Andrés Santos de ScreenBright
Few months after beginning operations, Screenbright has managed to sell several of its films to Latin America and the US Hispanic. The Night was acquired by WarnerMedia Latin America for HBO Max; Lady of Guadalupe, which had been released in Cinemex theaters in Mexico, was Televisa and Univision choice; while Paws Bones & Rock ‘n Roll and Boonie Bears: Blast into the Past were also acquired by Univision.
The Night (Pesadilla en el Hotel Normandie) “enjoys 80% approval among the critics according to Rotten Tomatoes. But more than that, the film has managed to break down geopolitical barriers by being the first US production to have a theatrical release in Iran in 40 years,” said Andrés Santos, founder of Screenbright Media. It is a psychological thriller by director Kourosh Ahari, starring Shahab Hosseini (Best Actor at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival). The plot is about a couple that, after a night out with friends, take refuge in the Normandie hotel, where mysterious riots will ruin their rest.
As a consultant for Vision Films of Los Angeles, Screenbright has sold Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) to Univision and Televisa (securing exclusive rights for pay-TV in Latin America and not exclusive to Blim). The Spanish version premiered in December on Univision, but the English version had a limited theatrical debut and was recently released on VOD by Vision Films. In addition, it has already premiered in Cinemex theaters in Mexico.
Directed and written by Pedro Brenner and starring Guillermo Iván, the film illustrates the origin of the powerful symbolism of identity and faith in Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. “This film carries a very positive message, very Latin American, and whose message of hope becomes even more relevant in times of difficulty like the one the world is going through,” said Santos.
In addition, Univision bought the family feature films Boonie Bears: Blast into the Past, animation from the Fantawild catalog that premiered on June 6, and Paws, Bones & Rock ‘m Roll from Mirsand Limited, aired on June 20.
