Historias targets masses
Auteur films had dominated production
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The strategy is part of a push in the country to boost returns on productions.
"There is a new generation of filmmakers who want to make films thinking of who will pay to see it," Puenzo says. "Little by little, films are now getting made with the spectator in mind."
Historias Cinematograficas saw B.O. and festival success with its 2007 Cannes-laureled hermaphrodite drama "XXY."
First up on its upcoming slate is "El nino pez" (The Fish Child), the sophomore effort of "XXY"-helmer and daughter of Luis, Lucia Puenzo, that will be co-produced with Spain's Wanda Vision and France's MK2.
Based on the younger Puenzo's debut novel of the same name, it's a love story about an upper-class girl and the maid's daughter.
Ines Efron of "XXY" will topline with Emme Vitale, Leonardo Sbaraglia ("Intacto"), Carlos Bardem ("Guerrilla") and Arnaldo Andre ("La extranjera").
Puenzo pere ("The Official Story") teamed up with his four children two years ago to reform Historias with aims to increase production and expand into TV and other media. The family-owned group now has divisions for ad production, digital post-production (William Kong used them last year for "Blood: The Last Vampire"), animation and special effects.
The special effects shop allowed the company to create the ferry and rain scenes in "XXY" at a far lower cost than hiring out the task, Puenzo says.
The effects unit now is developing a feature called "Post," a $2 million sci-fi pic about a tribe living in an abandoned Buenos Aires of the future. Puenzo's son Nicolas will direct.
Also in the pipeline is "Toxic Jungle," a $3 million musical rock comedy directed by Gianfranco Quattrini ("Chicha tu madre") with a script by Lucia Puenzo.
In the fall, Luis Puenzo is preparing to direct "El nino argentino," a $500,000 political comedy based on a legit production about a high-class Argentine family traveling by boat overseas with their own cow for milk.
That will be followed by "El hormiguera," a $3 million political tale along the lines of Puenzo's William Hurt-starring "La peste" (The Plague) of 1992.
Company also is developing three TV projects: English-language "Dogs and Cats," following a news team on assignments; travel show "Amores nomades"; and "La quinta esencia," directed by Javier Olivera, an eco-political thriller miniseries in the vein of "Syriana."
