MMM Film Sales Acquires Ecuadorian Queer Debut 'Princess' — SkimNews
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- MMM Film Sales acquired international rights to Christian Rojas’ debut feature 'Princess' ahead of its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it screens in the First Feature Competition
- 'Princess' follows Kallpa, a 12-year-old Indigenous Andean girl born in a boy’s body, as she navigates gender identity, community traditions, and the annual ñusta (princess) selection in 1997 Ecuador
- Christian Rojas emphasized the film’s grounding in diverse Indigenous realities, noting Ecuador has over 18 Indigenous peoples and 14 nationalities, and stressed the story does not represent one specific community but is set in the Andes
- The community of Sid Sid Anejo in Cañar, Ecuador welcomed the production, supported the story, and actively participated in the filmmaking process both in front of and behind the camera
- Kuri Fuerez, a young actor with deep sensitivity to the role, was cast as Kallpa after an extensive search, with Rojas praising his ability to express complex emotions through silence and gaze
- 'Princess' was produced by Ecuador’s Epopeya and Oso Rojo Films with co-producers in Peru, Argentina, Mexico, and Bolivia, reflecting a regional collaborative effort in Latin American cinema
- The film’s 1997 setting coincides with 'The Night of the Abanicos,' a real police raid on a trans beauty pageant in Cuenca that became a symbol of LGBTQ+ persecution in Ecuador
Why it matters: For Indigenous and queer filmmakers in Latin America, securing international representation through a respected sales agent like MMM Film Sales increases the likelihood of global distribution and visibility. The film’s community-driven production and specific cultural context challenge homogenized narratives, offering a materially different model for storytelling that centers lived experience over extraction.
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