Two South American films will form part of the Official Selection for Spain’s 62nd edition of the San Sebastian Festival. Competing for the coveted Golden Shell will be the Argentinean film Open Air / Aire libre from Anahí Berneri and Chilean director Cristián Jiménez’s comedy, Voiceover / La voz en off (pictured left).
Berneri, returns to the competition after presenting Encarnación in 2007, a film about an aging starlet returning home to her conservative family. Her new film, Open Air (pictured below right) follows Manuel and Lucía, husband and wife, as their relationship begins to fracture.
Reluctant to admit they have drifted apart they set out to renovate a house with the hope of rekindling their relationship. After selling their apartment they move in with Lucía’s family which leads Manuel to move in with his own parents. Without a shared home they forget what brought them together. Open Air was presented in 2012, in the San Sebastian Co-Production Forum and will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September in the Contemporary World Cinema section.
Voiceover, Jiménez’ third feature (Ilusiones ópticas, Bonsái) was filmed in southern Chile in the town of Valdivia and follows 35-year-old vegetarian Sofia (Ingrid Isensee), a recently separated mother of two. In a rut, she swears off TV, Internet, books and her mobile phone for a year with the hope of finding peace. Things get complicated when her father leaves her mother, her belligerent older sister returns and her kids become obsessed with eating meat. The film is a co-production between Jirafa Films and Rogue International.
Last year the Venezuelan film Bad Hair / Pelo Malo was the winner of the Golden Shell for Best Film at the festival, becoming the first film from that South American country to win the honors. The 62nd edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival will take place September 19-27.
