Latin American distributor Cineplex has acquired North and South American sales rights to “La Residencia,” director Mariel García Spooner’s follow-up to her breakout feature “Algo Azul.”
The dramedy has just taken part in the WIP Iberoamericana section of Sanfic Industria, the industry arm of the Santiago de Chile festival, where films from Latin America, Spain and Portugal are shown in post-production as part of a competition.
Directed by the Panamanian filmmaker, “La Residencia” follows three women friends in their mid-sixties who join forces to confront their money troubles and reinvent their future by setting up a social club for seniors.
“We have known Mariel for several years and have been working with her since her first film, ‘Algo Azul,’” said Cineplex managing partner Diana Dudek, who runs the company alongside co-founder and general manager Elba McAllister. “We like her way of telling entertaining, relatable stories with a deeper underlying message.
“With ‘La Residencia,’ from the moment we read the screenplay, we immediately connected with the story of these three friends who, at a more mature stage of their lives, decide to reinvent themselves and move forward together.”
The project’s development path has included a stop at Málaga WIP, after which it won the Latino Film Institute Work in Progress finishing fund at Laliff 2026, an award presented in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios. Barcelona-based Only Postproduction also came on board to support the film’s color grading, following a connection made during Mafiz.
The cast is led by Colombian actresses Xilena Aycardi and Marcela Carvajal, joined by Panamanian performers Diana Abouganem, Massiel Mas, Diego de Obaldía, Miguel Melfi, Beatriz García and Gregory Manrique.
“With ‘La Residencia,’ I tell the story of Cecilia, Rocío and Martina from a close and human perspective,” García Spooner said. “They are three friends who begin to question what they want for their future and how to remain independent while everything around them is changing. The film explores friendship, the fear of growing older and above all, the possibility of starting over without losing who you are.”
The dramedy was produced by García Spooner’s Panama-based Hello October. The company’s credits include her debut feature “Algo Azul,” which was released theatrically in 11 territories and played on HBO Max and Amazon’s Prime Video, as well as “Tumbadores,” which is available on Prime Video.
“La Residencia” is now picture locked and in the final stages of post-production ahead of its festival launch.
“The film has the potential to resonate with international audiences,” Dudek said. “We are delighted to be working with Mariel again, and we are confident that we will find the right partners to bring this film to audiences across different international markets.”
Cineplex has also picked up Colombian and Latin American rights to another Sanfic WIP title, “The Cry of Serankwa,” directed by Yull Nuñez. McAllister said the distributor’s recent acquisitions include the documentary “Yuma” and Klych López’s “Irreparable,” which has its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights film festival and its Latin American premiere at Argentina’s Mar del Plata festival. Starring Marcela Valencia and Marcela Mar, “Irreparable” follows two estranged sisters whose reunion stirs up long-held resentments.