Chilean director Juan Pablo Sarato’s black-and-white feature debut, “The Red Hangar” (“Hangar Rojo”), which dominated the Guadalajara Film Festival in April, has been sold to US-based company Pragda, making it the first company to acquire full rights in the US and Canada.
International distributor Premium Films/MPM Premium also sold the drama to Spain (Festival Films), Italy (I Wonder), Greece (Weird Wave), Poland (Cinobo) and Chile (Storyboard Media).
“‘Red Hunger’ represents exactly the kind of film we wanted to bring to new lines of business beyond the education market. It is a socially conscious thriller that combines tension, a contemporary perspective and a particularly timely subject matter of exceptional quality. It has all the ingredients to connect directly with North American audiences. We are proud to embark on this journey with the team at MPM Premium,” said Marta Sanchez, CEO of Pragda.
“Once a customer is hooked on a movie within minutes of watching it, all you have to do is trust in their strategy and vision,” said Natalia Isotta, head of Ibero-American sales and worldwide festivals at MPM Premium, who attended the Cannes Film Festival.
The drama had its world premiere at the Berlinale’s Perspective Sidebar and was shot by Premium Films in collaboration with its subsidiary MPM Premium.
The drama is set during the first three days of the 1973 Chilean military coup and reveals the little-known events surrounding the overthrow of President Salvador Allende. The film sheds light on a long-suppressed chapter in history, following the air force officers and enlisted men who opposed the coup and faced brutal punishment from their agencies.
The drama, based on the book “Shoot the Herd” by Fernando Villagran, follows Captain Jorge Silva, a former Air Force intelligence chief who is ordered to turn the Air Force Academy into a detention and torture facility called the “Red Hangar” during Chile’s military coup.
“Since its premiere in Berlin, the film has secured an excellent festival run and has been confirmed for screening across the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Critical response has been very positive, with praise for its format, cinematography and performances,” Isotta said.
Ahead of its triumphant return to Guadalajara, Red Hangar won four awards at the Malaga Film Festival, including the Audience Award, and star Nicolas Zarate won the Silver Visnaga Award for his understated performance as Captain Silva.
“The Red Hangar” is lead produced by Villano Producciones (Chile), led by Juan Ignacio Sabatini, and co-produced by Brava Cine, HD Argentina (Argentina), Rain Dogs, Berta Films, Caravan (Italy), with participation from TVN Italia.
