Ventana Sur: Belgium’s Eklektik, Italy’s Alba, Argentina’s Aramos Co-Produce ‘The Veil’ (EXCLUSIVE)
By Emiliano De Pablos
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Belgian film house Eklektik Productions is teaming with Italy’s Alba Produzioni and Argentina’s Aramos Cine to co-produce Stefano Pasetto’s feature drama project “El velo” (The Veil).
“The Veil” was presented at September’s San Sebastian Co-Production Forum and then chosen for pitching at the upcoming Proyecta showcase, a new joint initiative launched by Argentine film-TV market Ventana Sur and the San Sebastian Festival, aimed to foster co-productions with and within Latin America.
Set up at Eklektik, “The Veil” has already been granted development subsidies from Europe’s Media Program and Belgium’s Federation of Wallonie Bruxelles, who’s also supporting the project’s production.
“We will be at a financing stage until next summer; the plan is to start shooting in the fall in Buenos Aires, Uruguay, Italy and Belgium locations,” said Eklektik head of production Tatjana Kozar.
Also written by Pasetto, “The Veil” turns on Silvana Peretto, a young 32 year-old nun who returns to Buenos Aires to see her family after having lived in Belgium for 12 years. The trip to Argentina and the upheavals that it causes make Silvana doubt all she knew with absolute certainty concerning the church, her family and her own identity.
Everything converges towards a hidden secret dating back to the dictatorship of the ’70s; a secret that will change Silvana forever.
“San Sebastian was a wonderful place to meet potential partners on the project and listen to artistic feedback on the script,” Kozar said.
“Since then, the script was rewritten. It is now slightly shorter and has gained in emotion and intensity,” she added.
Following their meetings at San Sebastian, the producers are considering adding a new European partner to the project, according to Kozar.
At 2018, however, their main objective for “The Veil” will be to clinch Latin American distribution and sales.
The Proyecta showcase features the participation of four European projects, already part of San Sebastian’s Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, and six new Latin American projects in development, selected by San Sebastian and Ventana sur.
The event is also inviting one title selected by CineMundi and three more participating at the EAVE Puentes-Europe/Latin America Co-production Workshop.
Projects will be pitched to industry professionals, followed by a meeting between project representatives and participating professionals.
Pasetto debuted in 2006 with “Tartarughe sul Dorso,” who was presented at the Venice Mostra and nominated for the David di Donatello Prize. His second feature, “Il Richiamo,” a RAI Cinema co-production with Argentina’s Dock Sur Producciones, played at the Toronto Festival in 2009.
Founded by Samuel Tilman in 2006, Brussels-based Eklektik has backed a new generation of promising Belgian directors such as Joachim Lafosse (“Ça Rend Heureux”), François Pirot (“Mobile Home”) and Vanja d’Alcantara (“Beyond the Steppes”).
Rome-based Alba Produzione operates in documentaries, feature films and TV series production, being a regular co-production partner on Latin American film projects. The company has also served as executive producer on international productions filming in Rome.
Aramos Cine was launched in 2012 by Roxana Ramos and Martín Aliaga, aimed at discovering new film talent. Its feature credits takes in international co-production “El 5 de Talleres,” directed by Adrián Biniez.
