Luis Ortega has wrapped production in Argentina on Kill the Jockey, starring rsula Corber, Money Heists Tokyo, and Nahuel Prez Biscayart (120 BPM), which is shaping up as one of the biggest upcoming movies from Latin America.
Ortegas follow-up to 2018 Un Certain Regard hit El Angel, which sold worldwide and set a box office record in Argentina, Kill the Jockey has been snapped up for overseas sales by Vicente Canales Film Factory Entertainment, which also sold El Angel.
TelevisaUnivision VOD service ViX will roll out Kill the Jockey in the U.S. and Latin America. Scanbox handles distribution in Scandinavia.
Kill the Jockeys top-notch cast also features Daniel Gimnez Cacho (Bardo, Zama), Mariana Di Girlamo (Ema,,La Jaura), Daniel Fanego (El ngel) and Roly Serrano (Youth).
It turns on Remo (Prez Biscayart), the best jockey of his generation, whose addictions, however, have gradually cast a shadow over his glory. Like Abril (Corber), another jockey, who is torn between having a child or the lure of fame, Remo races for Sirena (Gimnez Cacho), a powerful mobster who has saved his life in the past.
Remo, inevitably, has an accident killing a valuable horse and gets lost in the streets of Buenos Aires. When Sirena launches a city wide manhunt for him, Abril tries to find him before its too late. But something in Remo has changed forever.
Kill the Jockey marks another step up in film-production scale for Ortega, following El Angel, whose recent TV work and films directing episodes of El Marginal and movie Lulu, also starring Prez Biscayart has displayed an acute empathy for manic self-destructive outsiders.
The movie also signals the consolidation of Buenos Aires-based Rei Pictures, behind Lucrecia Martels Zama, as an international production force, with the capacity to bring a huge spread of overseas partners to the table.
International co-production, which has always set the company apart in Latin America, is more a strategy than response to necessity, said Domenech, who has produced Chilean Felipe Glvezs awaited Un Certain Regard title The Settlers, and has upcoming titles from Lucrecia Martel, Pablo Fendrik and Daniela Goggi.
On Kill the Jockey, Rei Pictures, headed by Benjamin Domenech, Santiago Gallelli and Matas Roveda, produces with with Luis Ortegas and Esteban Perrouds El Despacho (Argentina), Axel Kuschevatzky and Cindy Teperman for Infinity Hill, which backed Argentina, 1985,Charlie Cohen for Warner Music Entertainment and Isaac Lee, Nando Vila and Paz Lzaro for Exile Content, also based out of the U.S.
Co-producers take in El Estudio (Spain), Piano (Mexico), Snowglobe (Denmark), Jacinto Films (Argentina) and Barraca Producciones (Mexico), in association with Dim Films (Argentina).
Executive producers include Benicio del Toro, Vila, Delfina Montecchia, Federico Frgola, and Martn Fisner.
Films cinematographer is Timo Salminen, a frequent Aki Kaurismakis collaborator who also has at Cannes the Finnish directors Fallen Leaves and Lisandro Alonsos Eureka.
Staying on our path of supporting original voices admidst the industrys changing landscape, we are proud to support Luis Ortegas vision accompanied by such a talented cast and group of partners we admire, said Domenech.
Kill the Jockey dares to be fierce, wild, poetic, visually arresting and equally sensual at the same time. Luis Ortega is a cinematic force to reckon with, adds Kuschevatzky.
International buyers are always interested in the next Luis Ortega: Hes a regular at Cannes as well as in lighting up worldwide box office numbers. The script is powerful and unique, producers are brilliant and the film looks just great, added Canales.
The film is expected to be ready for delivery late 2023 or early 2024.