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I’m No Longer Here

Mexico City’s Fernando Frias has completed his sophomore feature Ya no estoy aqui (I’m No Longer Here), which was part of the 2014 Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Produced by Gerardo Gatica and Alberto Muffelmann of Panorama Global and Gerry Kim of Ppw Films, Frias tapped Dp Damian Garcia (of Jonas Cuaron’s Desierto and Alonso Ruizpalacios’ Berlin success Museo) to lens the feature. Frias also reteams with his Rezeta (2012) editor Yibran Asuad, who has edited features for Ruizpalacios and Gerardo Naranjo. Frias’ cast includes newcomers and nonprofessionals. Frias’ 2012 debut Rezeta premiered at the 2012 Morelia Film Festival and took home the award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2014 Slamdance Film Festival.…...

“I’m No Longer Here,” “Sanctorum” and “The Weak,” have been selected for Ventana Sur’s 10th Primer Corte pix-in-post competition, unspooling Dec. 10-14 in Buenos Aires’s Puerto Madero.

The arthouse showcase is one of the Latin American movie market’s main industry attractions.

Fernando Frías’ “I’m No Longer Here” follows the odyssey of 17-year-old Ulises Samperio, who, after nearly being shot in a local gang war, is dispatched by his family from Monterrey to Queens. With scenes bordering on documentary, the feature delivers a portrait of an urban tribe, Monterrey’s Cholombiano dance fanatics, and a reflection of migration in a globalized world, according to the director. Frías attended the 2014 Sundance Screenwriters Lab with “I’m No Longer Here,” which is his second feature.

“The film tries to raise questions about how history is written these days where even counter-cultural movements can become one more product on supermarket shelves,...

Bh5 Group was in a unique position when they presented three films at recent Los Cabos International Film Festival. The burgeoning Mexican production-finance hub which co-produces Atom Egoyan’s upcoming “Remember,” has attached Alonso Ruiz Palacios, director of Güeros,"one of the most notable feature debuts of 2014, to direct “Museum.” The other Mexican production they are are behind is "You'll Know What To Do With Me," which stars Ilse Salas , one of the rising stars of Mexican cinema.

-"You'll Know What To Do With Me" is a part of the Works in Progress Competition starring award winning Spanish actor Pablo Derqui and Ilse Salas, who stars both in this year’s Oscar entry, “Cantinflas,” and big 2014 fest winner, “Güeros.”

-"Museum" is a project in development in the Co-Production Forum with Filmmaker Alfonso Ruizpalacios, whose recent debut film “Güeros” took Best First Feature in Berlin 2014 and Best New Director at Tribeca as well as multiple trophies at San Sebastian and Morelia.

-Atom Egoyan will offer a Master Class, during which the central theme will be about his new film "Remember," now in post-production. The chat will be moderated by Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of Toronto International Film Festival, and the film director will be accompanied by his producer Robert Lantos and Gerardo Gatica, CEO of Bh5 Group, the Mexican company that holds Detalle Films, which participates in the executive production of "Remember." Bh5's head of production Alberto Müffelmann will also attend the festival in search of new projects and ventures as an "Industry Guest."

“You'll Know What To Do With Me" (Sabras Que Hacer Conmigo)

Mexico

Director: Katina Medina Mora

Production: Gerardo Gatica, Alberto Müffelmann, Rodrigo Trujillo, Jacobo Nazar, Moises Cosio

Section: Works in Progress Competition

Synopsis

In a mundane hospital hallway, fine arts photographer Nicolas, epileptic since childhood, falls for the aloof Isabel, unaware she is visiting her suicidal mother. The narrative begins through Nicolas's lens then cuts back to follow Isabel prior to their meeting. Their stories merge as they're suddenly engaged in a highly charged relationship. When the intense getting acquainted period wanes, it seems worth attempting to transcend respective flaws and demons, yet commitment is not something that comes easy to either of these resolutely independent people. Nico and Isabel find the future increasingly less foreseeable and the vivid present ever more deeply affecting.

“Museum" (Museo)

Mexico

Director: Alonso Ruiz Palacios

Production: Gerardo Gatica, Manuel Alcalá, Alberto Müffelman n

Section: Co-Production Forum Competition (Mexico-u.S.A.-Canada)

Synopsis

On December 25, 1985, adding to the chaos of September's earthquake, Mexico awakened with news of the theft of 140+ pieces from the capitol city's National Museum of Anthropology. The heist was perfectly executed, bypassing the guards who were busy celebrating Christmas Eve. No one imagined that the perpetrators of the robbery slept peacefully, nightly, in the suburb of Ciudad Satélite - veterinary students and lifelong friends, Carlos Perches and Ramon Sardina. The magnitude of the theft wildly exceeded the expectations of the thieves. Carlos and Ramon depart their comfortable life for an underworld adventure that drags them into the abyss.

"Remember"

Direcor: Atom Egoyan

"Remember" stars Academy Award Winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau, directed by Acadamy Award Nominee Atom Egoyan, produced by Golden Globe Nominee Robert Lantos. See pertinent info on page 31 of Lcff Industry Catalogue: http://issuu.com/cabosfilmfestival/docs/catalogo-industria2014-web

* Please Note: Bh5 has a production company credit on "Remember" is through Detalle Films (a company held by Bh5 Group), which participated in the executive production of "Remember."

