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Photos COurtEsy OF CAnAnA FILMs

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Canana filMs

Good Stories that are Good for Business

in a very sHort tiMe, Canana FilMs Has beCoMe synonyMous witH quality ProduCtions. Founded in 1997 by tHe aCtors gael garCa and diego luna in PartnersHiP witH tHe ProduCer Pablo Cruz, tHis ProliFiC enterPrise Has ProduCed 14 Features, two television series, organized itinerant doCuMentary FilM Festivals and is about to release its First englisH-language FilM.

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by sandra roblgui

riginal narratives with universal appeal, screenwriters that are heir to a centuries old literary tradition, actors who have carved out international fame, photographers acclaimed in the US and Europe, directors with the talent to turn their cameras to anything and everything, from an animated short to a documentary. These are the ingredients of the boom in New Mexican Cinema. And according to Canana Films Marketing Director Leo Cordero, theres more: Mexico is virgin territory for filmmakers and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Take it from us. Cordero knows what hes talking about. Founded in 1997 by the actors Gael Garca and Diego Luna in partnership with the producer Pablo Cruz, Canana Films mission is to give greater exposure to the regions cinema. The company backs projects by an up and coming generation of filmmakers eager to discover new forms of expression and tell stories that question modern day culture and entertainment as seen through the eyes of Latin Americans.

MexiCos Partner canana films

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In a very short time, this prolific enterprise has become synonymous with quality productions. To date, Canana Films has produced 14 features, two television series, organized itinerant documentary film festivals and is about to release its first English-language film. There isnt one specific factor Canana can attribute its success to. We could write an entire book because we are talking about incentives for the industry in general [] Theyve introduced a young audience to something that used to be reserved for an older crowd, said Mexican critic lvaro Cueva. The best known of Canana Films productions is the television series Soy tu fan (Im Your Fan, 2010), co-produced by the public broadcasting company Canal Once. The very first episode of the second season featured among Twitters global trending topics the minute it was broadcast and was the most watched content on Netflix. We dont know yet if Soy tu fan will have a happy ending. What we do know is that Canana Films and Canal Once are on to a winner. Due to its excellent production quality and simple approach to its subject matter, the program has been picked up by NBC for distribution in the US and will be distributed by MTV in Latin America.

01 MIss bALA (2011), directed by GErArDO nArAnjO (02 ) was selected to compete at

Cannes. It then went on to represent Mexico at the Oscars and toured the international festival circuit, where it was well received by audiences hungry for original stories.

03 DIEGO LunA, founder of Canana Films in partnership with Gael Garca bernal and Pablo Cruz, directed the film AbEL (04 ) in 2010.

Around this time last year, another Canana Films production Gerardo Naranjos Miss Bala (2011) was selected to compete at Cannes. It then went on to represent Mexico at the Oscars and Goyas, and toured the international festival circuit, where it was well received by audiences hungry for original stories. Fox International Pictures purchased the distribution rights and Miss Bala has since hit movie theaters in the US, the UK, Greece and Spain. The next step is the release of the horror movie Juego de Nios in the second half of 2012. Shot in the state of Quintana Roo in southeast Mexico, the film features Vinessa Shaw, Ebon Moss and Daniel Gimnez Cacho in what is Canana Films first English-language

48 Negocios

Photo COurtEsy OF CAnAnA FILMs

the first episode of the second season of soy Tu fAN featured among tWitters gloBal trending topics the minute it Was Broadcast and Was the most Watched content on netflix.

production. The film hasnt even premiered yet and already International Fox Pictures has offered to distribute it worldwide, while Videocine, a subsidiary of Televisa, will be distributing it in Latin America. Canana Films doesnt follow a script and, more importantly, its directors and producers are not interested in making run of the mill commercial movies. We promote the unadulterated visions of our creators and have found that this integrity has struck a chord with audiences who want to see quality productions they can identify with, says Cordero. Speaking of quality, Cordero believes Mexicos film industry is up there with the best in the world, with the advantage of being a virgin territory that offers filmmakers the chance to experiment. The result, he says, has been independent productions that have been embraced by the public.

In the case of Canana, the fact that its producers and directors are young means theyre more willing to take risks. Perhaps because the industry has found a loyal ally in the Mexican government, which has been supporting filmmakers in the form of tax incentives and financing mechanisms for several decades now. When asked why the rest of the world should be interested in Mexican cinema, Cordero is quick to reply that its a form of audiovisual expression that is free of purely commercial objectives but that can fill movie theaters with everything from romantic comedies to horror films. Having secured official backing at home, New Mexican Cinema is now on the hunt for international partners. Its a great opportunity for investors to tap into an enormous new market packed with talent, says Cordero. Mexican cinema is about to explode as a media force, he assures us. And judging from the number of fans Canana Films has won over in its short life, the boom is just beginning. n
www.canana.tv/2.0