The Hague-based Latin Quarter has acquired Ecuadorian documentary “The Beach of the Enchaquirados,” known for its focus on Latin American and Latinx diaspora cinema. Originally released in 2021, the film has gained renewed attention following its Open Doors Screenings at this year’s Locarno Film Festival.
During its initial festival circuit, “The Beach of the Enchaquirados” showcased at prominent international venues like IDFA, Guadalajara, and Doclisboa, where it received the Arquipélago Contemporary Art Center Award.
The documentary’s logline reveals its importance: “Vicky, a fisherman by day and bar owner by night, once dreamed of becoming a radio soap opera star. Today, her dream is to find love again. How does a small, barren place in the third world manage to achieve such a unique form of freedom and tolerance?”
Directed by Iván Mora Manzano and produced by La República Invisible, the film highlights Manzano’s commitment to underrepresented communities, a theme present in his previous works which have been featured at Venice, Locarno, and Mar del Plata.
Mora explains his motivation: “I aim to explore areas where my own biases can be addressed. This project represents my quest for ‘intimacy in the periphery.’” He emphasizes the contrast between rural and urban environments, noting that trans people in Engabao, the film’s setting, experience a form of acceptance not often found in larger cities where they face marginalization.
Juan Castro, founder of Latin Quarter, praised the film’s unique perspective: “We were captured by the beauty of Iván’s contemplative and transgressive story, which offers a refreshing glimpse of freedom in a predominantly homophobic region.”
The company plans to expand the film’s reach with screenings in major European cities, aiming to introduce it to a broader global audience and explore new distribution opportunities.