Capping a year of extraordinary success among Bolivian filmmakers in the international arena, Rodrigo Bellott, a key driving force behind the tiny Central American country’s cinematic advances, has inked with the Gersh Talent Agency and is prepping his first U.S. feature, “Cutting Season.”
To be shot in English with an American cast, “Cutting Season” is written by actor-scribe Brock Yurich, who also stars. It tracks bodybuilder Eddie (Yurich) as he strives towards achieving PRO-card status. Once he realizes that his single mother/de-facto coach can’t help him reach the next level, he hires a new coach but faces a new set of challenges as their complex relationship unfolds.
“Brock has written an incredible script that explores profound aspects of masculinity and the relationship between Eddie and his coach,” said Bellott who has taken up body building himself to better understand the sport.
“I’ve been working with trainers, talking to both newbies and retirees and immersing myself in the world,” he told Variety.
“Bodybuilding, along with testosterone and steroids, can fuel an exceptionally fragile emotional state. And matching that with the intense, raw, and intimate relationship that develops gives us so much to work with in this story,” he noted.
Gersh’s Sean Barclay (partner, head of Television), Abram Nalibotsky, (partner, head of Motion Pictures Literary) and Auri Maruri (TV literary agent) represent him for both feature and TV projects.
Last year was an exceptional year for Bolivian Cinema, with a slew of Bolivian films making a splash in festivals worldwide: Alejandro Loayza won at Sundance with “Utama”; Kiro Russo snagged the Venice Horizons award with “The Great Movement”; Martin Boulocq clinched the best screenplay award at Tribeca with “The Visitor”; Natalia Lopez earned the Berlin Silver Bear Jury Prize with “Robe of Gems” and Daniela Cajias became the first female Bolivian DoP to win a Goya for cinematography.
Rodrigo Bellott
Credit: Nicholas Wilkie
Bellott’s “Tu Me Manques” was nominated for best limited release feature at the GLAAD Awards and was picked up by HBOMax for a worldwide release. He first won international acclaim in 2001 with his breakout hit, “Sexual Dependency,” winning the Fipresci Award in Locarno along with 15 other awards in over 65 film festivals around the world. It was also the first Bolivian film to compete for a best international film Oscar.
Bellott then directed his next hit, “Who Killed the White Llama?,” a road comedy that was the biggest local box office hit in history of Bolivian cinema.
As a producer, he has backed Boulocq’s “The Most Beautiful” and “My Very Best Years.” In 2014, he produced his first American horror film, a remake of the acclaimed Mexican film “We Are What We Are,” directed by Jim Mickle and which premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
“Cutting Season” is produced by Mackenzie Berkman, Jennifer Konawal, and Brittany Fauconnet of Ulladulla Films, Todd Shotz of T42 Entertainment, as well as Sean Akers and David Tyler Pearson of FLMKR, who are also financing the film.
“Rodrigo is an incredibly talented filmmaker, and we are honored to have him directing ‘Cutting Season,’” said Shotz. “Having Rodrigo bring his theatrical sensibilities to this project makes it an incredible opportunity to bring the story to life.”
“Brock’s script is excellent,” noted Akers. “Rodrigo’s vision for this film takes it even further, as a mix of psychological thriller and hero’s journey, which is exactly what makes the project riveting.”
Production is slated to kick off this summer.