U.K.-French sales, distribution and production company Alief has dealt Gonzalo Calzada’s award-winning Argentine thriller double bill “Nocturna” in France and Belgium to horror-centric streaming platform Freaks On.
Freaks On plans to release the film early next year, day-and-date on its platform, in select theaters and in physical media.
As envisioned by Argentine writer-director Gonzalo Calzada, “Nocturna: Side A…” turns on a nearly 100-year-old man who struggles to atone for the transgressions he has committed in his life. In “Nocturna: Side B…,” Calzada explores an experimental version of the same story.
“’Nocturna’ is inspired by my grandparents and the type of relationship they had with each other,” Calzada explained to Variety at last year’s Ventana Sur. “It’s also about the meaning of aging in a society that is imperceptive about seeing this reality. It shows the self-confidence of the twilight years as a unique possibility of...
Freaks On plans to release the film early next year, day-and-date on its platform, in select theaters and in physical media.
As envisioned by Argentine writer-director Gonzalo Calzada, “Nocturna: Side A…” turns on a nearly 100-year-old man who struggles to atone for the transgressions he has committed in his life. In “Nocturna: Side B…,” Calzada explores an experimental version of the same story.
“’Nocturna’ is inspired by my grandparents and the type of relationship they had with each other,” Calzada explained to Variety at last year’s Ventana Sur. “It’s also about the meaning of aging in a society that is imperceptive about seeing this reality. It shows the self-confidence of the twilight years as a unique possibility of...
- 11/29/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
That time of year approaches when our attention turns to Argentina and the Blood Window program at Ventana Sur. Once more we will not be able to attend in person because of, you know, but we will be participating to the best of our abilities and have already done some pre-taping this week for the upcoming market. Today, Blood Window announced the fifteen participating projects in this year's Lab, along with four spotlight projects. As per ushe, Variety has all the info we need about the fifteen projects in the Lab. In the mix we have a project from Brazil, produced by our friend João Pedro Fleck from Fantaspoa, called The Collectionary. We also see that Juan Diego Escobar Alzate, director of Luz:...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/6/2021
- Screen Anarchy
Ventana Sur’s Blood Window genre sidebar, one of the earliest dedicated genre events in South America and undoubtedly now one of the region’s most important events for all things horror, fantasy and science fiction, has shared the 15 titles which will pitch in this year’s official selection for feature projects.
Some of the titles were already known, as they won their right to participate at other events from around the world, while others are newer proposals in early stages of development. This year’s selection features as wide a breadth of projects as ever with traditional horror flicks and ghost stories joined by lo-fi and high concept science fiction proposals as well as several fantasy titles.
Blood Window is also spotlighting four features at this year’s event: “Before the Body,” representing Spain’s Molins Horror Film Festival; “Conceivable,” which was selected by Korea’s Bifan; Biff-Brussels Intl.
Some of the titles were already known, as they won their right to participate at other events from around the world, while others are newer proposals in early stages of development. This year’s selection features as wide a breadth of projects as ever with traditional horror flicks and ghost stories joined by lo-fi and high concept science fiction proposals as well as several fantasy titles.
Blood Window is also spotlighting four features at this year’s event: “Before the Body,” representing Spain’s Molins Horror Film Festival; “Conceivable,” which was selected by Korea’s Bifan; Biff-Brussels Intl.
- 11/5/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Conrado Osario, Andrea Esquivel, Yuri Vargas, Sharon Guzman, Johan Camacho | Written and Directed by Juan Diego Escobar Alzate
Luz: The Flower of Evil was shot in two and a half weeks under the simpler title of Luz and renamed to avoid confusion with Tilman Singer’s film of the same name. It’s part of the folk horror revival of the last few years. A revival that includes films like The Witch, Midsommar and Hagazussa. It’s cousin the acid-western has even reappeared in films like Day of the Stranger. Writer/director Juan Diego Escobar Alzate channels Alexandro Jodorowsky to unite the two genres with this, his debut feature.
A major hit on the festival circuit Luz: The Flower of Evil takes a different path from most other folk horror films by not involving older pagan beliefs. It centers itself on Christianity or at least one particular interpretation of it.
Luz: The Flower of Evil was shot in two and a half weeks under the simpler title of Luz and renamed to avoid confusion with Tilman Singer’s film of the same name. It’s part of the folk horror revival of the last few years. A revival that includes films like The Witch, Midsommar and Hagazussa. It’s cousin the acid-western has even reappeared in films like Day of the Stranger. Writer/director Juan Diego Escobar Alzate channels Alexandro Jodorowsky to unite the two genres with this, his debut feature.
