Chilean production company Clara Films has officially launched its operations in Spain and is set to co-produce its inaugural feature film as local producers, titled “An Imaginary Kingdom” (“Un Reino Imaginado”). This is the directorial debut for Chilean filmmakers Belén Abarza and Eduardo Bunster, both of whom reside in Madrid.
“We’re thrilled to be part of ‘An Imaginary Kingdom,’ especially as our first project in Spain,” expressed Clara Films founder Clara Larraín, an actress and producer who relocated to Madrid in 2022. “We are confident in its artistic vision and the significance of its themes, but more than anything, it’s the directors’ use of tenderness and humor to address fragility that truly resonates with us,” she added.
Clara Films is also known for its role as an associate producer on the recent Venice Best Screenplay award winner, “The Ivy,” directed by Ecuador’s Ana Cristina Barragán. Larraín is scheduled to participate in Madrid’s annual event, Iberseries & Platino Industria, taking place from September 30 to October 3 this year.
The film benefits from Bunster’s background as a Chilean cinematographer, noted for his work on “Some Beasts” and “The Black One,” as well as Abarza’s vast experience in the performing arts. Together, they have previously co-directed two acclaimed short films: “Teo” (screened at BIFAN, Cinequest, and Bogoshorts) and “The Flight of Chaika” (featured in Sanfic).
“An Imaginary Kingdom” tells the poignant story of Juan Reyes, an undocumented Chilean playwright striving to establish himself in Madrid while grappling with the hardships and uncertainties of migrant life. During his journey, he encounters Lola, a young woman from Murcia who is also in search of her purpose in the vibrant yet challenging environment of the Spanish capital. Together, they forge a profound friendship that rekindles their hope and enables them to envision a brighter future.
The narrative draws inspiration from the personal journeys of the directors and lead actor Javier Ubilla Martín, reflecting their adaptations to life in Spain’s capital. By intertwining fiction with elements of improvisation and documentary-style filming in the streets of Madrid, the film captures the subtle intimacy of everyday existence, illustrating how fragility, solitude, and humor can coexist for those working to reshape their lives away from home.
The filmmakers stated, “This film was conceived as a sanctuary where love and hardship can harmoniously exist. We are passionate about cinema’s capacity to amplify the voices of those facing displacement and to reveal the humanity embedded in daily life.”
Initially, the project was developed with the Chilean company Holoscópica, and now progresses with Clara Films joined as a co-producer in Spain. Larraín noted that this partnership reaffirms the commitment to nurturing a diaspora of Latin American talent rooted in Madrid.
Clara Films is among a growing number of Latin American companies establishing a presence in Spain, aiming to leverage the country’s generous film incentives and its expanding network of co-production treaties with numerous nations.
At the recent San Sebastian Film Festival, which concluded on September 27, ICAA’s deputy director general Camilo Vázquez announced plans for Spain to enhance its existing 22 bilateral treaties by entering into new agreements with countries in Asia, beginning with partnerships involving the Philippines, South Korea, China, and India.
LARDIEZ
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