Fangoria Studios, based in New York, has made a groundbreaking decision to participate in the Sanfic Morbido Lab to explore potential co-production opportunities. This move signifies a significant step towards collaboration in the horror genre, which is known for transcending cultural boundaries and captivating global audiences. Armen Aghaeian, the senior VP of TV + FILM at Fangoria Studios, expressed excitement about the partnership, emphasizing that horror is a universal language that resonates with people worldwide.
The Sanfic Morbido Lab, now in its 6th edition at Chile’s prestigious Santiago International Film Festival, has attracted notable filmmakers like Julio Hernandez Cordon this year. Cordon, known for his award-winning films such as “I Promise You, Anarchy,” “Marimbas from Hell,” and “Gasoline,” is pitching a new project titled “Cloudspotting” (“Enviame tormentas”). The film, a co-production between Burning in Colombia and Somos Maravillosa in Mexico, revolves around a boy named Humo who uses ancient rituals to summon rain in a drought-stricken Mexico City.
Another standout project at the lab is Jorge Leyva’s “Sunward Hell” (“Ruta al sol”), which has already garnered several awards and accolades. The story follows Sara, a preacher grappling with her faith, who joins forces with others to confront a savage pagan harboring ancient secrets that could trigger the Final Judgment. Pablo Guisa Koestinger, the CEO of Morbido Group, carefully selected these projects from a pool of submissions, highlighting the thriving state of Latin American genre filmmaking.
In addition to the selected projects, Spanish producer Miguel Asensio Llamas will share his expertise on producing Hollywood-standard films in Latin America on a limited budget. The Morbido Group will also provide financial support for two projects, covering a percentage of their budget, and offer the Fantastic Pavilion Award to a deserving winner, granting them direct access to industry events.
Past projects that originated from the Sanfic Morbido Lab have achieved notable success, such as “Mothers Embrace,” “Upiro,” and “La Sirena de Monterrey,” showcasing the potential of Latin American genre cinema on a global scale. The Lab continues to nurture emerging talent and foster collaboration within the industry.
The selected projects at the Lab, including “The Man Who Cries,” “The Skin of the Forest,” “Los Eastman,” “Sunward Hell,” and “Hidden Roots,” represent a diverse range of storytelling and creative vision. These films delve into themes of horror, psychological thriller, and dark science fiction, pushing the boundaries of genre cinema in Latin America.
Overall, the Sanfic Morbido Lab serves as a platform for innovative storytelling and cross-cultural collaboration, paving the way for exciting new developments in the world of Latin American genre filmmaking.
