Grasshopper Acquires U.S. Rights To Berlinale Prizewinning ‘Los Conductos’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Grasshopper Film has acquired U.S. rights to Camilo Restrepo’s critically acclaimed feature debut, “Los Conductos,” which won the best first film award at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

“Los Conductos” — represented in international markets by Brussels-based Best Friend Forever — was expected to have its North American premiere at New Directors/New Films but the festival was canceled due to the coronavirus crisis. The movie world-premiered as part of the Berlinale’s new competitive section Encounters.

Exploring the shattered psyche of a man on the run, “Los Conductos” is a Spanish-language film set in Medellin, Colombia, and loosely based on the true story of Pinky, who freed himself from the grip of a religious sect and gets a job in a T-shirt factory. Misled by his own faith, he tries to to get his life back on track, but is haunted by the violent memories of his past.

Grasshopper is planning a U.S. premiere this fall and will be releasing it theatrically next year. The deal was negotiated by Ryan Krivoshey, president of Grasshopper Film, with Best Friend Forever’s partner Martin Gondre & Charles Bin.

“Grasshopper’s distribution of ‘Los Conductos’ is the logical outcome of a collaboration we began in 2015 with the distribution of my short film, ‘Impression of a War,’” said Restrepo, who added that the distribution banner boasts a catalog featuring “the most adventurous and committed contemporary (films”).”

Krivoshey described “Los Conductos” as “a bold and visionary debut that, alongside a string of extraordinary short films, already constitutes a singular body of work and shines a spotlight on a dynamic and iconoclastic new filmmaker.”

“Los Conductos” is produced by Helene Olive and Martin Bertier at France’s 5à7 Films and in Colombia Mutokino’s Felipe Guerrero, a notable editor-turned-director (“Oscuro Animal”). Co-producers are Simon Velez at Colombia’s Montoñero Cine, and André Mielnik and Gustavo Beck at Brazil’s If You Hold a Stone.

Grasshopper Film’s recent releases include Pedro Costa’s “Vitalina Varela,” Dan Sallitt’s “Fourteen,” Hong Sangsoo’s “Hill of Freedom” and Matthew Barney’s “Redoubt.”