Non-profit independent film distribution organization The Film Collaborative will distribute Josef Kubota Wladyka’s debut feature Manos Sucias in a multi-city theatrical run beginning April 3, 2015. From director/co-writer Wladyka, Executive Producer Spike Lee, and producers Márcia Nunes and Elena Greenlee, the Colombian-American film will open at New York’s Cinema Village on April 3rd and Los Angeles’ Laemmle NoHo 7 on April 10th before expanding into other markets, including Miami, Santa Ana, Detroit, and Houston.
Manos Sucias follows the journey of brothers Jacobo (Jarlín Martínez) and Delio (Cristian Advíncula) as they leave the port of Buenaventura, the most dangerous city in Colombia, to navigate up the Pacific coast on a desperate mission. A set of mysterious coordinates is their guide, a fishing net is their cover, and a narco-torpedo filled with 100kg of cocaine is their cargo. A story of brothers risking everything for a chance at a better life, Manos Sucias takes a close look at life at the bottom of the food chain in the international drug trade.
Shot on location in Colombia with local actors and a largely local crew, the filmmakers created an unprecedented level of authenticity by collaborating closely with the Buenaventura community to tell the dramatic narrative.
“I’m excited to partner with The Film Collaborative to bring Manos Sucias to the larger public. We hope audiences will get swept up in the suspenseful, harrowing journey of the fictional Jacobo and Delio, but also walk away with a better understanding of the horrific realities of the international drug trade. While Manos Sucias is a Colombian narrative, the film tells a global story,” said Josef Wladyka.
A festival favorite, Manos Sucias premiered at the 2014 Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI), before screening at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival, where the film took home prizes for Best New Narrative Director and Audience Award, 2nd Place. Manos Sucias went on to play AFI Fest, San Francisco International Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Traverse City Film Festival and Festival do Rio, among others.
