Discovering and shining a light on young and talented, international filmmakers, for ten or so years French international sales agency Alpha Violet has been doggedly and successfully ploughing its furrow in the world of major international film festivals, as proven by Small Body [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Laura Samani
scheda film] by Italy’s Laura Samani, Apples [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Christos Nikou
scheda film] by Greek director Christos Nikou, Utama [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Alejandro Loayza
scheda film] by Bolivia’s Alejandro Loayza Grisi, Identifying Features [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Mexican filmmaker Fernanda Valadez, and Unrest [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Cyril Schäublin
scheda film] by Switzerland’s Cyril Schäublin, to name a few recent examples.

But Virginie Devesa and Keiko Funato’s team are set to reach new heights at the 73rd Berlinale (running 16 - 26 February) since one of the titles in the line-up, Tótem [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lila Avilés
scheda film] by Mexico’s Lila Avilés, will be enjoying its world premiere in competition. A feat which bodes very well for business at the European Film Market, not least because Alpha Violet is both the film’s sales agent and co-producer.

The director’s second feature film after The Chambermaid (screened in Toronto’s Discovery section and in San Sebastián’s New Directors line-up in 2018, having also represented its country at the Oscars), Tótem revolves around seven-year-old Sol (Naíma Sentíes) who spends her days at her grandfather’s house, helping her aunts Nuri (Montserrat Marañon) and Alejandra (Marisol Gasé) to prepare for the surprise party they’re organising for Sol’s father Tonatiuh (Mateo García Elizondo). As daylight fades, a strange and chaotic atmosphere sets in, severing the ties uniting the family. Sol realises that her world is about to change dramatically…

"Lila Avilés is a meticulous filmmaker who knows how to get up close to emotions", Virginie Devesa insists. "She’s also a modest yet confident director, with a real aura about her, a highly independent character and her own production company, who has successfully imposed herself in this line of business, which isn’t always easy for a woman in Mexico. We got on incredibly well while working on The Chambermaid and she wanted us to be involved in this film’s production too. Given that her debut feature film premiered in Toronto, it’s now very important that she gains notoriety in Europe, and that’s why being selected in competition in Berlin is brilliant!"

Tótem is produced by Mexican firms Limerencia Films (owned by the filmmaker) and Laterna, in co-production with Danish outfit Paloma Productions and France’s Alpha Violet Production, with the backing of Eficine Produccion-BBVA, the Danish Film Institute, the Hubert Bals Fund, the Aide aux Cinémas du Monde Fund (courtesy of the CNC and the Institut français) and Visions Sud Est (with the SDC’s support).

The EFM will also see Alpha Violet wrapping up sales on and hosting market screenings of Autobiography [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Indonesia’s Makbul Mubarak (discovered in Venice’s Orizzonti line-up), A Far Shore by Japan’s Masaaki Kudo (unveiled in competition in Karlovy Vary) and Bekir Bülbül’s Turkish-Belgian production Cloves & Carnations [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] (screened in the Tokyo International Film Festival).