchen, calling out to his family to set the table as he sips from a glass of wine. Every detail in his succulent pasta dish is fine-tuned. As he sits at the head of the table, the camera pans back revealing he’s alone. Thoroughly enjoying his own company, he finishes his exquisite meal, straightens up and leaves the borrowed space. Scenes of him feeding his Venus Flytrap, a carnivorous plant that mimics some of his darker inclinations, are laid into the title sequence, alluding to his reality as a sly inner predator,...

Upping the ante on its inaugural edition, the 2nd Iberseries & Platino Industria will unveil about 50 drama series, whether via first episodes, or showreels or trailers (Upcoming…).

Following a breakdown of titles, and showreel highlights in showreels, featuring some of the most anticipated titles from Spain and Latin America, as well as recent hits:

Capitulo Uno

“El Encargado,” (Star Original Productions/The Walt Disney Company Latin America)

Anybody who caught neighbors’ standoff dark comedy “The Man Next Door,” a 2010 Sundance winner from “Official Competition” directors Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat could imagine they will tear with relish into dramedy of a concierge who uses his access to clients intimacy to control their lives. Iberseries marks the first market screening of the half hour which headlines Argentine star Guillermo Francella as a concierge from hell battling plans to be sacked. Star+ bows “El Encargado” on Oct. 26.

“Limbo,” (Star Original Productions/The Walt Disney Company Latin America,...

Argentina’s Rodrigo de la Serna leads the cast in the latest Paramount+ original film for Latin America, “El Salto de Papá,” based on the memoir of Argentine author-journalist Martin Sivak.

Daniela Goggi, who co-wrote the script with Andrea Garrote, will direct the pic which is set to begin shooting in Argentina in upcoming weeks. Vis, Paramount’s international studio, is producing the drama in association with two of Argentina’s leading producers, Infinity Hill and Rei Cine.

The film is one of multiple Paramount+ original projects underway in Latin America and Spain as the streamer seeks to rev up its local slate. Competition for premium culturally-specific content among streaming giants and studios in Latin America continues to heat up as they source more original productions locally. This June, at its U.K. launch, Paramount+ announced plans to commission more than 150 international originals by 2025.

De la Serna is best known for his role as Palermo,...

Exclusive: Lion’s Heart (Corazón de León), which is one of the most successful Argentinian movies of all time with more than two million cinema tickets sold, will be getting the Italian remake treatment after the Fremantle-owned Wildside landed rights.

The deal, which was brokered by Filmsharks’ The Remake Co, is the latest such pact on the title following remakes in Colombia, Mexico and Peru, as well as in Europe where Gaumont made the French-language Up For Love (Un Homme A La Hauteur), which starred Jean Dujardin and grossed more than $5M in France.

The original movie, directed by Marcos Carnevale, starred Julieta Díaz, Mauricio Dayub and Guillermo Francella. The story follows a lawyer who, after she loses her mobile phone, receives a call from the person who found it. They talk and hit it off very quickly, but she is shocked when she sees that he’s very short.

Suggesting there’s still traction in international markets, Latido has announced a raft of major territory sales on top Cannes titles, led by ”The Heist of the Century,” “Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles” and “Hotel Coppelia.”

Derails of the sales, closed in the long-run up to Cannes or in Cannes early days if trading, comes as Latido’s new Cannes title and A Demain Platform player “Virus 32,” a zombie breakout horror-thriller, is sparking large interest from international distributors e-attending Cannes after the spectacular success if Latido-sold “The Platform,” which Netflix stepped in promptly t acquire after its world-premiere at Toronto last year.

An Argentine blockbuster, notching up in January the fifth best opening weekend in Argentine history, Ariel Winograd’s true facts based bank robbery “The Heist of the Century,” starring Guillermo Francella, has closed Japan (Ak Company), Russia/Cis (Red Castle), the U.K. (Sky UK), South...

Sales for the Argentinian box-office hit spice up a busy Efm for the Madrid-based sales outfit .

Madrid-based sales outfit Latido Films has scored several key territory deals on Argentinian box office hit The Heist Of The Century (El robo del siglo) after market screenings at this year’s Efm.

The based on a true story comedy about a botched bank robbery has gone to France (Eurozoom), Spain (Syldavia), Greece (Rosebud), Switzerland (Trigon) and Australia (Palace). There are also offers on the table from Russia, Italy and China.

Released in Argentina this January, The Heist Of The Century is directed by...

Madrid — Adding to a powerful and still growing talent roster, Viacom International Studios (Vis) has clinched a first-look deal with Argentine writer-director Ariel Winograd whose latest movie, “The Heist of the Century,” has just become one of the biggest Argentine openers in history.

The multi-year pact takes in the development and production of not only feature films – where Winograd has had a large impact- but also drama series.

With Winograd, Viacom International Studios has landed one of Argentina’s most popular auteurs who melds romantic comedy or heist movies (“Wine to Steal”) with contemporary social commentary, whether on Jewish communities in Argentina (“Cheese Face: ‘My First Ghetto’”), women’s choosing not to have children or open relationships.

