Bolivian filmmaker Martin Boulocq’s drama in development, “The Strange Woman” (“La Mujer Extraña”), which participates in the upcoming San Sebastian Film Festival Co-Production Forum, has tapped Uruguay’s Cimarrón Cine, part of the Mediapro Studio since 2023, as a co-production partner.
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This would be the second time it has backed a Boulocq film. In 2022, it co-produced Tribeca Best Screenplay-winner “The Visitor” (“El Visitante”) about an ex-convict who returns home in a bid to restart his life and reconnect with his young daughter.
Among the leading production companies in Uruguay, Cimarrón has provided production services to Oscar-nominated “Society of the Snow” and co-produced Prime Video’s lauded series, “Iosi, the Regretful Spy,” alongside Oficina Burman, among others.
Lead produced by Boulocq and Andrea Camponovo’s CQ Films, “The Strange Woman” is set in a future Bolivia torn apart by the war over lithium, a vital component in EVs and smartphones, where a Quechua teen chooses to become a surrogate in a desperate bid to escape poverty. Her decision infuriates her mother and sets off a family conflict against the backdrop of social upheaval.
Said Boulocq: “Historically, Bolivia has been a target of hegemonic powers due to its abundant natural resources. Today, lithium, coveted globally for battery production, places Bolivia in the spotlight as it holds the world’s largest reserves.”
“In this film, I aim to explore how sociopolitical contexts influence family relationships and shape emotional bonds. By combining family drama with science fiction from a Southern perspective, and drawing a parallel between the exploitation of land and the exploitation of bodies, this film serves as a meditation on resistance and the impact of global forces on the intimacy of everyday life,” he added.
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Its development trajectory includes participation in the Open Doors Script Consultancy and Br Lab last year. It has also tapped the co-production fund of regional fund entity, Ibermedia.
“As a Bolivian woman, I see the urgent need to tell stories from my country that feature women as protagonists. I also recognize the importance of honoring our Indigenous roots in these women’s stories,” Camponovo told Variety, adding: “In this sense, ‘The Strange Woman’ is a very unique and special proposal. Martín has shown with his previous films that he possesses the sensitivity and honesty necessary to tackle a challenge like the one he is proposing now. This is the fifth project we are working on with Martín at CQ Films.”
Founded in 2009, CQ’s films have been showcased at major film festivals and have screened in theaters and museums across Latin America, Europe, and North America. Boulocq’s latest project in post, “Criminal Body,” was selected as a Spotlighted Project at the Marché du Film‘s Cannes Doc and participates in the WIP program of Sanfic Industria, the industry section of the Santiago Int’l Film Festival running August 18-25.
The 72 nd San Sebastian Film Festival takes place Sept. 20-28.
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