Bh5 Company Profile

http://www.bh5group.com/

Bh5 Group is a conglomerate integrated by many production companies specialised in different areas of the entertainment business, including Detalle Films, Balero Films, Cacao Production Services, CoCo, Detalle TV and La Rama de Teatro. These companies have jointly or independently produced dozens of feature films, including "Nos Vemos Papá" by Lucía Carreras (Karlovy Vary 2012), "The Dance of Reality" by Alejandro Jodorowski (Cannes 2013), "Rezeta" by Fernando Frías (Slamdance Winner 2014), feature film "Kite" starring Samuel L. Jackson (2014), "Remember" (2014) by Atom Egoyan, among others.

Filmography

• "La Decisión del Presidente" (2007) - Documentary directed by Lucía Kaplan and Diego Delgado

• "Arresto Domiciliario" (2008) - Feature Film directed by Gabriel Retes

• "Jimigration" (2008) - Documentary directed by Fernando Frías de la Parra

• "Allá y en Tonses" (2010) - Feature Film by Angel Flores

• "Malaventura" (2011) - Feature Film directed by Carlos Rincones

• "Nos Vemos Papá" (2012) - by Lucía Carreras

• "Rezeta" (2013) - Feature Film directed by Fernando Frías de la Parra

• "95'" (2012) - Documentary directed by Renato Ornelas

• "Inner Dragons" (2013) - Short film directed by Fernando Frías de la Parra

• "Buoy" (2013) - Short Film directed by David Higgs

• "LuTo" (2013) - Feature Film directed by Katina Medina Mora

• "Kite" (2014) - Feature Film directed by Ralph Zimman

• "Contraluz" (2014) - Feature Film directed by Katina Medina Mora

• "Remember" (2014) - Feature Film directed by Atom Egoyan

Bh5 Partners: Gerardo Gatica (CEO), Moisés Cosío (Head of Project Development and New Businesses), Alberto Müffelmann (Head of Production - Detalle Films/Production Services), Rodrigo Trujillo (Head of Production - Balero Films/La Rama de Teatro), Jacobo Nazar (CFO). All five partners of Bh5Group come from different backgrounds, ranging from law to economics to industrial engineering.

Rezeta (Rezeta Veliu) is a 21 year-old fashion model from Albania. Beauty has given Rezeta the freedom to travel the world, most recently bringing her to Mexico City to work on some commercials. Rezeta does not speak Spanish, but she seems to get along fine without it, since there is always a willing and able guy around who will go out of his way to translate for her. While her attractiveness does make it easy for Rezeta to find sexual partners, it seems incredibly difficult for her to find someone to settle down with in a relationship. She goes from a swarmy photographer (Sebastian Cordova) who gives her multiple orgasms but not much else, to a hyper-academic pretty boy (Emiliano Becerríl) who quickly becomes disinterested in her because of her lack of attachment to her homeland. Eventually, Rezeta sets her sights on Alex (Roger Mendoza), a heavily-tattooed, working class guy who cleans her dressing room.

"How many guys have you been with?" Alex (Roger Mendoza) hesitantly asks his new girlfriend, Rezeta (Rezeta Veliu). It's a question the attractive Albanian model freshly arrived in Mexico City undoubtedly gets a lot. And indeed, over the course of writer-director Fernando Frias' debut feature (named for the pretty face at its center), we've already seen her in bed with three different men. Taking home the Jury Award for Narrative Feature at Slamdance, "Rezeta" at times may seem as desultory as its titular character, but it steadily proves itself to be a deft and droll observation on the fleeting nature of relationships. Arriving in the big city with few connections and virtually no knowledge of the Spanish language, Rezeta's good looks are her bread and butter and she manages to get steady work with relative ease. As she attends casting calls and books photo shoots, Frias humorously highlights the...

Many filmmakers got their start on the independent film circuit.

So who will follow the greats such as Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight Rises”), Oren Peli (“Paranormal Activity”), Marc Forster (“World War Z”) and Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite”)?

The Slamdance Film Festival announced their lineup for the Narrative and Documentary Feature Film Competition after receiving over 5,000 submissions this year.

All of the competing films are directorial debuts with less than $1 million and without Us distribution. The films include 11 world premieres, 4 North American premieres and one Us premiere.

The 2014 Slamdance Film Festival will take place January 17-23in Park City, Utah at the Treasure Mountain Inn, 255 Main Street.

Here’s the lineup:

Narrative Features Program

Copenhagen – Director & Screenwriter: Mark Raso

(USA, Canada, Denmark) World Premiere

A charming scoundrel visiting the city of his father’s birth, William is drawn to his impromptu guide Effy – wise, spontaneous, and half his age.

Cast: Gethin Anthony,...

Top brass at the upcoming 20th Slamdance Film Festival have revealed their narrative feature and documentary line-up, one day before the first programme announcements are due from Park City neighbour Sundance.

There are 10 narrative and eight documentary films including 11 world premieres, four North American and one Us.

Festival organisers sorted through more than 5,000 submissions to find the 18 titles, all of which are feature directorial debuts budgeted at under $1m and without Us distribution.

Jury awards are presented to feature films in both categories and all films are eligible for the Spirit Of Slamdance Award judged by the film-makers themselves. The festival also presents Audience Awards.

“The 2014 Feature Competition bristles with raw talent and innovative filmmaking,” said Slamdance president and co-founder Peter Baxter. “As an organisation run by film-makers for film-makers, we couldn’t imagine a truer way of representing the first 20 years and beginning our next.”

The 2014 Slamdance Film Festival will run concurrently with the Sundance Film Festival...