Two of Europe’s leading indie companies, Spain’s Amore Cine and the Netherlands’ Baldur Film, are on board for Falso Positivo, Colombian director Theo Montoya’s much-anticipated second feature, following his acclaimed goth-doc-fiction hybrid Ángel 69, about the fate of Colombia’s LGBT community.
“False Positive” was produced by Montoya’s Colombian film company Desvio Visual in collaboration with France’s recently formed Purcell Film, led by former CG cinema executive Romain Blondeau.
The project is among 12 titles selected to be included in the next edition of Proyecta, the co-production platform to be presented at December’s Ventana Sur, jointly organized by Cannes’ Marché du Film and the San Sebastian Film Festival.
With support from Cannes’ Cinéfondation and Rotterdam’s Fondation Hubert Valls, “False Positive” is in advanced development and is expected to begin filming in late 2026.
The project marks a major step forward for Montoya, whose work combines poetic form and political urgency.
Set in Colombia in the early 2000s, “False Positive” reconstructs one of the country’s darkest episodes: the “false positive” scandal in which civilians were killed and falsely presented as guerrillas killed in combat.
Through its fragmented, dream-like structure, the film weaves together multiple perspectives. Two brothers recruit unwitting victims under the guise of casting for an action movie. A trans woman searches for her missing brother, and Commander Montoya, a decorated officer, prepares a speech entitled “Cut off the head of a snake.”
“I don’t want to tell you what we already know. I want the audience to feel something that is not yet understood,” Montoya said, describing the project as a cinematic act of collective mourning.
Following previous collaborations between Blondeau and up-and-coming auteurs such as Pietro Marcello, Laura Quivoron and Alain Guiraudie, Normandy’s Purcell Films is leading the project’s European division, with Medellín’s Desvio Visual at the helm, False Positive has the support of two additional players that strengthen its international base.
Founded by Paz Lazaro, Juan Pablo Félix and Edson Sidonier, Madrid-based Amore Cine quickly established itself as a bridge between Spain and Latin America.
Recent work includes the Chilean supernatural drama “Dæmon,” directed by Valeria Hoffmann and teamed up with Machina. Directed by María Paz González, “Morir de Paí” is a collaboration between Cinchua Films of Spain’s Basque Country and Quixote Films of Chile.
Amore’s notable works include Ivan Foundation’s black-and-white drama “The Message,” which won this year’s Silver Berlin Bear Jury Prize.
Based in Amsterdam and led by Frank Hove, Baldur has built a reputation for nurturing innovative filmmakers and forging co-productions that bridge documentary and fiction. Recent highlights include the 2024 Cannes Grand Prix winner “All We Imagine as Light.” Sundance player and Oscar-nominated “Soundtrack to a Coup” and Venice Days Award winner “Alpha.”
