Martel to direct alien-invader film

K&S to produce 'El eternauta'

By CHARLES NEWBERY, JOHN HOPEWELL

Argentina’s Lucrecia Martel, whose “The Woman Without a Head” plays in Cannes’ Competition on Wednesday, will direct alien-invader action pic “El eternauta.”

Movie will be produced by Argentina’s K&S Films, owned by Oscar Kramer and Hugo Sigman. It will be co-produced by Andrea Marotti’s Film Maker in Italy and Pedro and Augustin Almodovar’s El Deseo in Spain.

Beginning with a deadly snow settling over Buenos Aires, “Eternauta” follows a small group of survivors battling alien invaders and their army of giant insects.

Film will need a Spanish-speaking star, big setpieces and extensive f/x, Kramer said. Martel will begin writing the script after Cannes.

In other K&S production deals, France’s Wild Bunch closed international outside Argentina, Italy and Spain on Adrian Caetano’s upcoming horror pic “Cimarron.”

And Rob Moreland and John Williams’ Vanguard has taken U.S. remake rights on “Tiempo de valientes” from Daniel Szifron. Latter’s sci-fi thriller “El extranjero” is also set up at K&S and is in pre-production.

K&S’ “El Eternauta,” “Cimarron” and “Extranjero” make up the most ambitious production slate to come out of Argentina in many years. “Cimarron,” co-produced by Film Maker, turns on a boy who wreaks revenge with a pack of dogs.

The Buenos Aires shingle has also inked to provide production services on Gallic major UGC’s “Lucky Luke,” which shoots in Argentina beginning in September.