France’s Still Moving and Uruguay’s Monarca Films have come on board as co-producers for Pablo Lamar’s Paraguayan socio-political drama “Remanso,” which will be featured at the San Sebastian Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum.
The project is spearheaded by Gabriela Sabaté of Sabaté Films in Asunción and Pablo Lamar at Sapukai Cine. It benefits from a diverse co-production network that includes San Telmo Filmes in Brazil and Argentina’s Tarea Fina.
Lamar, who won the Special Jury Award at the 2016 Rotterdam Film Festival for “La última tierra,” directs this film, which is based on real events and penned by Sara Pinheiro.
Set in 1970s Paraguay during the brutal dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, the story revolves around Carmen, a woman who stumbles upon the corpse of a young girl in a colonel’s home after moving to a new neighborhood. Despite pressure from those close to her to remain silent, Carmen struggles to regain her peace of mind.
“In ‘Remanso,’ the theme of silencing people, particularly women, is explored through both subtle and overtly violent means,” said Lamar. He elaborated, “This mechanism, employed by Stroessner’s dictatorship, remains a pressing issue in today’s society.
My aim with this film is to delve into how these socio-political dynamics infiltrate daily life and family interactions, forcing Carmen to confront a harsh reality.” Set for a 2026 release, “Remanso” has garnered support from several funding bodies, including the Hubert Bals Fund, BRLab, and Paraguay’s Fondo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes (FONDEC).
Still Moving, led by Juliette Lepoutre and Pierre Menahem, focuses on arthouse films and has seen success with recent titles like “Tiger Stripes” and “Rule34.” Monarca Films, under Eugenia Olascuaga and Valentina Baracco, is known for documentaries such as “Para no olvidar” and “Delia,” the latter earning accolades at the Malaga Film Festival.
“Remanso” will have its first public pitch at the Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum during the San Sebastian Festival from Sept. 23-25.