On recent form, he also one of Argentina’s biggest commercial directors. Premiering in the winter holidays of 2017, ‘Mom Went on a Trip’, starring Diego Peretti (“En terapia”) and Carla Peterson, became the No.

Buenos Aires — The last few years have caught Ventana Sur – Cannes Festival and Market’s biggest initiative outside France – taking place as the industry debated radical change. This year saw the Latin American industries in a state of transformation themselves, wracked by headwinds – Jair Bolsonaro’s government in Brazil – or looking to take advantage of negative scenarios, such as the Argentine peso plunge against the dollar.

But Ventana Sur is weathering these storms. Expanding from its film base into growth areas for the film industry – genre, animation, and now drama series and social media via a bolstered conference focus under co-director Ralph Haiek – Ventana Sur has evolved into an invaluable fixture in a round-the-year sales and co-production movie business, accelerating trading and expanding companies’ contact bases. Here are 12 Takeaways from a robust 2019 edition:

1.The Double Model

The rise of global platforms played out throughout Ventana Sur, in sales and announced strategic moves,...

Buenos Aires — Ever incorporating ever bigger titles to its slate, Latido Films has boarded the Viacom-backed, Telefe co-produced “El Robo del Siglo” (“The Theft of the Century”), acquiring international rights outside the U.S. to a title which is shaping up as one of Argentina’s biggest bows of early 2020.

Multiple factors elevate it to that category.

“El Robo” is based on Argentina’s most celebrated heist ever, as true crime booms in Argentina. It stars a powerful cast, led by Guillermo Francella (“The Secret in Their Eyes” and “The Clan”) and Diego Peretti (“En terapia”).

“The Theft of the Century” is also produced by Az Films, MarVista Ent., Viacom International Studios (Vis) and Telefe, with DirectTV in associate production.

Viacom-owned Telefe has backed and promoted most of Argentina’s big hits this last decade, including “The Secret in Their Eyes” and “Wild Tales.”

Headed by Alex Zito, and...

Buyers respond to 4x4, The Weasels’ Tale, Bunuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles.

Madrid-based powerhouse Latido Films has struck a raft of key deals on its prestige Efm slate, led by further business on Argentine-Spain duo 4x4 and Oscar winner Juan Jose Campanella’s The Weasels’ Tale.

Mariano Cohn’s thriller 4x4 (Argentina-Spain) was the talk of Ventana Sur in Buenos Aires in December and stars Juan Pedro Lanzani from Argentine smash The Clan as a petty crook who breaks into a car, only to discover he has been lured into a trap.

Latido has licensed rights to...

While “My Masterpiece” zigzags from buddy comedy to biting satire to sober reflection on age and illness – and does so in an order one wouldn’t quite expect – the film always remains buoyed by director Gastón Duprat’s appealingly light approach.

That same light touch enlivened the Argentinian filmmaker’s previous effort, 2016’s “The Distinguished Citizen”, which took home the Volpi Cup at Venice that year and would become Argentina’s foreign language Oscar submission and a modest box office hit.

Premiering Aug. 30 out of competition, this art-world satire hopes to launch with similar aplomb. Produced by Televisión Abierta, Aleph Media, and Mediapro, and sold by Latido Films, “My Masterpiece” focuses on the relationship between jaded Buenos Aires gallerist Arturo (Guillermo Francella) and irascible painter Renzo (Luis Brandoni), a nightmare of a client and Arturo’s oldest, dearest friend.

Whereas up to this point you’ve worked closely with collaborator Mariano Cohn,...

The Chilean submission for best foreign language Oscar took home four awards at the third Fenix Ibero-American Film Awards in Mexico City on Wednesday.

Neruda, directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Luis Gnecco, also claimed prizes for editing, costume and art design.

The cat-and-mouse drama takes place in Chile shortly after the Second World War as a police inspector pursues the renowned national poet and communist Pablo Neruda. It opens in the Us via The Orchard on December 16. 2016 continues to be a banner year for Larraín, who has also earned strong reviews for his English-language debut, Jackie.

Sonia Braga was named best actress for Brazilian drama Aquarius and Kleber Mendonca Filho won the director prize.

Guillermo Francella of Pablo Trapero’s Argentinian thriller The Clan was honoured in the actor category and the film also won for sound.

Brazil’s Neon Bull claimed screenplay and cinematography – fiction prizes, while Tempestad...

Pablo Larraín’s “Jackie” may be getting Oscar buzz, but it’s not his only film up for contention. His Spanish-language picture “Neruda,” starring Luis Gnecco and Gael García Bernal, has also been well received by critics, especially at the 2016 Fenix Awards — it took home four prizes, including Best Picture and Best Editing.

The drama, which is also Chile’s official Oscar entry for Best Foreign-Language Film, tells the story of poet Pablo Neruda (Gnecco), arguably the most famous communist in post-wwii Chile. When the political tides shift, he is forced into hiding with tenacious police inspector Oscar Peluchoneau (Bernal) hot on his trail.

Read More: How The Fenix Awards Became Mexico’s Secret Weapon at the Oscars

The third annual Fenix Ibero-American Film Awards took place on December 7 in Mexico City and honored the best in film from Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

Another big hit of the night...

