‘King of the Worlds,’ ‘The Painting,’ ‘City’ Pitch at Mipcom
By Emilio Mayorga
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “King of the Worlds,” “The Painting” and “City” are just three productions from Argentina pitching at Snack & Screen Argentina!, taking place Oct. 17 at Cannes’ Palais des Festivals.
Thrillers stand out as the genre of the day, with three of the ten projects promising something spooky.
“King of the Worlds” is an anime-style production from Caramba Estudio in co-production with Canada’s Copernicus Studios. Project won 2nd prize at New Series for Cartoon Network Latam, a contest hosted by Santiago Chile’s toon-market Chilemonos, and was pitched at Pitching Sessions Kids at Rio Content Market.
“The idea is that an everyday life object hides a world full of fun and fantasy. Who dwells in the windows, the olives, the staples?” says Caramba’s producer Marilina Sánchez. The Ariel López Verdesco-directed show follows Brian King, a kid gifted with the skill to enter into all these inner worlds.
“City” is a sci-fi thriller to be directed by Federico Moreno. It’s based on the same-named graphic novel by Ricardo Barreiro and Juan Giménez from the ‘80s, but updated in its iconography and plot, according to producer Enzo Mario Vendemmia at Vlexus Animation, which is developing the series alongside Mcfly Studio and Luty Artstudio.
“A contemporary plot follows Juan Lescano who, after arguing with his father, appears in a dazzling amalgam of cities from past and present, dwelled by murderous mobs, drones, sadistic cops, an astronaut, monsters and characters from fables,” Vendemmia explained.
“The Painting” is based on the Vincenzo Peruggia Louvre robbery of 1911, and will be directed by Matías Geilburt.
“It will tell the untold story of how the Louvre’s Mona Lisa robbery was worked out. A robbery as magnificent as Da Vinci’s masterpiece itself,” said producer Julian Rousso at Anima Films.
The third thriller of the pack is produced by Francisco Otero at Kiper Films. “The Invasion,” kicks off with the mutilation of a baby, leaving all the characters shocked and forcing them to test their moral boundaries facing a mysterious man who claims responsible for the atrocity.
“What makes this show singular is its capacity to test the audience’s empathy with main characters through detective Clara Neuman,” director Astor Schiantarelli said.
“Imprisoned by Love” is a drama produced by Nativa Contenidos, and it’s also a format on sale. Each episode revolves around an imprisoned woman and her particular story. Each is underlain by love of extreme versions. According to producers, series is told in a poetic, realist approach. It is based on the same-named book written by Argentine writer Luis Beldi. Creator Len Cole announced that each chapter will be directed by a different female director.
A production of Argentina’s Promofilm –subsidiary of Spanish TV production giant Globomedia– “The Art of Fraud” will explore emblematical cases of art theft, forgery and trafficking, through the eyes of is main characters. Interpol agents, prosecutors, artists and scientists are all part of a plot combining mystery, forensic science, investigation and the distinctive suspense of a thriller, according to producers.
“Mind-Blowing Breakthroughs” is a production of Astrolab Motion in co-production with South Korea’s Grafizix directed by Federico Badia and Tony Hong. Hosted by the Baron Munchhausen and Betty and Murdock, the show features geniuses who’ve changed the course of human history such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo Galilei and the Lumière brothers. Astrolab is producing the third season.
Directed by Andrés Irigoyen and produced by Zoom In, “Asteroids” is a comedic series set in Buenos Aires in 1879, 1986 and 2019, key dates for legendary Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona. The story unveils how a soccer match changed the lives of two people.
“Creole Isabel” is a documentary directed by Marcel Czombos and produced by Laura Decuzzi which nosedives in the musical roots and culture of Latin America prior to the arrival of Spanish conquerors. “We Somms” is a docu-series focusing on –this time in live-action–the obscure background of the robbery of the Monna Lisa. It’s directed by Nicolás Carreras and produced by Ramiro Navarro.
The budgets of the projects range from $230,000 to $6.9 million; with an average budget of $1.7 million.
The 3rd edition of Snack & Screen Argentina! is backed by Argentina’s Incaa and Investment & Trade Promotion Agency.