A major hit on the festival circuit Luz: The Flower of Evil takes a different path from most other folk horror films by not involving older pagan beliefs. It centers itself on Christianity or at least one particular interpretation of it.
- 7/23/2021
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Colombian horror about a micro-cult is rather too fascinated by the barbarity of its leader, rather than the daughters he has hidden from the world
This bold and disturbing arthouse horror from first-time feature director Juan Diego Escobar Alzate feels like it could be set sometime in the 19th century. It’s about a tiny religious cult based in the wildly beautiful Colombian mountains: the group’s leader is El Señor (Conrado Osorio), a farmer who looks like a cowboy in the Clint Eastwood mould, with a macho growl; his trio of daughters wear frontier prairie dresses. But we must be closer to the present day: in an early scene the eldest, 23-year-old Laila (Andrea Esquivel), brings him a 1980s cassette player that she has found in the woods and she is spellbound by this unknown contraption. El Señor says the devil lurks inside.
It’s an intriguing set-up, and...
This bold and disturbing arthouse horror from first-time feature director Juan Diego Escobar Alzate feels like it could be set sometime in the 19th century. It’s about a tiny religious cult based in the wildly beautiful Colombian mountains: the group’s leader is El Señor (Conrado Osorio), a farmer who looks like a cowboy in the Clint Eastwood mould, with a macho growl; his trio of daughters wear frontier prairie dresses. But we must be closer to the present day: in an early scene the eldest, 23-year-old Laila (Andrea Esquivel), brings him a 1980s cassette player that she has found in the woods and she is spellbound by this unknown contraption. El Señor says the devil lurks inside.
It’s an intriguing set-up, and...
- 7/21/2021
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
Sitges is not too far off and along with that comes Sitges Pitchbox, an international coproduction event committed to finding production partners for emerging projects. This year the project will go virtual over four days. Two days from the opening weekend will be devoted to scripted series and feature films will follow up on two days during the following weekend. We see that a couple of our friends are in the mix this year. Demian Rugna (Terrified) and Juan Diego Escobar Alzate (Luz The Flower of Evil) will be pitching new feature film projects. In the meantime there is one more LatAm project out of Mexico, two home team projects from Spain and one each from the UK and Germany. Scripted genre...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/22/2020
- Screen Anarchy
"We are your envoys. Your light, your voice on Earth." Dark Sky has released an official US trailer for a Colombian fantasy western horror titled Luz: The Flower of Evil, originally known as just Luz (not to be confused with the German horror film Luz). This premiered at the Sitges Film Festival last year, and also stopped by the Morbido Film Festival in Mexico. The leader of an isolated cult in the highlands of Colombia finds himself under attack from his followers, including his three daughters, after bringing a false messiah into the community. A parable about God and religion and love and freedom. The film stars Yuri Vargas, Jim Muñoz, Conrado Osorio, Sharon Guzman, Andrea Esquivel, and Daniel Páez. From the looks of it, this seems to be a hyper-stylized, haunting fantasy-western exploring the power that God has over us. Here's the US trailer (+ poster) for Juan Diego Escobar Alzate...
- 8/12/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Colombian folk horror tale set to open in US through Dark Sky Films.
Mpi Media Group has struck another key deal on Colombian dark western fairy tale Luz: The Flower Of Evil, securing Mexican distribution deal on the Sitges and Morbido selection.
Juan Diego Escobar Alzate’s film won the Silver Skull for best Latin American film at Morbido last year and has sold to elevated genre specialist Mantícora Distribución, whose recent releases include Peter Strickland’s In Fabric and a restored version of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre.
Mantícora Distribución will partner with genre aces Mórbido Group to promote...
Mpi Media Group has struck another key deal on Colombian dark western fairy tale Luz: The Flower Of Evil, securing Mexican distribution deal on the Sitges and Morbido selection.
Juan Diego Escobar Alzate’s film won the Silver Skull for best Latin American film at Morbido last year and has sold to elevated genre specialist Mantícora Distribución, whose recent releases include Peter Strickland’s In Fabric and a restored version of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre.
Mantícora Distribución will partner with genre aces Mórbido Group to promote...
- 7/16/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Germany, Spain, Russia all sell.