A slick thriller from Argentina’s Pablo Trapero brilliantly juxtaposes domestic life and the kidnapping business

This boisterous thriller, which is based on real events, is the most mainstream film to date from Argentinian director Pablo Trapero (Lion’s Den, El Bonaerense). The story of the well-connected Puccio family, which in the early 1980s used its links with the government to cover up a lucrative kidnapping business, this is told using the slick language of a Hollywood crime movie. Trapero negotiates with verve the uneasy juxtaposition between quotidian family life and something rather darker and more sinister. But the film’s driving force is Guillermo Francella: with his ice-chip eyes and subdued menace, he is chilling as the Puccio family patriarch Archimedes.

Continue reading...

Ciro Guerra’s drama about indigenous tribes in the Colombian Amazon took home seven awards from eight nominations.

Ciro Guerra’s Embrace Of The Serpent dominated last night’s Platino Awards - the Ibero-American equivalent of the Oscars - winning seven prizes from eight nominations including best film and best director.

The third annual celebration of the Ibero-American film industry was held at the Punta del Leste Convention Center, Uruguay.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Aside from Embrace Of The Serpent, which addresses the issue of vanished indigenous civilisations and was Oscar-nominated this year, none of the other nominated films received more than one award.

The best actor prize went to The Clan’s Guillermo Francella for his portrayal of the patriarch of an Argentinian family who kidnapped and killed its neighbours in the 1980s.

Dolores Fonzi took home the best actress award for Santiago Mitre’s Paulina, for her performance...

It's a well-known fact that Iberoamerican cinema, which includes Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese productions, has had a prominent presence at the most important international film festivals for several years now and several films have been recognized at some of the most important film awards around the world. Colombia's "Embrace of the Serpent" earning the country's first-ever Oscar nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category and Argentina's "Wild Tales" taking home the 2016 BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in English Language are juts two examples of recent victories.

Acknowledging the need for a unified industry in the region and a platform for the Iberoamerican industry to honor and support its own productions, the Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema were born three years ago. Each year the organizing committee selects a diverse group of nominees and invites members of the industry across the American continent and the Iberian peninsula to vote in order to select the winners. The ceremony takes place in a different country every year as a way to include all of the varied industries in the process and execution of the event.

This morning, after considering more than 150 films from a pool of over 800 theatrically releases productions, the final nominees were announced by a group of talented actors, including legendary Mexican-American thespian Edward James Olmos, and filmmakers led by CNN en Español's journalist Juan Carlos Arciniegas. Guatemala's Berlin-winning gem "Ixcanul" received 8 nominations, just as Colombia's Oscar-nominated "Embrace of the Serpent" did. These two gorgeously executed works center on indigenous stories and highlight the rich cultural heritage of Latin America. It's a pleasant surprise to see these two fantastic films get the most love.

Chile's "The Club" and Argentina's "The Clan," films by the two most prolific Pablos working in South America, Pablo Larrain and Pablo Trapero, received 6 nominations each. Larrain's dark tale about Catholic priests with questionable pasts was also nominated this year for a Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Perhaps one of the most surprising, yet well-deserved nominations, was the inclusion of Alonso Ruizpalacios among the Best Director nominees for his brilliant debut "Güeros."

Two films distributed by Pantelion received nomations: "600 Miles" and "Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos." Oscilloscope earned 10 mentions with properties "Ma Ma" and "Embrace of the Serpent." Kino Lorber's "Ixcanul, ""Güeros," and "The Pearl Button" also earned the art house distributor 10 nominations.

Regarding the quality of the films being produced in Iberoamerica Egeda's Elvi Cano said, “This has been an exceptional year for Iberoamerican Cinema, with 826 qualifying releases. Iberoamerican Cinema is alive, growing and stronger then ever.” Renowned journalist and host Juan Carlos Arciniegas added," These awards are starting a revolution and it's my dream, as an ambassador for Premios Platino, that these magnificent films that got nominated today to be seen by all our Iberoamerican audiences. I can't be more proud of what our filmmakers are doing today and if the public don't get to enjoy them, we won't be doing our job"

The 3rd Annual Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema will take place on July 24th in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Here is the full list of nominees:

Premio Platino for Best Iberoamerican Picture

-"Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente), by Ciro Guerra (Ciudad Lunar Producciones, Caracol Cine, Dago García Producciones, Nortesur Producciones S.A., Mc Producciones, Buffalo Films) (Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina).

-"The Clan" (El clan), by Pablo Trapero (Kramer & Sigman Films, Matanza Cine S.R.L., El Deseo, P.C., S.A.) (Argentina, Spain).

-"The Club" (El club), by Pablo Larraín (Fabula Producciones) (Chile).

-"Ixcanul," by Jayro Bustamante (La Casa de Producción, Tu vas voir Productions) (Guatemala).

-"Truman," by Cesc Gay (Imposible Films S.L., Truman Film A.I.E., Bd Cine S.R.L) (Spain, Argentina).

Premio Platino for Best Director

-Alonso Ruizpalacios, for "Güeros."

-Cesc Gay, for "Truman."

-Ciro Guerra, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

Pablo Larraín, for "The Club" (El club).

Pablo Trapero, for "The Clan" (El clan).

