Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s ‘The Beasts’ and Remake Rights Drive Latido Films’ Raft of Cannes Slate Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

Latido Films inks standout sales on Rodrigo Sorogoyen's ‘The Beasts’ as it builds its remakes business with ‘Immersion’ and ‘Masterpiece.’

Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s ‘The Beasts’ and Remake Rights Drive Latido Films’ Raft of Cannes Slate Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

Suggesting an appreciable recovery in the dynamism of international film markets, Madrid-based Latido Films has unveiled a raft of deals on its Cannes line-up, led by standout sales for Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Cannes Premiere player “The Beasts.”

The Spain-set rural thriller was acquired by Movies Inspired in Italy and Imagine in Benelux.

Co-produced by Spain’s Arcadia Motion Pictures and Sorogoyen’s Caballo Films with France’s Le Pacte, “The Beasts” has also been taken by Kino Mediteran in former Yugoslavia territories and Transilvania Film in Romania.

Meanwhile, fruit of Latido’s strengthening of its remake rights sales strategies, the company has optioned Mexican movie adaptation rights on Nicolás Postiglione’s drama “Immersion” to Paloma Negra Films and Whisky, as a French redo of Gastón Duprat’s Spanish-Argentine drama “Masterpiece” is moving into production.

Also, Latido is in advanced negotiations on further remake rights deals in France, Italy and Mexico, among other territories.

“Our sales expectations are beginning to approach pre-pandemic levels,” said Antonio Saura, Latido Films managing director.

“We saw a market with multiple signs of dynamism but, at the same time, we feel that less and less risks are being taken,” argued Juan Torres, head of international sales.

“Projects with a commercial vocation today attract the attention of many buyers more quickly,” he explained.

“On the other hand, films that are more fragile from a commercial point of view but which previously managed to find acceptance in various territories today seem destined more than ever for festivals or minor online exhibition,” he added.

Regarding signs of dynamism, Saura points out, “we see that independent distributors, despite all the challenges they face, are reluctant to throw in the towel and are continuing to buy.”

At Cannes, Latido furthered strong commercial results on Gustavo Hernández’s horror film “Virus 32,” inking with HBO Eastern Europe, France’s Swift Distribution and Mockingbird Picture in Vietnam.

A high-profile title to track since it was first unveiled at the virtual Cannes Market in 2020, “Virus 32” prior deals include AMC Networks’ streaming platform Shudder in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s ”Lullaby” (“Cinco Lobitos”), recently endorsed by Pedro Almodóvar as “the best debut in Spanish cinema for years,” was licensed at Cannes to HBO Eastern Europe, China (Huanxi), Scandinavia (Lucky Dog) and the Baltic countries (Filmstop).

Action thriller Spanish maestro Daniel Calparsoro’s “All the Names of God” – a Spanish co-production by Tripictures, Second Gen Pictures and Wanda Films, scheduled for delivery in 2023 – has clinched pre-sales pacts with France’s Kinovista and Koch Media in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy

Latido has also sold to Busch Media in Germany, Austria and Switzerland Hernan Jabes’ sexual thriller “Jezabel,” a Venezuela-Mexico co-production; Violeta Salama’s feel-good movie “Alegría” went to Italy, acquired by Draka.

In Latin America, Spaniard Martín Cuervo’s comedy “Carpoolers” has been acquired by Diamond Films, the region biggest indie movie distributor, and Félix Viscarret’s drama “No mires a los ojos” (“Staring at Strangers”), toplining Paco León and Leonor Watling, went to Cineplex for Colombia, Central America and Andean territories.

In further Cannes deals unveiled by Latido, France’s Wayna Pitch and Tongariro in Poland both acquired Chile-Colombia-Romania documentary “Alis,” directed by Clare Weiskopf and Nicolás van Hemelryck and produced by Casatarántula along with Pantalla Cines and Defilm.