CHULLACHAKI CINE (Perú)
In Co-Production with
LAGARTO CINE (Argentina), TS PRODUCTIONS (France),
MIL COLORES MEDIA & CACHOEIRA FILMS (Germany)

presents

Official Competition, 2008
Locarno International Film Festival
World Premiere

with the support of:

CONACINE, INCAA, IBERMEDIA, WORLD CINEMA FUND, FONDS SUD, CINEFONDATION, HUBERT BALS FUND

SYNOPSIS

Before starting university studies, Diego and his sister Andrea spend the summer in the family villa at the Peruvian coast together with their father, a wealthy business man and his new young girlfriend. Torn between the extreme love to his sister and the difficult relation to his father, spending days and nights together with his friends form party to party where alcohol, drugs and money are not a problem, Diego struggles to find a place in this upper-class society where all characters behave as gods: beyond rules, beyond morality and beyond believe.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

DIOSES is an exploration on the day-to-day life inside a determined social group, that of the Peruvian upper class. A group that has chosen to isolate itself, geographically and intellectually, from the serious economical and social problems affecting the country. They are a fringe group, but by their own decision. They have chosen to create their own “country” inside the real one, where they can raise their kids safely and sustain the structure that holds everything together.

I believe there is an urgency to deal with this issue, an importance to show how moral misery, and not only economic misery, is present in my society, and how it is not a quality exclusively owned by the lower classes, but a dilemma that defines us and prevents our society from evolving into a more inclusive, hospitable and sincere one.

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

Josué Méndez was born in 1976 in Lima, Peru. He graduated in Film Studies and Latin American Studies from Yale University in 1998. His first film, “Días de Santiago”, had its world premiere in Competition at the 2004 Rotterdam International Film Festival, and was selected in over 100 festivals worldwide, as well as distributed in more than 15 countries. “Días de Santiago” was Peru’s Official Entry for the 2004 Academy Awards, and represented its country at the 2005 Tous les Cinemas du Monde selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The film won more than 35 international awards, amongst them the FIPRESCI Award at Friburg, and Best Film Awards at Kerala, Miami, Providence, Lima and Montreal, becoming Peru’s most awarded film ever.

Josué’s second film, “Dioses”, was developed at the Cinefondation, the residence program at the Cannes Film Festival, and coproduced with Argentina, France and Germany. During 2006 and 2007, Josué also benefited from a year of mentoring with british director Stephen Frears as part of the Rolex Mentor & Protege Arts Initiative which selected Josué from young directors all over the world.

Josué has also worked as executive producer and editor on feature films for other directors, as well as writer and director for peruvian television, advertisement and theatre.

DIRECTOR’S FILMOGRAPHY

As Director, Writer and Executive Producer

2008 – “Dioses” (feature film, 35mm, color). Chullachaki Producciones S.A.C. (Perú), Lagarto Cine (Argentina), TS Productions (France), Mil Colores Media & Cachoeira Films (Germany).

2004 – “Días de Santiago” (feature film, 35mm, color and b&w). Chullachaki Producciones S.A.C. (Perú).

1999 – “Parelisa” (short film, 16mm, color and b&w). Chullachaki Producciones S.A.C. (Perú)

1998 – “Dreams & Other Adagios” (short film, 16mm, color). Yale University (U.S.A.) & Chullachaki Producciones S.A.C. (Perú).

1997 – “Sólo Buenos Amigos” (short film, 16mm, color). Chullachaki Producciones S.A.C. (Perú).

As Executive Producer

2008 – “Las Malas Intenciones” (feature film project, S16mm, color). Garmont Films & Chullachaki Producciones (Perú), Rizoma Films (Argentina). Director: Rosario García-Montero. Expected date of completion: 2010.

2008 – “Jardines del Paraíso” (feature film project, S16mm, color). Veintesobreveinte Producciones & Chullachaki Producciones (Perú), Neue Cameo Film & Mil Colores Media & Cachoeira Films (Germany), and Oasis & Ulysses Films (Spain). Director: Héctor Gálvez. Expected date of completion: 2009.

As Film Editor

2004 – “Doble Juego” (feature film, 35mm, color). Director: Alberto Durant. Agua Dulce Producciones (Perú).

2003 – “Páramo” (short film, 16mm, color). Director: Daniel Ró. Cinecorp (Perú).

2001 – “Bala Perdida” (feature film, 35mm, color). Director: Aldo Salvini. Iguana Producciones (Perú).

CAST

CREW