Premio Platino for Best Actor

-Alfredo Castro, for "The Club" (El club).

-Damián Alcázar, for "Magallanes."

-Guillermo Francella, for "The Clan" (El clan).

-Javier Cámara, for "Truman."

-Ricardo Darín, for "Truman."

Premio Platino for Best Actress

-Antonia Zegers, for "The Club" (El club).

-Dolores Fonzi, for "Paulina."

-Elena Anaya, for "The Memory of Water" (La memoria del agua).

-Inma Cuesta, for "The Bride" (La novia).

-Penélope Cruz, for "Ma Ma."

Premio Platino for Best Original Score

-Alberto Iglesias, for "Ma Ma."

-Federico Jusid, for "Magallanes."

-Lucas Vidal, for "Nobody Wants the Night" (Nadie quiere la noche).

-Nascuy Linares, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

-Pascual Reyes, for "Ixcanul."

Premio Platino for Best Animated Feature Film

-"Capture the Flag" (Atrapa la bandera), by Enrique Gato (Telecinco Cinema S.A., Los Rockets La Película A.I.E., Telefónica Studios S.L.U., 4 Cats Pictures S.L., Ikiru Films S.L., Lightbox Animation Studios S.L.) (Spain).

-"Top Cat Begins" (Don Gato 2: El inicio de la pandilla), by Andrés Couturier (Anima Estudios) (Mexico).

-"El Americano", by Ricardo Arnaiz, Mike Kunkel (Olmos Productions, Phil Roman Entertainment, Animex) (Mexico).

-"Amila's Secret" (El secreto de Amila), by Gorka Vázquez (Baleuko, S.L., Talape Animazioa, Draftoon Animation) (Spain, Argentina).

-"Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-Cellent Adventure" (Un gallo con muchos huevos), by Gabriel Riva Palacio Alatriste, Rodolfo Riva Palacio Alatriste (Huevocartoon Producciones) (Mexico).

Premio Platino for Best Documentary Feature Film

-"Beyond My Grandfather Allende" (Allende mi abuelo Allende), by Marcia Tambutti Allende (Errante Producciones Ltda, Martfilms) (Chile, Mexico).

-"New Girls 24 Hours" (Chicas nuevas 24 horas), by Mabel Lozano (Mafalda Entertainment, S.L., Aleph Media S.A., Puatarará Films, Hangar Films, Arte Vital) (Spain, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Peru).

-"The Pearl Button" (El botón de nácar), by Patricio Guzmán (Atacama Productions, Valdivia Film, France 3 Cinema, Mediaproduccion, S.L.) (Chile, Spain).

-"Tea Time" (La once), by Maite Alberdi (Micromundo Producciones) (Chile).

-"The Propaganda Game," by Álvaro Longoria (Morena Films S. L.) (Spain).

Premio Platino for Best Screenplay

-Cesc Gay, Tomás Aragay, for "Truman."

-Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

-Jayro Bustamante, for "Ixcanul."

-Pablo Larraín, Guillermo Calderón, Daniel Villalobos; for "The Club" (El club).

-Salvador del Solar, for "Magallanes."

Premio Platino for Best Iberoamerican Debut Feature Film

-"600 Miles" (600 Millas), by Gabriel Ripstein (Lucia Films) (Mexico).

- "Retribution" (El desconocido), by Dani de la Torre (Atresmedia Cine S. L., Vaca Films Studio, S.L.) (Spain).

-"The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime" (El patrón: radiografía de un crimen), by Sebastián Schindel (Magoya Films S.A., Estrella Films) (Argentina, Venezuela).

-"Ixcanul," by Jayro Bustamante (La Casa de Producción, Tu vas voir Productions) (Guatemala).

-"Magallanes," by Salvador del Solar (Péndulo Films, Tondero Producciones, Cepa Audiovisual S.R.L., Proyectil, Cinemara, Nephilim Producciones, S.L.) (Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Spain).

Premio Platino for Best Film Editing

-César Díaz, for "Ixcanul."

-Eric Williams, for "Magallanes."

-Etienne Boussac, Cristina Gallego, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

-Jorge Coira, for "Retribution" (El desconocido).

-Pablo Trapero, Alejandro Carrillo Penovi, for "The Clan" (El clan).

Premio Platino for Best Art Direction

-Angélica Perea, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

-Bruno Duarte, Artur Pinheiro, for "Arabian Nights: Vol.2 - The Desolate One" (As mil e uma noites: Volume 2, O desolado).

-Jesús Bosqued Maté, Pilar Quintana, for "The Bride" (La novia).

-Pilar Peredo, for "Ixcanul."

-Sebastián Orgambide, for "The Clan" (El clan).

Premio Platino for Best Cinematography

-Arnaldo Rodríguez, for "The Memory of Water" (La memoria del agua).

-David Gallego, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

-Luis Armando Arteaga, for "Ixcanul."

-Miguel Ángel Amoedo, for "The Bride" (La novia).

-Sergio Armstrong, for "The Club" (El club).

Premio Platino for Best Sound Direction

-Carlos García, Marco Salavarría, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).

-David Machado, Jaime Fernández, Nacho Arenas, for "Retribution" (El desconocido).

