‘The Two Landscapes,’ ‘A Loose End,’ ‘Blue Marks’

Argentine Francisco Lezama “The Two Landscapes,” Uruguayan Daniel Handler’s “A Loose End” and “Blue Marks,” from German director Sara Miro Fischer triumphed at the San Sebastián Festival’s Industry Awards ceremony Wednesday, unveiling awards for its most major competitions, the Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, and two pix-in-post strands, the WIP Latam and WIP Europa.

“Dear Bastiano,” from Spain’s Maria Elorza, took the Ikusmira Berriak Award, a best project prize at the prestigious San Sebastián development program. 

Lezama two wins at the Forum marks his second prize scoop tis year after walking off with a a 2024 best short Berlin Golden Bear for “Un movimiento extraño.” 

Produced by Argentina’s Pionera Cine, developing projects from Lezama and Ignacio Ceroi, the “melancholic comedy” about religious and family tensions, as Lezama puts it, is set during an institutional crisis within the Catholic Church due to Catholics converting to Evangelism. Mercedes, a devout sixty-year-old Catholic, is obliged to host the late tenant’s girlfriend and unrecognized daughter in her home. The film, currently in development, turns on the attempts of a Eucharistic Minister to maintain certain rituals of traditional Catholicism in a town where conversions to Evangelism are gradually changing traditions,” Lezama told Variety.

In the same Forum competition, Colombian Mariana Saffon’s “Mar de Leva” took the ArteKino International Award, sponsored by French-German pubcaster Arte. In it, Elena prepares for the imminent death of her father and faces a desire she had never thought of having: that of becoming a mother. Project marks the feature debut of Saffon, whose  “Between You and Milagros” snagged best short film at the 2020 Venice Horizons. Rated director-producer Franco Lolli (“Gente de bien,” “Litigante”) and Capucine Mahé at Colombia’s Evidencia Films lead produce.

“Accompanying Mariana Saffon in the making of her debut feature is a privilege and a very exciting challenge. Her amazing short film ‘Between you and Milagros’ already showed a unique sensibility, a strong commitment and a very personal point of view,” Lolli told Variety.

Berlin Silver Bear-winning actor Hendler’s third feature as a director, “A Loose End” won the Industry Award at WIP Latam. It turns on Santiago, a low-ranking policeman, who arrives in Fray Bentos, a small town just across the Uruguay border from Argentina, escaping from the Argentine police force. Penniless but with enough cunning and using his threadbare uniform, he overcomes obstacles and receives the help of local characters, aiming to erase all traces of his past and even dreams of finding the possible love of his life.

“Cuerpo Celeste,” the second feature from Chilean director Nayra Ilic, took the Egeda Platino Industria Award. It tracks the life journey of Celeste, a teenager forced to deal with the death of her father while her mother deals with a personal crisis. Ilic’s debut feature, “Square Meter,” screened in competition at the Palm Springs Festival in 2011.

Produced by Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin in co-production with Arkanum Pictures and RBB, feminist drama “Blue Marks” turns on siblings Rose and Sam. After learning that rape allegations brought against Sam are true, Rose must learn how to deal with her brother’s guilt. Miro Fischer wrote the film’s screenplay with Agnes Maagaard Petersen.

A narrative diptych, treating memory as invention, while other elements are experimental non-fiction, “Dear Bastiano” turns on a love letter sent in WWII by an Elorza family member of political and historical import. The hybrid represents the latest work from Elorza, a well-known figure on the San Sebastian film scene, whose “To Books and Women I Sing,” received a Special Screening at the 2022 San Sebastian Festival.

SAN SEBASTIAN INDUSTRY AWARDS 2024 

13th EUROPE-LATIN AMERICA CO-PRODUCTION FORUM AWARDS 

Best Project Award

“The Two Landscapes,” (Francisco Lezama, Argentina, Brazil)

Dale! Development Award

“The Two Landscapes,” (Francisco Lezama, Argentina, Brazil)

Artekino International Prize

“Mar de Leva,” (Mariana Saffon, Colombia, France)

WIP LATAM 

WIP Latam Industry Award

“A Loose End,” (Daniel Hendler, Uruguay, Argentina) 

Egeda Platino Industria Award

“Cuerpo celeste,” (Nayra Ilic, Chile, Italy)

WIP EUROPA 

WIP Europa Industry Award

“Blue Marks (WT),” (Sarah Miro Fischer, Germany) 

WIP Europa Award

“Blue Marks (WT),” (Sarah Miro Fischer, Germany)

IKUSMIRA BERRIAK AWARD

Sideral Award

“Dear Bastiano,” (Maria Elorza, Spain)