Yahoo News Weydemann Bros. boards Argentinean, Malaysian Productions (EXCLUSIVE)
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Berlin-based Weydemann Bros. is expanding its international co-production activities with new projects from Argentina and Malaysia.
Argentinean director-producer team Celina Murga and Juan Villegas are partnering with Jakob and Jonas Weydemann on the upcoming relationship drama “El olor del pasto recien cortado” (“The Smell of Freshly Cut Grass”).
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Directed by Murga and written and produced by Villegas, the film follows a married couple, Pablo and Natalia, both university professors, who each embark on entangled affairs with their respective students, Luciana and Gonzalo. Like two sides of the same coin, the first half of the film revolves around Pablo and Luciana, with the second half centering on Natalia and Gonzalo.
Dolores Fonzi (“The Summit,” “The Future Ahead,” “Truman”) is set play the lead role of Natalia.
Murga’s works include the 2014 Berlin competition player “The Third Side of the River,” which was exec produced Martin Scorsese, and 2008’s award-winning “A Week Alone,” which Murga co-wrote with Villegas.
Among Villegas’ recent credits is 2019 Cannes Acid screener “Las Vegas,” which he wrote and directed; he likewise produced “The Third Side of the River.”
“The Smell of Freshly Cut Grass” is backed by Argentina’s Instituto Nacional de Cinematografia y las Artes Audiovisuals (INCAA) and from regional German funder Filmstiftung NRW. Production is set to start this year in Buenos Aires, with part of the post-production to take place in Germany.
The Weydemanns are also on board to co-produce Malaysian helmer Amanda Nell Eu’s “Tiger Stripes.”
Eu’s feature debut follows a carefree 11-year-old girl who suddenly starts experiencing horrifying physical changes. As her body morphs at an alarming and frightening rate, she struggles to conceal her grotesque alterations — until she decides that she no longer wants to hide from the world.
The project in 2018 won the Hubert Bals Fund’s Bright Future development support at Rotterdam and the Talents Tokyo Award, and last year picked up the Sitges Pitchbox Award at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films at Bucheon.
Foo Fei Ling is producing for Ghost Grrrl Pictures, a Malaysia-based company specializing in producing female-centric films from Southeast Asia. Fran Borgia of Singapore production house Akanga Film Asia and Yulia Evina Bhara of Indonesian production outfit KawanKawan Media are co-producing.
“Tiger Stripes,” which is expected to receive German regional funding, is scheduled to start principal photography in Malaysia later this year.
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