-Eduardo Cáceres, Julien Cloquet, for "Ixcanul."

-Federico Esquerro, Santiago Fumagalli, Edson Secco, for "Paulina."

-Vicente D’Elía, Leandro de Loredo, for "The Clan" (El clan).

The Clan (El Clan) Fox International Reviewed by: Harvey Karten for Shockya d-based on Rotten Tomatoes Grade: B+ Director: Pablo Trapero Written by: Pablo Trapero, Esteban Student Cast: Guillermo Francella, Peter Lanzani, Antonia Bengoechea, Gastón Cocchiarale, Stefanía Koessl Screened at: Fox, NYC, 2/22/16 Opens: March 18, 2016 This year as in every other, horror films will be introduced to the big screen, each trying to equal or excel the originality and tension of classics like “Carrie” and “The Exorcist.” “The Clan” is billed as a biopic, part thriller, part political (though Republican politics can be viewed as horror as it is by some now in the U.S.), but is not [ Read More ]

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Argentina’s totalitarian regime of the late 1970s made an invaluable contribution to the lexicon of euphemism by giving us the verb “to disappear,” a graceful way of describing the act of kidnapping and murdering political dissidents. In “The Clan,” based on the true story of a family that ran a lucrative enterprise snatching wealthy people for sizable ransoms during that bleak period, we see that the trickle-down theory applies both to euphemism and to Fascism. In the world of the kidnappers here, hostages are known as “guests” or “company,” and Arquimedes Puccio (Guillermo Francella, “Rudo y Cursi”) is praised for.

Are you in the mood for a crime story with shades of "Scorsese and Coppola and an ending that goes full-on De Palma"? Well, you'll want to keep Pablo Trapero's Venice Film Festival Silver Lion winning and Tiff Platform Prize honored "The Clan" on your radar, and today we have an exclusive, intense clip to show you a little bit of what it's all about. Read More: The Best And Worst Of The 2015 Venice Film Festival Starring Guillermo Francella, Peter Lanzani, Lili Popovich, Gaston Cocchiarale, Giselle Motta, Franco Masini, Antonia Bengoechea, and Stefania Koessl, this Argentinian box office hit tells the story of the Puccios, a middle-class family pulled into a world of kidnapping, ransom, and murder by the family’s patriarch. As you'll see in the clip below, the consequences of not falling in line are deadly. "The Clan" opens in New York and Los Angeles on March...

"The Clan" (El Clan), the Argentina-Spain co-production about the notorious well-to-do Puccio family who kidnapped and murdered several of their neighbors in 1980s-era Buenos Aires, continued its march to next year's Academy Awards with a victory yesterday in the coveted Audience Award category at Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival's new Gems Festival, which has the distinction of being the only major film festival produced worldwide by a college or university.

Already breaking box office records in its domestic release in Argentina, "The Clan" received its U.S. Premiere at Gems and was one of many sell-outs throughout the Festival's new fall event. Director Pablo Trapero and the film's star, Guillermo Francella, received a prolonged ovation from the Miami audience for their ferocious take on the real-life Arquímedes Puccio, as they took questions from the audience after the screening.

Earlier in the evening, recently retired "Sábado Gigante" media icon and global celebrity Don Francisco accepted the Festival's Precious Gem Award prior to the closing night screening of Patricia Riggen’s Warner Bros/Alcon release, "The 33," in which Don Francisco appears as himself. The award was presented by Miami Dade College president Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón in recognition of Don Francisco’s significant contributions to the story and progress in 2010 of the fate of the trapped Copiapó miners.

"The 33" cast members Rodrigo Santoro, Juan Pablo Raba and Kate del Castillo, along with director Riggen, celebrated the honor on stage with Don Francisco in an emotional pre-screening ceremony. Festival Director & Director of Programing, Jaie Laplante, noted "The 33's" synergy with Miami International Film Festival's current celebrations of its 33rd season, which will culminate in the annual beloved event this coming March 4 - 13, 2016. "The heroic undercurrent of the absolute value for human life in 'The 33' make this the 'now' film for Miami, Chile and the world," he said. "The 33" was declared the runner-up in a close race for the Audience Award, named this year in honor of the late Miami arts patron, Gigi Guermont.

"The 33" capped a four-day weekend of dazzling cinematic jewels in the Gems Festival. Also captivating Gems patrons were actress Antonia Zegers, on hand to discuss her work and the issues in Pablo Larraín's devastating Chilean Oscar submission, "The Club" (El club), and American filmmakers Trey Edward Shults, presenting his SXSW-award winning film "Krisha," and Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt, who brought with him several of the subjects of his documentary "Havana Motor Club."

Spanish director María Ripoll presented the U.S. premiere of her delightful box office sensation in Spain, "It's Now or Never" (Ahora o nunca). Pop star Melody, who appears in the film and sings the comedy's theme song, surprised audiences with a live performance of the catchy number prior to the Gems screening.

Music was a major theme and highlight throughout the Gems weekend. Miami-based composer Carlos Rafael Rivera paid tribute to the late Oscar-winning composer James Horner, whose riveting score for "The 33" was one of his last major works, completed shortly before the tragic aviation accident that claimed his life last June.

