The release of Zama, Lucrecia Martel’s highly-anticipated film adaptation of the novel by Antonio di Benedetto, has been postponed until 2017, it was communicated this week by the production company.
As reported by some Argentinean media outlets, producer Benjamin Domenech from Rei Cine has expressed that due to personal reasons, Martel had to leave the postproduction of the film for four months, delaying its finishing process.
Starring the Mexican actor Daniel Giménez Cacho, the film is a co-production between eight countries: Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France, Mexico, Portugal, Netherlands, and the USA. It is produced by Rei Cine and Bananeira Filmes, and co-produced by El Deseo, MPM Film, Patagonik Film Group, Louverture Films, Canana, Lemming Film, O Som e a Fúria, KNM, and Picnic Producciones.
Set at the end of the 18th century, Zama is the story of an officer of the Spanish Crown born in South America who awaits a letter from the King granting him transfer to a better location. His situation is delicate as he must ensure that nothing overshadows his transfer. He is forced to accept submissively every task entrusted to him by successive Governors who come and go as he stays. Of course, the letter from the King never arrives, and when Zama notices that he has lost everything waiting, he decides to join a party of soldiers that go after a dangerous bandit.
Zama is Martel’s fourth feature after La mujer sin cabeza / The Headless Woman (2008), La niña santa / The Holy Girl (2004), and La Ciénaga (2001), all of which were included in Cinema Tropical’s list of Best Latin American Films of the Aughts.
