Two Latin American films, in their world premiere, have been announced as part of the official competition at the upcoming 70th edition of the Berlin Film festival: The Intruder / El prófugo by Natalia Meta from Argentina, and the Brazilian period drama All the Dead Ones / Todos os mortos by Caetano Gotardo and Marco Dutra.
With a potent cast featuring Érica Rivas (Wild Tales), Nahuel Pérez Biscayart (BPM - Beats Per Minute), Daniel Hendler (The Moneychanger), and Almodóvar regular Cecilia Roth, The Intruder is a giallo-infused psycho-sexual thriller that tells the story of Inés, who works as a dubbing actress and sings in a choir in Buenos Aires. After a traumatic experience during a holiday trip, she develops a sleep disorder and starts suffering from very vivid nightmares. At work, the studio microphones pick up strange sounds coming from her body, threatening her career and her singing. Inés becomes paranoid as she has increasing trouble telling what is real from what is not. She begins to entertain a dangerous idea: the characters in her dreams are trying to take over her body.
Set against the backdrop of Sao Paolo in the late 19th century, shortly after the abolition of slavery, All The Dead Ones is co-directed by Dutra (Good Manners) and Gotardo (The Moving Creatures). The film revolves around three women of the Soares family, former owners of lands and slaves, that just came back to the city. Lost after the death of their last housemaid slave, they struggle to adapt to the changes in Brazil. At the same time, the Nascimento family, who used to work as slaves in the Soares farm are now facing a society in which there is no space for the recently freed black people. Between Brazil's past and present, out of place, they all fight to survive in the modern world.
The 70th edition of the Berlin Film Festival, the first one helmed by Carlo Chatrian, will take place February 20 - March 1 in Germany.