The Cannes-winning film from Hou Hsiao-Hsien, "The Assassin," and two films from Italian masters, Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth" and Nanni Moretti's "Mia Madre," were among the films received the biggest buzz over the Gems weekend. Colombia’s Oscar submission "Embrace of the Serpent," was rapturously received and praised for its outstanding cinematography and powerful ethnographic tale of aboriginal genocide in the Amazon jungle. "A Perfect Day", the new film by a favorite director of Miami International Film Festival for many years, Spain's Fernando de Leon Aranoa, received its first Us screening, and the wonderful performances in that film by Benicio del Toro and Tim Robbins were also among the weekend's major talking points.

The 33rd annual Miami International Film Festival will take place March 4-13, 2016...

Fox International Productions and Twentieth Century Fox have set a theatrical release for Pablo Trapero’s Argentinian Oscar submission and local box office record-breaker.

The Clan (El Clan) will open in limited release on January 29 2016 in New York and Los Angeles. Fox International Productions will market and Twentieth Century Fox will distribute.

The film has grossed more than $16m and recounts the extraordinary true story of middle-class patriarch Arquímedes Puccio who manipulated his family – including his eldest son, a star rugby player for the Pumas national team – to help him carry out a series of kidnaps and murders.

Guillermo Francella and Peter Lanzani star alongside Lili Popovich, Gastón Cocchiarale, Giselle Motta, Franco Masini, Antonia Bengoechea and Stefania Koessl.

Hugo Sigman, Matías Mosteirín, Agustín Almodóvar, Pedro Almodóvar and Esther García produced with Trapero.

Fox International Productions presents a Kramer & Sigman Films, Matanza Cine and El Deseo production in association with Telefónica Studios and Telefé.

The American Film Institute announced today the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI Fest 2015 presented by Audi.

AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.

World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...

The Chilean TV personality will collect the inaugural honour on closing night on October 25 of the Gems Festival hosted by Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival.

The award will be presented in recognition of Francisco’s “significant contributions to the story and progress in 2010 of the fate of the trapped Copiapó miners, influences that are cinematically immortalized in Patricia Riggen’s film The 33.”

Francisco, real name Mario Kreutzberger, has hosted a long-running variety show in Chile and is regarded as a champion of Hispanic identity and culture in the Americas.

People associated with the actual events in Copiapó will attend the screening and presentation alongside local dignitaries and Miami Film Society patrons.

“The festival look forwards to being able to honour Don Francisco with our heartfelt appreciation for all he has done for the Copiapó story,” said executive director and director of programming Jaie Laplante.

Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, one of the...

Pablo Trapero’s true-life thriller will fly the flag for his country.

El Clan, the box office smash from Argentina on more than $16.6m via Fox International, recently earned Trapero the best director Silver Lion in Venice and went on to screen in Toronto.

The film follows the well-to-do Puccio family, who ran a kidnapping and murder ring from their San Isidro home in the early 1980s during the final years of the dictatorship.

Celebrated Argentine comic actor Guillermo Francella plays the patriarch Arquimedes Puccio.

K&S Films, Spain’s El Deseo and Trapero’s Matanza Cine produced and Telefe and Telefonica Studios served as co-producers.

Dear Danny,Generally (and melancholically) speaking, I’m in the process of wrapping up my Tiff experience. Literally speaking, however, I’m sitting before a flatscreen in the Bell Lightbox Theatre’s lobby, seeing Bring Me the Head of Tim Horton for the second time in a row. Brother Sicinski in his essential Wavelengths report has astutely written on this singular 30-minute whatsit by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson, though I couldn’t resist adding my own appreciative two cents. You’ve heard the story: Paul Gross aims to promote Canadian patriotism with his Afghanistan War would-be blockbuster Hyena Road, a project dismantled by Maddin in a remarkable, psychedelic behind-the-scenes documentary/demolition job. Presenting himself as broke, livid and roasting under the sweltering Jordanian sun, Maddin posits his role as “a Trojan horse inside a Trojan horse,” his hallucinatory camera turning the arid landscapes and squid-equipped actors of...

Read More: Watch: The Consequences of Drone Warfare are Deadly in Exclusive 'Full Contact' Trailer From Argentine auteur and "White Elephant" director Pablo Trapero comes the true story about a middle-class family that is anything but normal. Starring Guillermo Francella as the steely-eyed patriarch and Peter Lanzani as the eldest son, "The Clan" looks to be one of the more enticing titles at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. The official synopsis reads: "Within a typical family home in the traditional neighborhood of San Isidro, a sinister clan makes its living off kidnapping and murder. Arqimedes, the patriarch, heads and plans the operations. Alejandro, his eldest son, is a star rugby player at Casi – a presitigious local club – and the Argentine mythical national team. The son gives in to his father's will and identifies possible candidates for kidnapping; his popularity shields him from suspicion. To a greater or...

