Teen Western ‘First We Take Anillaco’ Sparks Excitement with Bold Co-Production Alliance!

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In a sign of a potentially potent Latin American movie project, “First We Take Anillaco,” a teen Western set in Argentina’s direst of crises in 2001, has forged an eye-catching four-way alliance between Argentina’s Colectivo Rutemberg, Chile’s Color Haus, Brazil’s Filmes Sem Sapato and Uruguay’s Circular Media.

Paula Martel’s much-anticipated film, “First We Take Anillaco,” which she presented with a dramatic illustration using a mock revolver at Mar del Plata’s Film.Ar in 2017, is now set to premiere this week at the 2025 Malaga Festival Fund & Co-Production Event (MAFF) as one of its featured projects generating excitement.

A significant part of the conversation revolves around the movie’s unique mix of genres. As quoted by EbMaster, “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie described it as blending magical realism with a raw female perspective and punk spirit. The film is a powerful statement of defiance: a tale about youth, disenchantment, and the persistent cycle of deceit in Latin America,” Martel said.

Inspired by the unpublished “El Plan Anillaco” by Argentinian journalist-writer Agustín Fontenla, “First We Take Anillaco” is set in December 2001 just after Argentina’s banking system had collapsed, compounding the country’s deep recession, sparking 55% poverty levels. 

Amid such devastating crisis, Lali, 18, flees with fearless teen guerrillas, crossing mountains, deserts and ghost villages throughout northern Argentina in a stolen car. Convinced – not without  reason – that Carlos Menem is to blame for Argentina’s worst economic crisis in history, the gang plans to meet Menem at his lavish Anillaco mansion and shoot him dead. 

In a setting far removed from the responsibilities of adulthood, these young characters embark on a daring journey that challenges their relationships. This journey takes an unpredictable turn, filled with aimless wandering and encounters leading to sexual maturation. Through these experiences, Lali learns the harsh realities of growing up.

“‘First We Take Anillaco’ is a teenage Western with Tarantino-like flair, a story of beautiful losers on a reckless journey through the ruins of a betrayed land,” said Martel. “As Argentina grapples with a new neoliberal wave under Milei – who idolizes Menem’s corruption – we reclaim history from the outskirts, where the scars of the past still shape the present,” she added.

Newcomers Ramiro Pérez Sadlovsky, Juanjis Villagra, Joaquín Escotorín and Lucía Torres, all from Argentina’s Catamarca, will play gang members Amadeo, “El Obispo,” Rama and “La Motoquera” respectively.

Sergio Prina and Daniel Elías, stars of “The Snatch Thief,” and “The Delinquents,” both selected for Cannes, will “bring their signature intensity to the roles of Menem’s political enforcers, known as ‘punteros,’ deepening the film’s bold political edge,” Martel anticipated. 

A Best Fiction Project winner at 2017’s LatinArab Forum IFF “First We Take Anillaco” has won twice a Creation Grant from Argentina’s National Arts Fund, The governments of Catamarca and La Rioja, in Argentina’s North-West, both back the project.

Co-Producing ‘Anillaco’: Making a Virtue Out of a Necessity for Argentina 

In international film co-production, Martel and Novack are finding a creative solution to a challenging situation. Under Argentine President Javier Milei, in November 2024, Argentina’s INCAA replaced pre-production incentives with credit facilities, which are partially covered by INCAA if the films find a substantial audience. This change makes production riskier since screen quotas, requiring cinema theaters to play Argentine films, were also abolished last year.

“We hope our multilateral and multicultural approach will bring new creative and financial opportunities. We are searching for co-producers, investors, distributors and sales agents and international funding in Europe and also the MENA region,” said Martel. 

“This strategy highlights the fact that INCAA’s current management still does not provide subsidies for the financing of Argentine cinema, and we are waiting for new calls for proposals. Therefore, the participation of the provinces of La Rioja and Catamarca, where the film takes place, is crucial, along with international cooperation,” she added.

Partners to Date

“First We Take Anillaco’s” partners have track record. Colectivo Rutemberg exec producer Francisco Novack worked as production coordinator at Gema Films on international co-productions “Theater of War,” “My Name is Not Ruben Blades” and “327 Cuadernos.” 

Color Haus producers Álvaro Manzano and Christian Nawrath Smith backed Vinko Tomičić’s “The Dog Thief,” which world premiered at 2024’s Tribeca Festival. 

Filmes Sem Sapato’s head Laila Pas served as production director for “Shine Your Eyes,” a Brazilian-French standout at Berlin’s 2020 Panorama. Partner Diogo Faggiano is currently developing several feature projects as a screenwriter for O2 Filmes, headed by Fernando Meirelles, Andrea Barata Ribeiro and Paolo Morelli.

Nicolas Valdes’ Circular Media co-produced Paul Vega’s “The Astronaut” and Salvador del Solar’s San Sebastian Horizontes Latinos player “Ramon & Ramón,” partnering with Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar’s El Deseo and top Peruvian outfit Tondero.

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2025-03-17 14:19