06/04/2020 - The jury of the Toulousian edition crowns 50 o dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa by Mexico’s Jorge Cuchí and Karnawal by Argentina’s Juan Pablo Felix its joint champions

Two awards were handed out by the principal jury of the 37th session of Films in Progress Toulouse, which unspooled in digital form so as to continue its support, given the current circumstances, of the six selected titles in post-production; titles which aren’t only on the lookout for additional finance, but also partners who can ensure their circulation and access to audiences. The victors? 50 o dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa by Mexico’s Jorge Cuchí and Karnawal [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Argentina’s Juan Pablo Felix.

Produced by Mexican group Catatonia Cine, 50 o dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa is the first feature film by Jorge Cuchí. Written by the director himself, the screenplay centres around Félix and Elisa, both 16 years old, who meet while playing the Blue Whale Game. They fall in love and decide to face the game’s final challenge together: suicide. The film also won the Ciné+ Special Award.

Karnawal, meanwhile, the first fiction feature by Argentina’s Juan Pablo Felix, weaves its web of intrigue (written by the filmmaker) around a carnival on the Argentine-Bolivian border. Here, a young dancer is preparing for the most important competition of his life when his highway-robbing, ex-convict father returns and jeopardises everything… Production is helmed by Argentine group Bikini Films, in co-production with Norway’s Norsk Filmproduksjon, France’s Melocoton Films, Brazil’s 3 Moinhos, Bolivia’s Londra Films, Chile’s Picardia Films and Mexico’s Phototaxia Pictures.

Also well worth a mention are two prizes awarded in a tie-break by the European distributors and exhibitors jury (Europa Distribution and CICAE) to the French-Brazilian production Memory House [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by João Paulo Miranda Maria and to El otro Tom by Mexican director Rodrigo Plá.

For the record, Films in Progress is jointly organised by the San Sebastian Film Festival and Toulouse’s Film Meetings, with a view to lending support to Latin American films in the process of finalisation by way of two separate sessions (focusing on six films in Toulouse in March and on six films in San Sebastian in September). It’s an initiative whose list of previously selected films dates back to 2002 and includes the likes of Tony Manero by Pablo Larraín, Gloria [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Sebastián Lelio, Sangre [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Amat Escalante, La sombra del caminante by Ciro Guerra, Mariana [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Marcela Said, Ixcanul [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jayro Bustamante
film profile] by Jayro Bustamante, La familia [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Gustavo Rondón Córdova and The Sharks [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Lucía Garibaldi, not to mention Los silencios [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Beatriz Seigner.

The list of winners is as follows:

Films in Progress Award (ex aequo)
50 o dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa - Jorge Cuchí (Mexico)
Karnawal - Juan Pablo Felix (Argentina/Norway/France/Brazil/Bolivia/Chile/Mexico)

Ciné+ en Construction Special Award
50 o dos ballenas se encuentran en la playa - Jorge Cuchí

European Distributors and Exhibitors Award (ex aequo)
El otro Tom - Rodrigo Plá (Mexico)
Memory House [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - João Paulo Miranda Maria (Brazil/France)

(Translated from French)