Buyers include Well Go of the U.S., South Korea’s Mediasoft and Poland’s 9th Plan. Melidora Media picked up rights for the CIS territories which include the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia while Superfine acquired rights for SAARC, comprising eight South Asian countries that include India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

By Anna Marie de la Fuente

Madrid-based Latido Films has closed on a slew of territories for Colombian supernatural thriller “The Awakening” (“El Despertar”), which world premieres at the Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG), with the U.S. going to Well Go, South Korea to Mediasoft and Poland to 9^th Plan.

Melidora Media picked up rights for the CIS territories which include the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia while Superfine acquired rights for SAARC, comprising eight South Asian countries that include India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The feature was created, written and directed by the late Jaime Osorio Marquez (“The Squad”), who died before fully completing the film. Co-creator and producer Federico Durán of Rhayuela Films and director José Luis Rugeles Gracia (“Alias Maria” “Rebellion”) undertook the completion of the pic alongside the original creative team.

“With ‘The Awakening,’ we recover the magic of a magnificent filmmaker like Jaime Osorio, for us the best creator of magic realism horror in Latin America. This film, curated by some of the best directors in Colombia – his friends responsible for his legacy – is a great example of his vision for action, horror, fun and amazing directing. We are proud to be part of this film and this adventure,” said Latido Films’ founder-managing director, Antonio Saura.

The story takes place deep in the Amazon where an elite military unit is sent to eliminate a target. However, the mission becomes a nightmare when they encounter Mobuya, a sacred guardian spirit that unleashes ancient, supernatural terror. In the same jungle, centuries earlier, a group of Spanish conquerors falls to that same ruthless force. Separated by time yet bound by fear, both groups fight to survive the unknown.

Its cast is led by Claudio Cataño (“One Hundred Years of Solitude”) and Alejandro Buitrago (“Narcos”). Héctor Sánchez, Andrea Olaya and Carlos Mariño round off the cast.

“’The Awakening’ is a gripping and deeply moving journey into the heart of darkness – not only for the story that unfolds on screen, but also for the story behind it: that of a director who passed away before seeing it completed and the remarkable effort to preserve and restore his vision and his work,” said Durán.

Working closely with him to finish the film were production designer Oscar Navarro (“The Squad,” “Alias Maria”), screenwriter and director Guillermo Escalona, as well as Jader Rangel Henao and Ana María Tarazona as executive producers.

“The Awakening” is among a growing host of elevated Latin fantasy-horror pics in Latido’s slate, which includes Gustavo Hernández’s “The Whisper,” the latest from the director of “Virus: 32” and “The Silent House.”

Rhayuela Films has just wrapped the shoot of “Lovers Go Home!” in Montreal. The multi-country co-production involving Rhayuela Films, El Sol Ermitaño (Colombia), Dublin Films (France), Potenza Producciones (Spain) and Camera Oscura (Canada) shot in the Colombian cities of Medellín and Santa Marta in November and December last year.

“Lovers Go Home!” follows a disabled war veteran who forms a deep virtual bond with a Colombian webcam worker that evolves into emotional intimacy. When he travels to meet her after she abruptly cuts contact, both are forced to confront their shared realities.

FICG runs over April 17 -24.