Italian
Ventana Sur‘s Blood Window long ago established itself as one of the most important platforms for genre cinema in Latin America. This year, the sidebar returns with a seven-title lineup for its Blood Window Screenings program.
The diverse lineup includes classic slashers, sci-fi flicks, supernatural tales and psychological thrillers that emphasize the range of stories that can be told using genre language and the widening definition of genre cinema.
Although this year’s lineup is broader in scope than what was once common for Blood Window – originally a platform for straight-up horror films, it’s also noticeably more contemporary than many previous editions of the program. Latin American genre cinema has a knack for producing fantastic period films, but this year’s titles are mostly set in the modern day, and those that aren’t are – except for one in the 1960s – set in the last half-century. The narratives often directly touch on themes that are relevant today rather than using popular genre tropes and metaphors to address modern issues.
Below, we take a closer look at the seven titles participating in this year’s Blood Window Screenings. Titles in the list below are either works in progress in the final steps of post-production or finished films.
Popular on Variety “Borealis,” Heixan Robles (Puerto Rico)
‘Borealis’ Blood Window This sci-fi thriller kicks off after an unusual solar flare causes severe memory loss on a global scale. In the chaos that ensues, protagonist Thalía must rediscover who she is and find her lost daughter. Director Heixan Robles is a cinematographer and director who studied at NYU and worked on several indie productions in the New York area before eventually returning to Puerto Rico, where he now plies his trade. He has stayed busy working in the island’s cinema and advertising industries and served as a cinematographer on recent festival hits, including “La última gira” and “La Línea Imaginaria.”
“Game Over,” Carlos Marin (Mexico)
‘Game Over’ Blood Window Produced by Pulsar Films, this horror feature turns on an urban legend in the world of video games. According to tradition, there is a retro cartridge inside which lives an evil entity that is released if the game is played. After a young vlogger dies violently during his quest to track down the game and disprove the legend, his sister must find a way to stop the evil that now stalks her and her friends. Marín is a successful screenwriter whose credits include “When the Children Return,” “Union Day” and three-time Mexican Academy Ariel Award nominee “Massacre in Teques.”
“Love Kills,” Luiza Shelling Tubaldini (Brazil)
‘Love Kills’ Blood Window Set in the bustling metropolis of Sao Paulo, this Filmland Internacional-produced nighttime thriller turns on Helena, a vampire growing increasingly distanced from what’s left of her human side. During a hunt, she’s surprised by Marcos, a human who tries to defend her from a tricky situation, unaware of Helena’s nocturnal condition. The experience brings the two closer together and helps Helena realize her humanity isn’t entirely gone. Director Shelling Tubaldini has worked as a producer, screenwriter and director of titles including the Toronto-playing thriller “Motorrad” and Netflix’s “Yakuza Princess,” which was the platform’s 5th most-watched film globally during its release week.
“No One Will Hear Your Scream,” Mariano Cattaneo (Argentina)
‘No One Will Hear Your Scream’ Blood Window As Argentina goes soccer-wild over the 1990 World Cup, a serial killer takes advantage of the empty streets to commit brutal crimes. Micaela, a record store employee, discovers that the murderer is connected to her shop when she repairs a victim’s answering machine and hears unsettling messages, making her the unwitting next target of the killer. Black Mandala produces this classic slasher from Cattaneo, a genre veteran whose credits include Disney+’s “La chica más rara del mundo” – which has been viewed more than 1 million times on the platform, the animated web series “Del Amor a la Muerte” and the action-comedy “Una tumba para tres.”
“Tekenchu,” Carlos Matienzo Serment (Mexico)
‘Tekenchu’ Blood Window Set in the 1960s, a Mexican community is shocked by the chilling murders of children whose teeth were extracted when they died. A federal officer is sent to investigate the case and uncovers a shocking mystery related to mysticism and the traditional Mexican belief in “nahuales” (half-men, half-animal creatures). Director Matienzo Serment is a thriller and horror specialist who won the 17th IMCINE Call in 2017 with “Escondidas” and the 2020 audience award at Feratum with “Tekenchu,” the short film that inspired his Blood Window feature. Ki Visual is producing.
“Black Water,” Santiago Ventura (Uruguay)
‘Black Water’ Blood Window La Mayor Cine and Chester Films produce this psychological thriller that tells the story of Mara, a promising swimmer who arrives in Montevideo to train with Laura, a former champion looking to train her to qualify for the South American Championships. During their time together, a dangerous love affair develops between the young women that will have tragic consequences for both of them. Ventura is an accomplished actor with experience in both the Latin American and Spanish markets, where he also works as an acting trainer. In 2021, he helmed the Prime Video original feature “Grey Eyes.”
“Simbiontes,” Christian Mejía Carrascal (Colombia)
‘Simbiontes’ Blood Window In this cosmic horror feature, a strange symbiote creature arrives deep in the wilderness of a rocky mountainside, attracting all kinds of people, from good-natured individuals looking for salvation to bloodthirsty mercenaries looking to snuff out a potential threat. Mejía Carrascal – director of FantasoLab for genre films – is an accomplished filmmaker whose short “La Memoría de los Peces” won a special jury prize at Cairo. Currently in post, as a project, “Simbiontes” received backing from the Colombian Film Fund for production in 2022 and was selected in the Coming Soon section at Sitges and WIP section at BIF Market – Brussels Genre Film Market earlier this year. He’s producing the film, his feature debut, through his own company, Oveja Eléctrica.