Juan Diego Escobar Alzate’s Sitges entry Luz: The Flower Of Evil has secured a raft of key deals through Mpi in the run-up to the Cannes virtual market.
The Colombian western fairy tale has sold in Germany (Mad Dimension), Spain (Wild Duck) and Russia (Kinologistika). It was previously announced that Dark Sky Films took Us rights and Raven Banner licensed the film for Canada.
Luz: The Flower Of Evil premiered in Sitges last year and went on to screen at multiple festivals including Glasgow Film Festival, Nocturna Madrid, Almería Western Film Festival. It won at Mórbido in Mexico,...
Juan Diego Escobar Alzate’s Sitges entry Luz: The Flower Of Evil has secured a raft of key deals through Mpi in the run-up to the Cannes virtual market.
The Colombian western fairy tale has sold in Germany (Mad Dimension), Spain (Wild Duck) and Russia (Kinologistika). It was previously announced that Dark Sky Films took Us rights and Raven Banner licensed the film for Canada.
Luz: The Flower Of Evil premiered in Sitges last year and went on to screen at multiple festivals including Glasgow Film Festival, Nocturna Madrid, Almería Western Film Festival. It won at Mórbido in Mexico,...
- 6/15/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
"In order for it to be so immersive, I wanted the cast and crew to be immersed into the wilderness themselves " - Juan Diego Escobar Alzate
Few of the films showing at this year's Glasgow Film Festival have both the striking beauty and the immersive power of Luz: Flower Of Evil, a story of religious conviction, temptation and shocking violence set in the remote mountains of Colombia. It's the first feature by writer/director Juan Diego Escobar Alzate, who agreed to answer some questions about how it developed and what it meant to him, shortly before the first of its screenings at the festival.
Jennie Kermode: You've made several short films in the past. What made you decide that the time had come to take on a feature?
Juan Diego Escobar Alzate: Its not about the number of short films that a filmmaker does in order to feel he is ready to shoot a feature,...
Few of the films showing at this year's Glasgow Film Festival have both the striking beauty and the immersive power of Luz: Flower Of Evil, a story of religious conviction, temptation and shocking violence set in the remote mountains of Colombia. It's the first feature by writer/director Juan Diego Escobar Alzate, who agreed to answer some questions about how it developed and what it meant to him, shortly before the first of its screenings at the festival.
Jennie Kermode: You've made several short films in the past. What made you decide that the time had come to take on a feature?
Juan Diego Escobar Alzate: Its not about the number of short films that a filmmaker does in order to feel he is ready to shoot a feature,...
- 3/2/2020
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
This year’s festivities kicked off with with a bang with the opening night gala which presented Alice Winocour’s beautifully atmospheric drama Proxima. Winocour was also present after the main event for a Q&a session in which she talked about her experiences of working with a multi-national team of actors and technicians.
Day 2 was marked by the Scottish premier screening of Lorcan Finnegan’s brilliantly unsettling sci-fi drama Vivarium. Finnegan and star of the film Imogene Poots were also there to introduce the film.
The festival also welcomed Icelandic director Grímur Hákonarson who was there to introduce his new film The County. Hákonarson also stayed afterwards for a short Q&a session. The County is part of a wider Icelandic strand at this year’s Gff. Other films in this strand also feature the brilliant A white, White Day by Hlynur Palmason.
Meanwhile 1917 star George MacKay was also...
Day 2 was marked by the Scottish premier screening of Lorcan Finnegan’s brilliantly unsettling sci-fi drama Vivarium. Finnegan and star of the film Imogene Poots were also there to introduce the film.
The festival also welcomed Icelandic director Grímur Hákonarson who was there to introduce his new film The County. Hákonarson also stayed afterwards for a short Q&a session. The County is part of a wider Icelandic strand at this year’s Gff. Other films in this strand also feature the brilliant A white, White Day by Hlynur Palmason.
Meanwhile 1917 star George MacKay was also...
- 3/2/2020
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Ventana Sur takes place from December 2-6.
The Méliès International Festivals Federation (formerly known as European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation) and Blood Window have announced the contenders for best Latin American feature film of the year at the upcoming Ventana Sur sidebar in Buenos Aires.
Vying for the prize will be Alejandro Landes’ Colombian international feature film Oscar contender Monos, as well as Kleber Mendonça Filho’s highly regarded Brazilian film and Cannes selection Bacurau. Ten features in total are in consideration for the honour, now in its third year.
