Buenos Aires-based sales agency Meikincine has acquired the international rights to “Sublime,” the first feature film from Argentine director Mariano Biasin,
A coming-of-age drama, the title screened at Buenos Aires’ Cinemark Puerto Madero cinema to sales agents, fest heads and buyers on Tuesday. It did so as part of Ventana Sur’s Copia Final pix-in-post section, hitting the market as one of its buzz titles, rated as one of the strand’s productions with most commercial potential.
Struck between producer Juan Pablo Miller at Tarea Films and Meikincine’s Lucia and Julia Meik, the deal reps one of the first known sales pacts stick on-site at this year’s Ventana Sur, the biggest film-TV market in Latin America.
“Sublime” follows Manuel, 16, as he struggles with desire, tangled relationships and a coalescing identity in a coastal Argentinian town. Anchored by a soundtrack played out on screen by Manuel’s band, the film tackles the challenges of modern youth through its characters’ endearing awkwardness and unbounded hope – and just enough teenage brooding. A looming band performance hastens Manuel on his journey to find his courage, and with enough courage, himself.
“We are very happy to be part of ‘Sublime’ on its international journey,” said Lucia Meik.
“We hope to achieve the full potential of this sensitive coming-of-age film.” Meikincine has already handled international on Tarea Fina films such as “Delfin,”“La afinadora de árboles” from Natalia Smirnoff (“Puzzle”), Paula Hernández’s Argentine Oscar entry “The Sleepwalkers” and her latest feature, “Las Siamesas.”
Mariano Biasin is not new to the festival circuit, having scored the coveted Crystal Bear for best short film at Generation KPlus in 2016’s Berlinale for “El inicio de Fabrizio.”
When asked how he feels about the new partnership with Meikincine, Biasin said “Joy; for this very important step so that the story we filmed with so much love, reaches many people around the world.”
The rapid deal at Ventana Sur marks another triumph for Miller’s Tarea Fina, whose “Las Acacias,” directed by Pablo Giorgelli, was awarded the Cannes Festival’s Camera d’Or for best first feature by a jury presided by “Parasite’s” Bong Joon Ho. Tarea Cine’s productions also include Ariel Rotter’s “Incident Light” which swept the Argentine Academy Awards in 2016, winning best film, director and art director.
Mariano Biasin, Lucia Meik, Juan Pablo Miller
Credit: Meikincine