Co-organized with CAA Media Finance, San Sebastian’s Creative Investors’ Conference sees 10 projects pitched to senior international executives. Many titles are among the more ambitious movies in the works in Spain. Brief details:

Azahar Baby (Swel Noury Cazorla, Morocco). The first project at Madrid-based Two Flavours Productions, a realistic but nuanced vision of modern-day Arab Spain from producer Sonia Ziadi Trives and Swel Noury (Heaven’s Doors).

Evolution (Julio Soto, Spain) A second animated feature from Soto, who debuted with undersea toon escapade Deep. Here, an alien substance blends a young Zoe’s DNA with that of her pets.

Karmele (Asier Altuna, Spain, France). Produced by Txintxua Films, whose Intimacy shot to global No. 1 on Netflix non-English series charts, a historical drama of Basque exile, espionage and a battling central female character, From top Basque director Asier Altuna (Aupa Etxebeste!, Amama). 

Monsters (Lluis Danés Roca, Spain). From Danés, director of The Barcelona Vampiress, a Sitges 2020 Audience Winner and Barcelona studio Filmax, producer of [REC], The Machinist and Truman.

Oh, Nora (Aina Clotet, Ikiru Films, Spain). The feature debut of screenwriter-actress Clotet, who co-wrote If Then Else, with Berlin Golden Bear winner Carla Simón (Alcarràs), with a woman falling for a much younger man.

Raqa (Raqqa, Gerardo Herrero, Spain). Sold by Latido Films, the latest from Oscar-winning producer Herrero (The Secret in Their Eyes), whose films as a director have competed at Berlin (Comanche Territory) and San Sebastian (Frontera Sur).

Rock Bottom (Maria Trenor Colomer, Spain). From Trenor, winner of a Berlinale Teddy Award for 2004’s short With What Shall I Wash It? A ‘70s-set 2D/3D love story inspired by the early life and 1973 art rock album of ex-Soft Machine vocalist-drummer Robert Wyatt. Produced by Alba Sotorra (El retorn: La vida després de l’ISIS).

The Secret of the Magi (Javier Dampierre, Nacho Sánchez Quevedo, Spain). This mainstream animated feature is billed as an “epic Christmas adventure in the style of ‘80s movies.” Produced by Arcadia Motion Pictures, behind Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s hit The Beasts.”

A Whale (Pablo Hernado Esquisabel, Spain, Italy). Backed by Basque outfit Señor y Señora, an awaited fantasy crime thriller melding noir, science fiction and experimental cinema, directed by Hernado (Berseker)

Whalemen (At the Ends of the Earth) (Baltasar Kormákur, Spain, Iceland, U.K.). Helmed by Kormákur (Everest) and set up in Spain at Eduardo Carneros’ Biskaia-based Euskadi Movie, a much more developed and larger scale version of the true facts based historical crime thriller Red Fjords, unveiled at 2016’s San Sebastian.

JOHN HOPEWELL