Cuba has selected Carlos Larrazabal’s “Malecón” as its official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, while Movistar Plus has acquired the film’s streaming rights in Spain.
The announcements coincide with this year’s San Sebastián Intl. Film Festival, following the film’s festival journey through Mar del Plata, Miami and Havana.
“Malecón” follows Elvis as he returns to Havana after 10 years in prison. Reunited with his childhood sweetheart and drawn into the city’s criminal underworld, he must decide how far he will go to finance his escape — and what he is willing to leave behind.
Shot entirely in Cuba, “Malecón” was co-written by Larrazabal and Cuban screenwriter Fabián Suárez, with the script developed through the Sundance Collab program. It has an all-Cuban cast led by César Domínguez, Camila Rodhes, Omar Rolando and Yordanka Ariosa, together with a Cuban production team.
“We wanted to make a film with the ambition to travel the world and the intimacy of a story told from within,” said producer Inti Herrera of Cuban production company i4films. “Our Cuban cast and crew brought their own memories, humor and daily realities to the screen. Seeing the film connect with audiences in both Havana and the rest of the world has been especially meaningful: wherever our lives have taken us, there is something in these friendships and difficult choices that we recognize.”
The film’s co-producers include Jorge Perugorría, the acclaimed Cuban actor known for “Fresa y Chocolate,” and seasoned producer Flavio Florencio.
“ ‘Malecón’ was born from a profound connection with Cuba and from the need to tell a story about what it means to stay, to leave and to imagine a different future,” said Larrazabal.
The Movistar Plus release details will be announced separately.
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