M-Appeal Boards Sitges Competition Title ‘Bury Your Dead’ by Marco Dutra (EXCLUSIVE)

As a seasoned cinephile with a penchant for international cinema, I find myself eagerly anticipating the release of “Bury Your Dead.” Having spent countless hours immersed in the works of directors who push genre boundaries and defy expectations, Marco Dutra‘s latest offering piques my interest. His impressive track record, including his Silver Leopard win at Locarno for “Good Manners,” speaks volumes about his talent and creativity.

Berlin-based sales agency M-Appeal has boarded elevated genre title “Bury Your Dead,” which world premieres at the Sitges Film Festival in the competition section. The director is Brazilian filmmaker Marco Dutra.

In 2020, Dutra’s previous production titled “All the Dead Ones” was showcased in the Berlinale competition. Meanwhile, the grisly werewolf story “Good Manners,” which he co-directed with Juliana Rojas, received the Silver Leopard at Locarno in 2017. The horror genre debut of this directing duo, “Hard Labor,” made its premiere in Cannes Un Certain Regard back in 2011.

Following its showing at the Sitges festival next week, the movie is set to screen at the BFI London Film Festival. Additional festival appearances will be revealed soon.

The movie tells the story of Edgar Wilson, a roadkill collector living in rural Brazil, who yearns to leave behind his mundane small-town life with Nete, the woman he loves. However, when Nete chooses to join her family in an apocalyptic cult, Edgar is faced with a difficult decision. As the world teeters on the edge of collapse, Edgar teams up with Tomás, a fallen and shunned priest, for a perilous road trip across a land ravaged by turmoil and despair. Along their journey through the remnants of civilization, Edgar is forced to grapple with his inner struggles and come to terms with his past.

According to Maren Kroymann, the managing director of M-Appeal, this ambitious apocalyptic thriller is sure to engage both genre fans and casual viewers alike due to its numerous suspenseful twists. With top-notch production quality and Marco Dutra’s bold storytelling, this film emerges as an enticing option for potential buyers.

The movie is made by RT Features and Globoplay, with RT Features boasting past hits like “Call Me by Your Name” (Sundance 2017), “Bergman Island” (Cannes 2021 competition entry), “Armageddon Time” (Cannes 2022 competition entrant), and “Ad Astra” (Venice 2019). Globoplay, on the other hand, is Brazil’s top streaming service, now also venturing into creating a notable lineup of theatrical films.

The main actors include Selton Mello, a well-known name in Brazilian movies, who stars in the latest movie “I’m Still Here,” directed by Walter Salles. This film was jointly produced by RT Features and Globoplay, and it recently had its premiere at the Venice competition.

Based on the 2019 novel by critically praised Brazilian author Ana Paula Maia, titled ‘Bury Your Dead,’ the movie adopts its storyline. Maia is recognized for her gritty and frequently harsh depictions of working-class existence.

Producer Rodrigo Teixeira of RT Features shared, “I recommended Ana Paula Maia’s book to Marco because I felt their work was closely tied. The characters of Edgar Wilson, played by Selton Mello in his acting, and the script written by Marco, seem to come alive in each other. We managed to gather a fantastic cast and crew for this film, which I think will linger in viewers’ minds even after the movie ends.

According to Alex Medeiros, head of drama and film at Globoplay, Marco is a director who consistently challenges conventional ideas within the horror and fantasy genres, and with his latest work “Bury Your Dead,” he’s managed to do so in an unexpected fashion.

2024-09-23 18:16

M-Appeal Boards Sitges Competition Title ‘Bury Your Dead’ by Marco Dutra (EXCLUSIVE)

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