Chile’s Juntos Films and two of Colombia’s more renowned actors, Angie Cepeda (“Rebellion”) and Juan Pablo Raba (“Narcos”), are boarding drama “Domestic Animals” by Colombian director Rafael Martínez Moreno, which participates in the Santiago Film Festival’s Sanfic Fiction Lab.
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Juntos Films joins Ivan Luna and Diana Pérez Mejia of Colombia’s Ferviente Films in adapting the eponymous original story by Antonio Garcia Angel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Diego Cañizal (Spain) and Juliana Ospina (Colombia).
In “Domestic Animals,” Felicidad, a 55-year-old domestic worker in Miami, works for the Ibarra family, who appear perfect but harbor dark secrets. As she becomes part of their luxurious world, she witnesses the collapse of the marriage between Guillermo (Raba), an investor, and Claudia (Cepeda), a former beauty queen. Feeling increasingly distant from her love interest, Luis, Felicidad realizes she’s trapped in a facade, much like the neglected fish she cares for in the glass mansion.
“When we read ‘Domestic Animals,’ we recognized it as a quintessentially Latin American story. The journey of its protagonist, Felicidad, is one of immigration, marked by the challenges of inequality and classism, yet navigated with dignity and optimism. Rafael’s vision made it clear that his goal was not to romanticize migration but to explore the human experience in all its complexities and contradictions. It’s what inspired us to become co-producers on the project,” said Francisco Hervé and Felipe Egaña of Juntos Films.
“Our decision also reaffirms our strong partnership with Ferviente Films, with whom we’ve collaborated closely on this and other ongoing projects,” they added, in reference to the upcoming “Reina Japonesa,” now in development and slated to shoot in April next year.
For Luna, the story explores complex and universal themes, including the pursuit of upper-class status, the ambiguous nature of the American Dream, and the challenges of forming deep connections amid the self-imposed cultural barriers of class. “These barriers often confine the characters, leaving them isolated within their own social ‘fishbowls,’” Luna noted.
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They’re hoping to tap the film funds of Colombia, Chile, and hopefully two other partners, ideally from Mexico and Europe, he said. Principal photography will take place primarily in Colombia, with at least a week in Miami for exteriors. They hope to finish the financing phase next year and shoot by the first semester of 2026, he added.
“What captivated me most about this story is that, even though we may seem to come from different worlds, vulnerability unites us,” Cepeda remarked.
Pointing to Martínez’s debut film “El Piedra” as proof of his ability to direct actors with great “skill, talent and sensitivity,” Pérez Mejia also noted that having writer Juliana Ospina on board has been vital. “Her involvement ensures a crucial feminine perspective in shaping the main characters and the complex relationship between Felicidad and Claudia, which is the focus of the current script revision. This is particularly important to me as a woman, creative producer, and project leader,” she told Variety.
Sanfic kicked off on August 18 and wraps on the 25 th .
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