Protagonist Pictures has acquired Luis Ortega’s wacky comedy Kill the Horseman for worldwide distribution. The film will premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival and will have its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in the Centerpiece section.
The story revolves around Remo Manfredini (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a legendary knight whose self-destructive behavior begins to outstrip his talent and threatens his relationship with his girlfriend April (Úrsula Corbero).
On the day of the most important race of his career, which will clear his debt to his gang leader Serena (Daniel Jimenez Cacho), he has a serious accident, disappears from the hospital and wanders the streets of Buenos Aires. Freed from his identity, he begins to discover who he really is. But Serena wants to find him, dead or alive.
The film, co-written by Ortega with Rodolfo Palacios and Fabián Casas, stars César Award winner Nahuel Pérez Biscaert (“120 Beats Per Minute,” “My New Friends”), Úrsula Corbero (“Netflix’s “Money Heist,” upcoming Sky series “The Day of the Jackal”), and Ariel Award winner Daniel Jiménez Cacho (“Pardo,” “A Fake Record of a Fistful of Truths,” “Zama”).
“Luis is a cinematic visionary who has proven himself to be one of Argentina’s most exciting directors,” said Dave Bishop, CEO of Protagonist Pictures. “The humor and unique style of Kill the Jockey, coupled with the outstanding performances of Nahuel and Ursula, make this a must-see film.”
The film is produced by Benjamin Domenech, Santiago Galilei and Matías Roveda of Rei Pictures (“The Settlers,” “The Rescue,” “Zama”); Ortega and Esteban Perraud via their production label El Despacho; Infinity Hill’s Axel Kushevatsky and Cindy Teperman (“Argentina 1985”); Warner Music Entertainment’s Charlie Cohen and Exile’s Nando Vila and Paz Lázaro.
Executive producers include Academy Award-winning Benicio del Toro, Isaac Lee, Ron Broitman, Federico Fragola, Finn Glenn, Delfina Montecchia, and Martin Wiesner.
The film is a co-production between Piano, El Estudio, Snowglobe, Jacinto Films and Barraca, in collaboration with VIX, Pampa Films and Gloriamundi, as well as Dim Films and Fundación Ernesto Sábato.
“Partnering with Protagonist Pictures on Kill the Horseman is a real honour,” said Dominic. “Their unique approach to delivering high-quality films to international audiences is a perfect fit for this unique film, and we are thrilled to have them on board.”
Ortega's previous film, “The Angel,” premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and was selected as Argentina's Oscar entry that year. Based on the true story of notorious 1970s serial killer Carlos Robledo Boch, the film had a then-record opening at the box office in Argentina for a local production.
