Based in Madrid, Amore Cine was co-founded by industry professionals Paz Lázaro, Juan Pablo Félix, and Edson Sidonie. The company is excited to announce its acquisition of “Dæmon,” the feature directorial debut from Chilean filmmaker Valeria Hofmann, who previously received acclaim at Sundance 2023, bagging the award for best director for her short film “AliEN0089.” The film will be co-produced with Chile’s Maquina, which was inaugurated at the San Sebastian Film Festival last year.
“Dæmon” is characterized as a body-horror techno-romance, with its intriguing logline stating, “In a world where you can print DNA at home, why not print your own boyfriend?” The narrative tackles themes of digital intimacy, grief, and transformation—similar to those explored in Hofmann’s award-winning short film, which also achieved recognition as the best film at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand short film festival in its Labo competition.
The story is set in the picturesque coastal town of Valparaíso, Chile, where we follow Liz, a reclusive content moderator who unexpectedly finds solace and connection with a virtual partner. However, when she discovers that he is more than mere code—a consciousness confined within her computer—her fixation intensifies. As the lines between reality and simulation blur, Liz becomes obsessed with creating him a physical form using a bioprinter that operates on blood, even if it jeopardizes her sense of humanity.
“Dæmon” has notably achieved first place in Spain’s ICAA Selective Grant, outshining over 400 submissions and securing its status as one of the most anticipated Latin American-European co-productions.
With the ICAA production grant now in hand, “Dæmon” made its return to San Sebastián’s industry platform this year, with aims to commence principal photography in 2026. The production team is actively pursuing additional international partners to further bolster the film.
“This project embodies everything we stand for: a director with a compelling and distinctive voice who will captivate audiences, a genre film that raises the stakes remarkably, and a fruitful collaboration between Amore and Maquina that is both innovative and enjoyable,” expressed Lázaro from Amore Cine. She added, “We are incredibly grateful to the ICAA selection team for giving such a high score to our film amid such a talent-rich and competitive group in Spain.”
“From the outset, ‘Dæmon’ intrigued us with Valeria Hofmann’s daring and deeply personal perspective breaking into genre cinema. Supporting a debut of such ambition with a wonderful team of producers has been exhilarating, with each member contributing energy that enhances the project organically and inspiringly,” remarked Úrsula Budnik, co-founder of Maquina, alongside Augusto Matte and Fernando Bascuñán.
Budnik emphasized, “We are genuinely thrilled to have finalized this co-production with Amore and to collaborate with Paz Lázaro, whose vision and talent we greatly admire. For me, this journey is about amplifying a new voice that risks transforming not only narratives but also the perception of women leading cinema into the future.”
Maquina, launched at San Sebastián last year, combines the resources of its founders’ companies—Horamágica, Deptford Film, and Planta Producciones—aiming to enhance Chile’s presence in international co-productions.
Founded in 2023 in Madrid, Amore Cine is recognized for its strong focus on Ibero-American stories, with early works like Iván Fund’s “The Message” already garnering significant accolades, such as the Silver Bear Jury Prize at this year’s Berlinale.
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