The 5 minutos section of the 29th Festival de Málaga presented the projects in development by Luis Romero and Fernando Frater this Tuesday, 10 March. The Rectorate of the University of Malaga (UMA) was the venue for the public presentation of the two titles: Sucedió en enero by Luis Romero and Into the stillness of light by Fernando Frater.
‘Sucedió en enero’

The event began with Luis Romero's new project, which continues his focus on rescuing national identity and cultural heritage. It is based on a play written and adapted by the director's mother, and is the first co-production between Spain, Panama, and Brazil.

Romero explained that this film reflects what is happening in the world and is based on real events. “The film is a hybrid of documentary and feature film. It features a plot that explores discussions, metalanguage, and historical memory about us and that strong American presence we have experienced in Panama for so many years,” he concluded.

The film tells the story of Eugenio Torchar, an internationally renowned Spanish director who travels to Panama to cast a group of actors to perform in a play about the events of 9 January, 1964, when Panamanian students attempted to raise the Panamanian flag in the Canal Zone as an act of sovereignty.

Daniel Entrambasaguas, the film's producer, stated: “One of the biggest challenges has been working with a low budget. It's a co-production with Ibermedia, and we don't have any Spanish funding. The fact that Luis Tosar agreed to participate is fascinating to me, especially considering the journey we've taken.” Ralf Tambke, producer and director of photography, emphasised the effort involved in figuring out how to film from a distance and the challenges that could be faced.

‘Into the stillness of light’ (En la quietud de la luz)
 
Fernando Frater's new project explores a theme that fascinates space enthusiasts: finding water and life on other planets. "It's a film that pays a small tribute to those movies we watched as children. Films like Alien, Solaris, and The Martian have had a big impact on me, and this film pays homage to all of them," Frater stated.

The story—told in English—tells how astronaut James Browning has been stranded for four years on an inhospitable planet, along with his crewmate, after the failure of the Pegasus mission, designed to find water and assess its habitability. “The protagonist lives on his memories, and I think we experienced this a lot during the pandemic. It’s more than a space movie. It’s a movie about the space between people,” Frater stated.

Producer Ezequiel Montes emphasised the importance of the human perspective and the need to tell a story. “That’s what makes the difference between something made with Artificial Intelligence and a project that possesses deep sensitivity and feeling.”