Nathalie Álvarez Mesén: Last News

The Marrakech Film Festival’s sixth Atlas Workshops kicks off today under the fresh curation of former indie film sales agent and publicist Hédi Zardi.

Valdimar Jóhannsson’s Lamb has won the 2022 Nordic Council Film Prize.

The 2022 Nordic Council Film Prize Nominees Announced The five nominees for the prestigious Nordic Council Film Prize have been announced. The list of nominees includes Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated The Worst Person in the World, Hlynur Pálmason’s Godland, Teemu Nikki’s The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic, Lamb by Valdimar Jóhannson, and Clara Sola, directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén. The Nordic Council Film Prize, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is awarded to “an artistically significant, Nordic-produced full-length feature film with cinema distribution”. The award comes with a €41,000 cash prize shared equally between the winning film’s director, screenwriter and producer. The winner will be announced on November 1 at a ceremony in Helsinki, Finland. Last year’s winner was Flee directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.

Marta Balaga Five Nordic features are nominated for the Nordic Council Film Prize. The prestigious recognition, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, was first awarded to Aki Kaurismäki’s “The Man Without a Past.”Hlynur Pálmason’s “Godland,” Teemu Nikki’s “The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic,” “Lamb” by Valdimar Jóhannson, Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated “The Worst Person in the World” and “Clara Sola,” directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, will all vie for the award.It is billed as a prize that celebrates “a unique filmmaking vision, deeply rooted in Nordic culture” and comes with a sum of DKK 300,000 ($40,000), shared equally between the director, screenwriter and producer.

The Forgiven with Jessica Chastain opens in 122 theaters this weekend as the flow of indie films continues to build with well-reviewed, festival-pedigreed product including Mr. Malcom’s List and Clara Sola. Meanwhile, producers and most other U.S. businesses are hoping economic storm clouds won’t ding their industry’s nascent revival.

How can women overcome negative perceptions about them disguised as societal ideals? Filmmaker Nathalie Álvarez Mesén presents her own examination of feminine reinvention with “Clara Sola.” The 2021 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight selection sees a 40-year-old woman facing what she’s accepted as the norm, and how wrong it can be to give in to those notions. READ MORE: Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2021 Lineup Includes ‘The Souvenir Part II,’ The Latest From Clio Barnard, Miguel Gomes & More Álvarez Mesén — a participant in Berlinale Talents, TIFF Filmmaker Lab, and NYFF Artist Academy — was intent on showcasing patriarchal concepts that move from generation to generation.

Holly Jones Prestige French distribution house Dulac Distribution has closed rights to France on “1976,” one of the most awaited of films to come out of Chile this year, which will world premiere next month at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The buzzed up title represents the first feature from young Chilean actor-turned-director Manuela Martelli, star of Andrés Wood’s “Machuca” and Alicia Scherson’s “Il Futuro.”  Worldwide sales rights on “1976” are represented by Paris-based Luxbox, adding to its lengthening list of high profile pick-ups from Latin America which include Nathalie Alvarez Mesén’s “Clara Sola,” Alejandra Márquez’s “The Good Girls,” Marcelo Martinessi’s “The Heiresses” and Benjamín Naishtat’s “Rojo.” The acquisition in a key territory for non English-language art films comes just weeks after “1976” walked off with three of the biggest awards at the Toulouse Latin American Festival’s Films in Progress, including the pix-in-post competition’s Grand Prix and Cine Plus Award from French pay TV giant Canal Plus.   In a statement, producer Michel Zana, head of distribution for Dulac relayed he was “very proud to distribute Manuela Martelli’s first film! Through its main character’s intimate evolution, in an impressionistic way, ‘1976’ offers a subtle and contemporary look on one of the darkest times of Chile’s recent history.”The film mixes humanity, radical empathy and reinvention as our protagonist Carmen, played by Aline Kuppenheim (“Fugitives”), cares for a young man branded a political extremist, harbored by the priest of a small beachside town.

Costa Rica on Friday selected Nathalie Álvarez Mesén’s debut feature Clara Sola to as the country’s submission to the 2022 International Feature Oscar race. The pic, which made its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was later scooped up by Oscilloscope Laboratories which will release it in theaters early next year.

Emilio Mayorga San Sebastian-based production-distribution outfit Atera Films has taken Spanish distribution rights to Inés María Barrionuevo’s “Camila Comes out Tonight” –sold by Latido Films – and Nathalie Álvarez Mesén’s “Clara Sola,” whose international sales are handled by Luxbox.With the two new titles, Atera underscores its aim of discovering and making available to Spanish audiences young Ibero-American directors including those who explore LGTBI+ issues.

Jessica Kiang Without Wendy Chinchilla Araya, the dancer and first-time film actress playing the title role, “Clara Sola” would be a finely wrought tale of a later-life coming-of-age, in which mysticism, marginalization and sudden sexual jealousy collide on the fringes of a teeming Costa Rican forest.

Will Thorne Staff Writer“Clara Sola,” the debut feature from Swedish-Costa Rican director Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, looks set for a French release.Luxbox has sold the rights in France to Paris-based art-pic distribution outfit Epicentre Films. News of the deal comes the same day that the magical realist is premiering in the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.Set in a remote Costa Rican village, “Clara Sola” centers around middle-aged Clara, played by debut actor and award-winning dancer Wendy Chinchilla.

Directors’ Fortnight premiere Clara Sola has many aspects in common with a coming-of-age sexual awakening story — and yet the heroine of Nathalie Álvarez Mesén’s drama is 40 years old. A sheltered woman living in remote Costa Rica in the shadow of her religious mother, Clara (Wendy Chinchilla) appears to have learning difficulties that are never discussed or named.

Jamie Lang Paris-based sales agent Luxbox has dropped a trailer for Swedish-Costa Rican debut feature “Clara Sola” from Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, screening at this year’s Directors’ Fortnight.Set in a remote Costa Rican village, the magical realist story turns on middle-aged Clara, played by debut actor and award-winning dancer Wendy Chinchilla. In the community, Clara is well-respected as a spiritual healer who brings hope to the rural population.