Toronto: Juan José Campanella’s ‘The Weasels’ Acquired by Latido Films (EXCLUSIVE)

By John Hopewell

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Latido is bringing onto the Toronto market “The Weasels,” the first live-action film from Argentina’s Juan José Campanella since he won a foreign-language Oscar for “The Secret in Their Eyes” in 2010.

Latido will introduce the film to buyers via what Latido head Antonio Saura describes as a “pre-trailer.”

“The Weasels” reunites the sales agent and most of the high-pedigree production team behind “The Secret in Their Eyes:” Campanella’s Buenos Aires label 100 Bares and top Argentine network Telefe, which is a Viacom Intl. Media Networks company, produce the pic, in co-production with Spain’s Tornasol (“The Man Who Killed Don Quixote”) and Argentina’s Jempsa, whose late head, Jorge Estrada Mora, produced five of Campanella’s films.

“The Weasels” returns Campanella to the semi-comedic mode, but hardly same comic tone, of 2001’s Oscar-nominated “The Son of the Bride.”

Based on an Argentine classic, 1976’s “Los muchachos de antes no usaban arsénico,” which was inspired in turn by the spirit of Ealing Studios’ 1950s comedies, “The Weasels” turns on a beautiful star from cinema’s golden age and her bad actor husband, who live with the scriptwriter and director of her films in an old mansion. A young couple conspire to pack them off to a retirement home, keeping the estate. The four legends, however, are neither that old nor that foolish.

“The Weasels” stars a distinguished and largely Argentine cast led by Graciela Borges, the gran dame of Argentine cinema, Oscar Martinez, a 2016 Venice best actor winner for “The Distinguished Citizen,” and Luis Brandoni, star of Gaston Duprat’s “My Masterpiece,” which world premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival last week.

Spain’s Clara Lago (“A Spanish Affair”), Marcos Munstock (“My First Wedding”) and Nicolas Francella also comprise key cast.

Campanella had said of “The Weasels” that it continually counterpoints and flows between suspense, drama, comedy and romance.

“The Secret in their Eyes” was one of Latido’s best selling titles ever, closing with Sony Pictures Classics for distribution in the U.S.

“Latido’s collaboration with Juan José Campanella has been one of its most exciting and fruitful ever and we are extremely proud to be able to continue this on such an amazing project which combines comedy and drama,” said Saura.