A new wave in Latin American cinema: ‘The Weird’ and beyond
A fresh face in the industry
Former executive producer at Pimienta Films, Paulina Valencia, has joined forces with Nicolasa Ruiz for the coming-of-age drama “The Weird” (“Lo Raro”). This marks Ruiz’s debut feature film, following her co-directed short “Extinction of the Species”, which garnered attention at Cannes’ Critics Week last year.
Valencia’s collaboration with Chile’s Matías de Bourguignon of Cordyceps Content, known for producing “The Dog Thief”, adds a layer of experience and credibility to the project. “The Dog Thief” has already made waves, competing in the Santiago Film Festival’s international section. Set in La Paz, Bolivia, it stars Alfredo Castro as a lonely tailor whose dog is stolen by a 15-year-old shoe shiner who imagines the tailor to be his father.
The story of ‘The Weird’
Set in Mexicali, “The Weird” follows Consuelo, a shy teenage nerd with a deep passion for technology. She has built Alita, a robot pet driven by artificial intelligence. Her love for science and robotics is matched only by her growing crush on Ángel, the new girl at school who also happens to be a popular video game streamer.
Ruiz reflects on her inspiration: “Mexicali is where I grew up and formed my earliest ideas about cinema. The city’s surreal landscape, extreme temperatures, and proximity to the U.S. deeply influenced me, especially through science fiction and horror films. This story is important because it explores the vulnerability of being a tech-savvy, introverted teenager in a city with few outlets. The internet has become a crucial tool for connection, a space filled with both opportunity and uncertainty. I want to capture that sensation of being watched and the tension of navigating social networks, a feeling that has never left me.”
A partnership built on passion
For Valencia, working with Ruiz is “witnessing someone who pours her heart and soul into her craft.” She adds, “Her previous works have been well-received because of the rawness and sensitivity in her autobiographical storytelling, which sparks meaningful conversations.”
“The Weird” promises to be a film that reflects Ruiz’s growth and development, leading the project to where it is today. Valencia, who co-founded Kintsugi Cine and serves as director of MFC Madrefoca Cine, is known for producing the acclaimed feature film “Navajazo” (2014), winner of the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival.
The journey of ‘The Weird’
Currently being written by Ruiz, the project’s development journey has taken it through various platforms and residencies, including Meet Mart Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund, Catapulta FICUNAM, Berlinale Talents Guadalajara Edition/Guion FICG, Cine Qua Non Lab, and The Write Retreat Mallorca.
Bourguignon comments, “Nico and Paulina are everything that is right with new Latin American cinema. Women who have unique stories and perspectives that have not been commonly represented in film. They have opened up a space for me to contribute creatively to a project, where they value my outsider perspective as a reference for how to write a story that, while depicting life in the rural north of Mexico, poses questions and delivers a message that is undoubtedly relevant to Latin realities across the continent.”
The broader context
Cordyceps Content was born out of a desire to contribute to the social discourse on relevant issues that shape society. Bourguignon adds, “In Nicolasa, I found a director who shared my existential questions about the how and why of life. Especially in the current context of humanity vs. technology or is it humanity & technology? How do we progress as a society in harmony with artificial intelligence? Nicolasa has developed the technical and mental capacities to address these questions and offer a decentralized and fresh perspective.”
Other projects on the horizon
In other news, Vinko Tomicic’s “El Ladrón de Perros” premiered at Tribeca this year before hitting the festival circuit, including Guadalajara, Costa Rica, Munich, and Lima, where it won the Special Jury Prize.
Cordyceps has three Tomicic projects in the pipeline. These include two series: one about the current urban music scene in Chile and another about the construction of the Carretera Austral (Patagonia) during the dictatorship. “Both projects are interesting social portraits from different eras,” notes Bourguignon. Tomicic is also prepping a short that will serve as a proof of concept for his next feature film, to be shot in Northern Chile, marking a new collaboration with acclaimed DP Sergio Armstrong.
For more information and to watch the trailer for “The Weird”, visit The Weird.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive look at the exciting developments in Latin American cinema, focusing on the innovative and heartfelt storytelling that is shaping the industry.