A New Adventure Awaits: Rodrigo Plá's 'The Newcomers' Finds a Home with Patra Spanou Film

In an exciting development for the world of children's cinema, Germany's Patra Spanou Film has secured the distribution rights for Rodrigo Plá's latest project, 'The Newcomers.' The film marked its debut at this year's Locarno Kids Screenings and promises to tackle important themes in a way that is both engaging and accessible for young audiences. According to Patra Spanou, the acquisition of 'The Newcomers' was swift, following its successful premiere at Locarno. Speaking with Variety, Spanou expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with Plá on this project, stating, "I have long admired Rodrigo Plá’s work, and I am thrilled to embark on our first collaboration with 'The Newcomers.'" 'The Newcomers,' filmed in Mexico's beautiful Tabasco region by cinematographer Ángel Jara Taboada, follows the story of three tween characters led by Mateo. In a unique narrative twist, Mateo occasionally breaks the fourth wall as he narrates their adventure. The plot unfolds as Tiana and her family seek refuge in Mateo's village, only to find that the pollution they fled has also reached their new home. Together with Tiana's pet dog Nube, they embark on a journey to discover what is poisoning the rivers. Plá's sixth feature is an adaptation of his regular collaborator and wife Laura Santullo's book "They Came with the Wind." This marks Plá's first foray into children's films, and he shared with Variety that the project presented new challenges. He explained, "This film uses adventure to explore complex issues like migration and environmental exploitation in a way that resonates with children. It allowed us to experiment with fresh narrative tools, while still addressing our long-standing concerns, such as social justice and the importance of critical thinking." Plá also shared insights into 'The Newcomers,' explaining that the film gives voice to a child's subjectivity for the first time in their collaborative work. He elaborated, "In 'The Newcomers,' Mateo serves not only as the protagonist but also the narrator. The narrative is a subjective reconstruction of events, a tale that captures Mateo’s unique perspective on a transformative year." Following 'The Newcomers,' Plá and his wife Santullo have three new projects in development: a musical, a dystopian drama, and a black comedy thriller. With each project, they aim to push boundaries and experiment with fresh styles, as evidenced by 'Los nuevos.' Plá first gained recognition for his 2007 social thriller "The Zone," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Since then, he has explored various genres, although his work consistently touches on themes such as the tension between public and private spheres and an interest in social processes, always from a deeply personal perspective. "The Newcomers" is a Buenaventura Cine production, co-produced by Mr. Miyagi Films. Gabriela Maldonado, Plá, Santullo, Ángeles Hernández, and David Matamoros serve as producers. Patra Spanou Film also recently acquired distribution rights for Diego Llorente's 'How the Lights Get In' (also known as "Dying Bird"), which was sneak-peeked at this year's Locarno Spanish Film Previews on Aug. 9. The film, produced by Lara González Lobo at Failo Cine in Gijón, northern Spain, and co-produced by Báltico (Spain) and Uruguay’s tarkiofilm, has been praised for its portrayal of the recreation of affective bonds among a younger generation. The 79th Locarno Film Festival, which kicked off on Aug. 5 and runs through Aug. 15, promises to be an exciting showcase for these groundbreaking films.