Title: El Clan Director: Pablo Trapero Starring: Guillermo Francella, Peter Lanzani, Lili Popovich, Gastón Cocchiarale, Giselle Motta, Franco Masini, Antonia Bengoechea, Stefania Koessl. The Story of the Puccio Family gets immortalised on the big screen, through the eye of director Pablo Trapero. The first impression as you watch the movie, is that it approaches the sinister aftermath of Argentina’s last military dictatorship as a bull in a china shop. To begin with we seem to be flaunted violence without a cause, which will make sense with the completion of the narrative. Trapero wants to depict how the military government in Argentina, after seizing power in 1976, went on to kidnap, [ Read More ]

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Pablo Trapero's The Clan, starring Guillermo Francella (The Secrets of Their Eyes), Peter Lanzini, Lili Popovich, Gaston Cocchiarale, Giselle Motta, Franco Masini and Antonia Bengoechea, has been breaking box office records in Argentina. Now it's screening in competition at Venice before rolling on to Toronto. The Telegraph's Robbie Collin suggests that "there’s such an irresistible, black-hearted swagger to [The Clan] that Martin Scorsese would immediately recognize a kindred spirit." We've got the trailer and a clip and we're gathering more reviews. » - David Hudson...

Pablo Trapero's The Clan, starring Guillermo Francella (The Secrets of Their Eyes), Peter Lanzini, Lili Popovich, Gaston Cocchiarale, Giselle Motta, Franco Masini and Antonia Bengoechea, has been breaking box office records in Argentina. Now it's screening in competition at Venice before rolling on to Toronto. The Telegraph's Robbie Collin suggests that "there’s such an irresistible, black-hearted swagger to [The Clan] that Martin Scorsese would immediately recognize a kindred spirit." We've got the trailer and a clip and we're gathering more reviews. » - David Hudson...

★★★☆☆ When General Leopoldo Galtieri launched Operation Rosario its failure, including defeat and humiliation in the Falklands (or Malvinas) in 1982, would lead to the end of his dictatorship and the tentative return of democracy to Argentina. It's in this period of uncertainty that Pablo Trapero's new crime thriller The Clan (2015), which screened today at the 72nd Venice Film Festival, is set. Young rugby player Alex Puccio (Peter Lanzani) seems a million miles away from the problems of politics. He's famed for his speed, enjoys playing the game and also going out with his teammates in order to bathe in public adulation. He lives in a traditional middle-class household in a nice suburb of Buenos Aires.

Sisters help each other with their homework; his young brother Guillermo (Franco Masini) obviously adores him; his mother Epifanía (Lili Popovich) teaches at the local school and the gentle patriarch is Arquímedes (Guillermo Francella), a...

The Tiff folks have unveiled their slated dozen features for their spanking brand new competitive section and they’ve managed to lasso some high profile world preems that will compete alongside Int. and Na premieres. Claire Denis, Agnieszka Holland and Jia Zhang-ke for which the name of the programme section is named after (Tiff referenced his 2000 film), will see a class comprised of the likes Joachim Lafosse and his piping hot The White Knights, David Verbeek (Full Contact starring Grégoire Colin – see pic above), Fabienne Berthaud and yet again actress Diane Kruger with Sky and Ben Wheatley‘s highly anticipated High Rise. Also included in the comp we find Pablo Trapero‘s Venice-bound The Clan, Eva Husson‘s hotly tipped directorial debut Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) and a docu entry that sounds absolutely brutal true story from Alan Zweig in Hurt. The winner will be announced on...

Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Trapero vaulted onto the international cinema scene in 2010 with "Carancho." The film was well received after screening at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard lineup, and a Hollywood remake was kicked around for a hot moment, though now seems stuck in development hell. He returned to Cannes a couple years later, once again relegated to Un Certain Regard, with "White Elephant." It didn't raise the same amount of heat, but something tells me his latest, "The Clan," will spark his name back into the conversation, and maybe see him in the Competition lineup at the festival. Certainly, this first teaser will grab your attention. Starring Guillermo Francella (“The Secret In Their Eyes,” “Heart of a Lion”) and set in the '80s, the film is based on the true story of the wealthy Puccio family, who were responsible for a string of kidnappings and murders. And that little logline,...

Throughout the 1980s Argentina's Puccio family operated a highly lucrative - albeit violent - family business. Behind the veneer of high society and general acclaim, with one of the clan's children a member of national rugby team, the Puccio clan operated a prolific - and deadly - kidnapping ring, abducting residents of their own neighborhood, holding them for ransom and then killing their victims rather than returning them after their ransoms were received.The Puccio family are the subject of The Clan (El Clan), the latest from acclaimed director Pablo Trapero, with Guillermo Francella in the lead as patriarch Archimedes Puccio. The first teaser for the film has just arrived online and while it is very much just a teaser at this point it does not...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Exclusive: Albert Mar’s animation sells to the Middle East, Colombia, Cis and Eastern Europe.

Buyers have snapped up a raft of rights from FilmSharks International to Save Oz! 3D, the animation project from Fernando De Fuentes’ Anima Estudios.

Albert Mar of Top Cat fame directs the film and FilmSharks head Guido Rud has been showing first footage on the Croisette.

Rights have gone for the Middle East (Shooting Stars), Colombia (Cinecolombia) and Cis and Eastern Europe (Top Film).

Rud said deals for the Us, South Korea and Latin America were under discussion.

