Lion Films is set to unveil “La Hacienda: el regreso de los malditos,” a be directed by Argentine filmmaker Gaby Smiths, on December 5 in Buenos Aires as part of the 25th edition of the Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre International Festival. Gaby Smiths studied Advertising in Buenos Aires before pursuing a career as a Film and Video Director at the IDAC film school in Avellaneda. He has produced numerous short films, documentaries, and scripts. In 2008, he founded Lion Films, which has produced over 350 music videos for both national bands such as Attaque 77 and international acts like the Pixies and Jethro Tull. In 2023, he produced and directed the slasher film “Los Turistas,” and in 2024, he will produce and direct “Almost Forgotten” in collaboration with Canada.
“La Hacienda…” is a slasher horror film, shot over 8 days in 2023 in Gral. Madariaga and Pinamar, has recently garnered recognition, winning the Best Ibero-American Feature Film award at the Ave Negra International Festival in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The film features a talented cast including Facundo Vrdoljak, Mariangeles Gagliano, Juani Rodriguez, Sofia Soler, Juan Manuel Soto, Nicolas Morales, Clara Belen Sanchez, and Fernando Enrique, alongside special appearances by Georgia Viero and Christian Vit.
In August 2024, “La Hacienda” also earned the title of Best International Feature Film at the Mahkizmithran Film Festival in India, and just a month later, it was selected for screening at Montevideo Fantástico IV in Uruguay. The choice of the slasher genre is deeply influenced by the creators’ tastes and inspirations in both cinema and literature. Notably, the film incorporates a fragment from Charles Baudelaire’s “Les Fleurs du mal,” hinting at its literary depth.
Produced once again by Lion Films, which previously released the successful slasher film “Los Turistas: Una Temporada en el Infierno” in 2023, “Los Turistas” received the Cultural Interest designation from the Secretary of Culture of the City of Avellaneda and was featured in esteemed international film festivals such as Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre, Dracula Film Festival in Romania, Montevideo Fantástico, and more. It premiered theatrically in Buenos Aires during the “Noches de Terror” cycle at Cine Gaumont.
The film’s screenwriter and assistant director is Mechi Pérez. She began her writing journey at a young age through storytelling and poetry. She studied Translation briefly before switching to Literature at the University of Buenos Aires and the University of Salvador. Alongside writing, she has trained in Photography and Acting. Since 2015, Pérez has been part of Lion Films as an assistant director, screenwriter, photographer, camera operator, and assistant editor. She completed her first poetry book in 2022 and penned the script for “Los Turistas” the same year.
In 2023, Pérez wrote the script for “La Hacienda” and is currently developing a new screenplay for a feature film set to be shot in 2025. Notably, she will serve on the jury for the short film section at the Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre Festival’s 25th edition. Currently, “La Hacienda” is being distributed globally by Black Mandala. As the anticipation builds for the premiere, “La Hacienda: el regreso de los malditos” promises to deliver a thrilling experience for horror fans and a showcase of local talent in the international film arena.
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