“The Méliès International Festivals Federation is excited to continue its...
The Méliès International Festivals Federation (formerly known as European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation) and Blood Window have announced the contenders for best Latin American feature film of the year at the upcoming Ventana Sur sidebar in Buenos Aires.
Vying for the prize will be Alejandro Landes’ Colombian international feature film Oscar contender Monos, as well as Kleber Mendonça Filho’s highly regarded Brazilian film and Cannes selection Bacurau. Ten features in total are in consideration for the honour, now in its third year.
“The Méliès International Festivals Federation is excited to continue its...
- 11/13/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Ventana Sur’s Blood Window sidebar for projects and films in progress has been a standout event on the Latin horror calendar since its launch in 2013, and is one of the Buenos Aires market’s most popular sections.
In the following years, it has become a key two-way conduit between Latin American and international festivals and box offices.
To that end, one of coordinator Javier Fernández’s primary focuses for this year’s seventh edition is to “continue promoting our collaboration with fantastic international film festivals and industry events,” he explained to Variety ahead of the December event.
This year’s Blood Window Spotlight on International Projects includes five works brought to Buenos Aires by the Bucheon Korea International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan), Sitges Catalunya Fantastic Film Festival and Bif-Market from the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival and Nordic Genre Invasion.
Three of the selected projects are features: Norway’s “Alpha...
In the following years, it has become a key two-way conduit between Latin American and international festivals and box offices.
To that end, one of coordinator Javier Fernández’s primary focuses for this year’s seventh edition is to “continue promoting our collaboration with fantastic international film festivals and industry events,” he explained to Variety ahead of the December event.
This year’s Blood Window Spotlight on International Projects includes five works brought to Buenos Aires by the Bucheon Korea International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan), Sitges Catalunya Fantastic Film Festival and Bif-Market from the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival and Nordic Genre Invasion.
Three of the selected projects are features: Norway’s “Alpha...
- 11/11/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Genre fantasy in style of The Witch, The Wind, We Are What We Are.
Heading into Afm Toronto-based genre label Raven Banner Entertainment has brokered a deal with Mpi Media Group for Colombian fantasy western Luz: The Flower Of Evil.
Mpi Media Group will distribute in the Us, and its Dark Sky Films label will handle international sales at the market in Santa Monica next week. Raven Banner will distribute the film in Canada.
Described as being in the style of The Witch, The Wind and We Are What We Are, Luz: The Flower Of Evil tells the story of...
Heading into Afm Toronto-based genre label Raven Banner Entertainment has brokered a deal with Mpi Media Group for Colombian fantasy western Luz: The Flower Of Evil.
Mpi Media Group will distribute in the Us, and its Dark Sky Films label will handle international sales at the market in Santa Monica next week. Raven Banner will distribute the film in Canada.
Described as being in the style of The Witch, The Wind and We Are What We Are, Luz: The Flower Of Evil tells the story of...
- 10/30/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
As the calendar changes from October to November, Mexican horror fans will ascend for the twelfth year on Morbido Fest, a Mexico City-based festival dedicated to all things macabre, organized and executed by Morbido Group CEO and founder Pablo Guisa Koestinger.
This year’s festival will kick off Oct. 30 with a spectacle grander in its ambition than any Morbido inauguration before. Taking place within the Esperanza Iris City theater, more than 60 artists will perform six choreographed musical numbers with Guisa taking the reigns as master of ceremonies. Those familiar with Guisa and his public persona won’t be surprised to hear that his opening night wardrobe alone includes eight costumes, with more to come in the following days.
Somehow, the TV network owner, festival director, writer, publisher and radio host found time to make appearances in three high-profile films screening at this year’s fest: Paco Plaza’s “Eye for an Eye,...
This year’s festival will kick off Oct. 30 with a spectacle grander in its ambition than any Morbido inauguration before. Taking place within the Esperanza Iris City theater, more than 60 artists will perform six choreographed musical numbers with Guisa taking the reigns as master of ceremonies. Those familiar with Guisa and his public persona won’t be surprised to hear that his opening night wardrobe alone includes eight costumes, with more to come in the following days.
Somehow, the TV network owner, festival director, writer, publisher and radio host found time to make appearances in three high-profile films screening at this year’s fest: Paco Plaza’s “Eye for an Eye,...
- 10/30/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.