Meanwhile there has been activity on Daniel Burman’s rom-com Mystery Of Happiness (El Misterio de la Felicidad), which Disney handles in select Latin American markets and stars Guillermo Francella.

Deals have closed in France (Eurozoom), Australia (Potential Films) and Cis and Baltics (Maywin Media).

Strand Releasing and HBO previously acquired Us rights, Festival Films took Spain and Portugal and Cinecolombia will release in Colombia...

Variety published December 3rd an interview with Argentine producer/writer/director Daniel Burman regarding his new romantic comedy movie The Mystery of Happiness (El misterio de la felicidad), starring Guillermo Francella and Inés Estévez, and the international co-production team behind it. “It was a great experience," said the filmmaker in the interview. "Without a doubt, today Brazil is a natural ally for Argentina in film production".

Burman , along with partner Diego Dubcovsky, are the founders of production company Bd Cine and the Agentine half of the creative team behind The Mystery of Happiness. Together with Brazilian Total Filmes, Bd Cine continues to broaden the horizons of the Argentine film market through second-screen technology investment and its full commitment to Latin American content production.

“We believe that the development of new technologies driving the convergence of the different ways of telling stories,” said Burman, “and expressing ideas and emotions has tremendous potential”. Regarding the evolution of film market over the past few years, Burman said “ As directors, we need to dominate our egos and accept the fact that we no longer decide how our movies are to be watched. We only decide what they tell .”

The Mystery of Happiness is scheduled for release on January 16th, 2014 in Argentina.

You can read the original Variety article here: http://variety.com/2013/film/international/daniel-burman-today-brazil-is-a-natural-ally-for-argentina-in-film-production-1200916568/...

Today we’re here to have a little chat (actually a reminder) about the movie that definitely deserves our attention, especially after winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards, making Argentina the first country in Latin America to win it twice!

So, you already guess the title: The Secret In Their Eyes or, if you prefer El Secreto de sus Ojos directed by Juan José Campanella, premiered at Toronto Film Festival (September 2009).

But, when it comes to this project, this is not the end of the award-list. It also won the award for best Hispanic-American Film of the Year from the Spanish Film Academy, beating out rival film, Peru’s, The Milk of Sorrow.

Beside that, this crime drama has been nominated as Best Film Not in the English Language for the Orange British Academy Film Awards – BAFTA (February 13, 2011), as well as for the...

The Argentinean film The Secret in Their Eyes, directed by Juan José Campanella jumped into stores on Tuesday, September 21st. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards this past year and holds the spot as the second highest grossing film in Argentinean film history, losing out to Leonardo Favio’s Nazareno Cruz and the Wolf (1975). The film was adapted from Eduardo Sacheri's novel The Question in Their Eyes and features a very capable cast led by Ricardo Darin, Soledad Villamil, Guillermo Francella, and Pablo Rago. The film kicks off...

Robin Hood: Ridley Scott's pseudo historical take on the story of the man who robs from the rich and gives to the poor. In the film, Robin Hood (Russell Crowe) is a disillusioned Crusader who decides to go the outlaw route after seeing what's become of his country in his decade-long absence. All the classic character's are there but everything's off. Hood middle aged and surprisingly money hungry, Marian (Cate Blanchett) is now a Lady and the widow of the dead man Robin impersonates. The film lacks the sense of swashbuckling fun that has made the legend of Robin Hood an enduring part of Western culture. As with Antoine Fuqua's King Arthur, a few brava action sequences doesn't make the deconstruction of beloved myths any fun to watch. Also starring Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac, and Eileen Atkins.

Alternate Suggestions: The director's cut of Scott's Kingdom of Heaven has...

This Oscar-winning Argentinian thriller packs emotional punch and a dazzlingly virtuosic narrative

There is usually, and often with justification, serious criticism of the movie voted by the American Film Academy to receive its Oscar for best film in a foreign language. It happened again this year when the international critics' anointed contenders – Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon and Jacques Audiard's A Prophet – were ignored in favour of Juan José Campanella's The Secret in Their Eyes. Well, Haneke's picture is certainly more original and Audiard's altogether harsher, but Campanella's Argentinian thriller is a film of subtlety, distinction and depth that in most other years would have made it appear a very worthy recipient. Moreover, it seems an apt choice to mark what Sight & Sound celebrates on the front page of its September edition as "The Rise and Rise of Latin American Cinema" over the past decade.

The film's...

Peter Bradshaw on the dark, sinewy thriller that beat the favourites to win the best foreign film Oscar

At this year's Oscar ceremony, film critics congratulated themselves generously for having praised the triumphant Iraq drama The Hurt Locker, thus justifying our continued existence in the face of a million bloggers. Then we compounded the conceit by grumbling that the best foreign picture prize had not gone to either of the press favourites – Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon or Jacques Audiard's A Prophet – but to Juan José Campanella's little-known Argentinian noir thriller El Secreto de Sus Ojos, or The Secret in Their Eyes. I am ashamed to recall that I, too, joined in with the general air of dismissive bemusement, without having yet seen the film, an omission now rectified.

The Secret in Her Eyes isn't, in fact, as good as either The White Ribbon or A Prophet,...